Sorraia
Well-Known Member
jorats said:
If you are following the prey model diet, and the appropriate ratios are met, then veggies should not be required. The ratios are generally described as 5-10% bone, 5-10% organ, and 80-90% meat (includes some skin, fat, connective tissue, etc but should mostly be made up of muscle meat). The actual ratios can vary slightly from one animal to another, so these are just starting points. My dogs, for example, do a little bit better with a slightly higher bone ratio, otherwise their stools become soft and they get gassy. The exact meats you feed may vary from one animal to another as well. I avoid feeding my dogs lamb because it makes them gassy (haven't tried mutton), but so far other meats have been fine. I achieve the meat and organ ratios by actually weighing and feeding over the course of the week. With the dogs, I can feed organ daily if desired: about 2-2.5 ounces a day. With the cats, it's easier just to feed it a couple times a week: daily would be 0.48 ounces, so instead I might feed them 1.5-2 ounces a couple times a week. The bone ratios I don't weigh out as much, instead I concentrate on feeding the "whole" animal (using poultry as an example: leg one day, thigh another, breast another, then a leg, then a wing, etc, until the "whole" animal is fed) over time, so the bone balances out in the end. The dogs are easy when it comes to bone, they'll eat just about anything they can crush/gnaw and swallow. The cats I have to be a little more careful about: They won't touch wings, and will only eat the bones found in the breast and maybe thighs of a chicken, though they will consume a quail in its entirety, and will consume all except the thicker bones (such as those in the legs) of a cornish game hen.
The majority of my pets' food is purchased from http://www.socalbarf.com which pretty much purchases direct from suppliers (essentially cutting out the middle man). The majority of the food is human grade, so I could even purchase it for myself. Includes normal "grocery store" options as well as organic or pastured options. Some food is qualified as "animal grade" only. In the case of this particular organization, that means bacteria can be a concern - for example green tripe (E. coli is a concern) - thus it is not recommended for human consumption. This doesn't mean it is necessarily bad for our animals though.
I personally like to provide variety in meats. Different cuts can have different nutrients: for example the dark meat of chicken may be higher in iron than the white meat. Different animals can also have different nutrients: for example some fish being higher in omega fatty acids than poultry or red meats.
Some people do feed ground meats as the primary food source for their dogs or cats. Those people I know who prefer ground usually have smaller dogs who may not be able to handle bones, older animals who may have dental issues or missing teeth, or dogs who tend to gulp their food and don't chew bones so are at risk of choking. I personally prefer to stick to whole foods, but did provide ground to my older cat when she was having trouble with mouth ulcers (result of kidney failure). Chicken frames alone wouldn't be appropriate though, since it is primarily bone (the product that's left after most of the usable meat has been removed). They can be fed as part of the diet though (especially if you were using boneless meats).
"Bonuses", extras, supplements... that's how I look at them. It depends in part on the health of the animal and the completeness of the diet. The completeness of the diet may depend in part on what's available to the individual in question. If you don't have access to good quality bone-in meats or your dog/cat can't/won't eat bone, you might need to add a calcium supplement. I like to give my animals probiotics periodically just to make sure their digestive health stays in tip-top shape, especially during times of stress (such as vet visits or sudden weather changes). Vitamin C really isn't necessary because carnivores are able to synthesize it.
