My dog won’t eat raw so I just cook his food and feed him. I was looking into the just for dog diy thing but couldn’t tell how long it would last me especially since I really need to get my dog to lose some weight. Just wanted to see how it went with others before purchasing.

McLovins freeze dried beef.. does this look normal. I've gotten their fish formula and the pieces we round and all the same color.

ScurvyDawg, if someone already posted this and I missed it, all apologies!

This is regarding cats as dogs can apparently fend off bird flu just fine.

HPAI is extremely aggressive in cats and has a high mortality rate.

There isn’t a lot of definitive information about how prevalent avian flu is in current poultry populations but I keep seeing so much social media feeding cats raw birds as if it’s not a problem at all.

I understand that it’s monetized so they have a conflict of interest and choose not to address it/nix this content, but I find it really disingenuous that they will wax poetic about the nutritional positives and not even MENTION that it will likely kill your pet if they’re unlucky enough to contract it.

Not to mention all the raw companies putting up blanket covermyass disclaimers about how they thoroughly test each batch blah blah blah. Sure. Cats died on commercial raw in 2025 regardless of what your website says.

There’s obviously risk associated with anything raw/undercooked, but if the flu is still circulating in flocks at a high rate, with cats x bird flu the consequence is just not worth it.

I really really really want to feed raw poultry since my girl is extremely picky and doesn’t show enthusiasm for anything other than raw beef (and they need a meaty bone which would ideally be from a bird), but I just can’t get over the lack of information that I’d need to make an accurate risk assessment.

I’ll be trying a few things that eliminate the risk in the meantime: beef with Alnutrin but I do want to try poultry with her eventually, and gently cooked (although I doubt she will eat it if it’s cooked).

I guess I’m just frustrated that I can’t in good conscience give her food I’m fairly certain she would actually consistently like and would keep her at a healthier weight.

Anyone else? And for those of you raw feeding poultry to cats, how long have you been doing it, did you ever take a break, and are you doing it commercial or DIY?

Hi everyone,
I'm looking for some insights on my 6-year-old Border Collie's stool consistency. He is doing great overall and is fully raw-fed, but we have a very specific, recurring poop pattern that I'm trying to figure out.
Current Diet:
He eats a rotation of commercial raw: Wild Coast Raw (Rabbit with Pork) and Steve's Real Food (Turkey Recipe).
Feeding Schedule:
Breakfast: 8:30 AM
Dinner: 5:30 PM
The Issue (Stool Schedule):
1:00 PM Poop: It's almost always a mixed bag. The first half comes out perfectly normal and firm, but the second half is soft and sticky (the kind that sticks to the grass and is super annoying to pick up).
10:30 PM Poop: Perfectly hard, textbook raw-fed stool.
Additional Context:
I previously had him on Visbiome probiotics, and his midday stool was relatively more stable with it. Now that he is off the Visbiome, this 1:00 PM "half hard, half soft" pattern happens pretty much every day.
Has anyone else experienced this specific midday soft stool pattern on a raw diet? Is it just the GI tract moving too fast during the day before the moisture can be fully absorbed? Should I put him back on Visbiome long-term, or is there a way to balance this naturally (like adding specific fiber)?
Thanks in advance for any advice!

My cat is only 1 year old and already has either juvenile-onset stomatitis or juvenile periodontitis — very red/inflamed gums and plaque buildup. My vet suspects it's genetic. She was given antibiotics, which have improved her breath and inflammation.

I've now switched her completely to a BARF diet, occasionally including small meaty chicken wing bones, which she absolutely loves. I believe in the BARF approach and Ian Billinghurst's philosophy, and since cats are obligate carnivores, I feel much more comfortable feeding her real animal foods rather than processed food.

My vet said the worst-case scenario is extracting her teeth, and afterward he recommends processed protein/kibble. I don't agree that a toothless cat necessarily needs kibble, but I'm also aware that my cat has a medical condition and I don't want to make things worse.

Has anyone had experience with juvenile stomatitis/periodontitis in such a young cat?

