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Supplements

Penelope's Mom

Well-Known Member
I started feeding Franklin a food I know is not the best for him, but I had to go to a cheaper kibble out of convenience and necessity. He was eating Blue Buffalo, and I had to switch him to much cheaper brand, at least for a couple of months.

My question is this: What can i give him to supplement his diet to make it more nutritious without adding a bunch of unnecessary calories and fat? He really likes apples and carrots, so he has been getting those daily, but what about adding more meat to his diet? Do you think it's necessary? Is dairy like cheese good to give an EM?

Thanks. :)
 

taisa899

Well-Known Member
My trainer reccomends and feeds his Corso and other dogs nothing but raw food. As he says if it's good enough for us it's good enough for them except for things that are known to be bad such as chocolate. When he's preparing his family's meal he's also preparing his dogs

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Smokeycat

Well-Known Member
I give my guys cheese or ice cream as a treat occasionally. Just beware that some dogs have a limit on how much dairy they can eat before digestive upsets occur.
 

DennasMom

Well-Known Member
I agree raw is great, but not necessarily 'cheaper'....

I'd say if he's only on the cheaper stuff for a month or so, he should be fine.

If you're going dairy, yogurt or cottage cheese are good options - but you don't need much, just a few tablespoons per meal. Hard cheese (i.e. cheddar) are great for training treats, but I don't think they add any significant nutrition...

Real meat is always good. If you're not going raw (raw and kibble don't always mix well), cooked is fine (no cooked bones, and go easy on cooked fat) - and I'm sure Franklin will enjoy it. :)

Denna also gets the trimmings from my dinner prep - pretty much any veggie except onions (toxic) - she gets bits in her dish. She loves it all... berries, apples, carrots, kale, broccoli, etc. Some veggie matter is not easy for the dogs to digest, so not sure they get much nutritional benefits, but again... Denna loves to eat, so sharing makes her happy. :)

If anything, you might want to give him some Omega-3 pills... We use the Alaska Salmon capsules (from Costco), but any version should be beneficial for skin, coat, eyes, anti-inflammation, etc.

So glad your 'last post' was NOT you last! :)
Love that profile picture with the crooked grin.
 

Penelope's Mom

Well-Known Member
Thank you, Tina. Me too. :)
Can someone either compare raw vs. kibble prices or point me in the direction of a thread that would explain the cost differences? Thanks.
 

ruthcatrin

Well-Known Member
Well, you're best off talking to AB since she's in TX for raw prices, but no, its not always cheaper and making it so often means shopping multiple places to get deals. I feed raw myself, but its not for everyone.

I'd suggest hard boiled eggs for Franklin. Assuming they don't give him gas, eggs are a good source of a huge list of vitamins and nutrients.
 

taisa899

Well-Known Member
The raw vs kibble depends on how much he eats cost wise. Also depends on what quality and type of meat you're going to feed him.
I feed my girl the Nature's Variety Duck Medallions, 4 of them 2x daily and it has reduced the amount of kibble she eats by 1/2. The suck medallions come in a 3lb bag which is 48 medallions and it costs me just over $20 a bag here in Canada.
Now you can go to any grocery store pick up fresh veggies and potatoes and grab the cheap cuts of meat and it'll still be healthier than any kibble out there.
When I was in almost the same position as you awhile back I was feeding my girl the cheap kibble too and she was eating a ton of it.
Do what's best for your wallet right now, you can always make it up to him later when things turn around for you

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Penelope's Mom

Well-Known Member
How many hard boiled eggs should I give him a day? He likes the cheap kibble, but it's really doing a number on his coat. I'm seeing more dander and he's shedding like crazy!
 

ruthcatrin

Well-Known Member
Start with one a day, and make sure its not going to screw with his digestion. But two or three a day wouldn't be bad. And ditto the coconut oil!
 

jcook

Well-Known Member
i give stella raw egg on occasion, just be aware that egg whites contain an enzyme called avidin, which is a biotin inhibitor. with that said, it is just the egg whites that contain avidin and the egg yolk is actually very high in biotin, so the key is to feed the whole egg, not just the whites.
 

Penelope's Mom

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the suggestions. I will definitely start giving him eggs if it will help his coat.
How much coconut oil should i give him daily?
 

Smokeycat

Well-Known Member
Kryten gets about 6 tablespoons of coconut oil everyday. I started with about a teaspoon and worked up to where he is now. He gets it as a 'treat' three times a day. I hide his pills in a blob and they slide right down and he is eager to take them even knowing that they are there. Gotta love coconut oil.
 

taisa899

Well-Known Member
I never thought about eggs. I'm gonna try some with my girl and see how she does

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ruthcatrin

Well-Known Member
i give stella raw egg on occasion, just be aware that egg whites contain an enzyme called avidin, which is a biotin inhibitor. with that said, it is just the egg whites that contain avidin and the egg yolk is actually very high in biotin, so the key is to feed the whole egg, not just the whites.

Only in raw eggs, in cooked eggs the avidin is destroyed by cooking, which is why I suggested hardboiled eggs for Franklin.
 

Robtouw

Well-Known Member
I routinely add veggies, rice, pasta, yogurt or lightly browned red meats to my boys food. My boy, Cruiser is sensitive to eggs cooked or raw so I stay away from them.
 

Penelope's Mom

Well-Known Member
The eggs have been a success. I'm giving him 2 a day now, one in the morning and one at night, and of course he loves them.
Next up is coconut oil. I'd also like to try some of Robtouw's suggestions. My dog will be even more spoiled than he is now, if that's possible. ;)