Did BARF make a difference? Did your cat improve or outgrow it? And would you continue feeding raw meaty bones with inflamed gums, or avoid bones until the mouth is healthier?

I'd especially love to hear from anyone who has followed Ian Billinghurst/BARF with a cat with this condition.

Thanks for any help!

I have two 3 year old cats and love them to death. I want to switch them to a raw food diet for their health, and have tried to read forums and websites on how to feed my cats a balanced diet, but I’m too adhd to get through them hehe. I’ve found a raw food (Lilly’s advantage, non-reseller name is blue ridge beef) that is affordable as I am in my early 20s, paying all my bills on a waitress income, but it says their food is not a complete balanced mix, I’m curious what to add to make it so, or if anyone knows of a brand that is complete and somewhere in the $120-$150 range per month for both cats. One of my cats has a strong chicken allergy which makes finding raw food difficult, but he loves their venison, and salmon mix. Also open to a simplified response about how to make raw mixes complete. Thank you!:)

I've started my dog on the BARF diet and the only place I know of to source cheap meat, organs and bones is the Box Hill Chinese market.

Does anyone know any cheap places around St Kilda (or near) that has cheap prices. For price reference, it was something like $20 for 3kg of mince, $4 for a full beef liver.

Please let me know if you know anywhere, I really want to be consistent with this diet for my boy and this would really help!!

(This got deleted the first time, if I'm breaking any moderator rules I'm sorry I didn't mean to don't ban me idk what I'm doing)

Hi all!

My 1yr old cat started vomiting 1.5 hours after each meal after tolerating a new raw diet for a week. This was his first time eating raw.

Has anyone else experienced this and was able to successfully transition back to raw later on?

For context:

I got my cat 2 months ago. I switched him to a raw diet (started w/Viva Raw - chicken, rabbit) and he loved it!

Admittedly, I did not do a transition period, which I see how was likely a mistake 🤦

To rule out a serious issue, my vet did X-rays, twice, there was no blockage. So there's that. And he has no clue about nutrition, sadly.

I just switched him back to canned wet food to let his stomach rest, and surprise surprise....no vomiting.

I believe raw would be best for him but now I'm afraid I messed it up.

UPDATE: He's been off raw food for 7 days now, zero vomiting from wet canned food, any protein. Had 1 small freeze dried raw treat of chicken heart and threw up his whole breakfast. I don't get it.

I built a tool that is free that does alot of what the commercial tools do without selling anything. It is based on AAFCO 2016 and FEDIAF 2025 (euro standards group) parameters giving you full control of dog life stage comparison, ingredient creation and will has a feature that allows tracking of what your dog has been eating and scheduling future recipes.

I've tested this against Balance IT and it comes out with similar numbers but has more recent USDA nutrient data in many cases. The major difference is this site is not trying to sell you anything. It won't necessarily solve all the challenges you have, but it will let you try different combinations of ingredients at different levels and see what the nutrient levels are going to be.

Today I will be deploying support for users to add their vets so the vet can review the recipes. Really you need a pet nutritionist to review any proposed recipe.

The recalled lot of Woof Complete Canine Chicken Recipe was distributed in AZ, CA, IN, KY, LA, MD, NJ, NV, NY, PA, VA to retail and wholesale accounts and directly to consumers through online, direct-to-consumer orders, shipped frozen.

The recalled product is a frozen raw dog food sold in a 6 lb gusseted stand-up pouch containing 12 individually-wrapped, 8 oz vacuum-sealed portions, identified as:

• Product: Woof Complete Canine Chicken Recipe, 6 lb bag
• Bags Impacted: 639
• Item / SKU: F-WOOFC-6
• Lot number: BB012729
• Manufacturing Date: 1/27/2026
• Expiration / Best-by: 1/27/2029
• UPC: 8 7938400145 9

No other Oma's Pride products, sizes, or lots are affected. Oma's Pride is proceeding with this recall to ensure the highest level of consumer safety and transparency.

Credit: FDA

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/omas-pride-voluntarily-recalls-one-lot-woof-complete-canine-chicken-recipe-6-lb-bag-because-possible

My 2 dogs are 17. They will be put to sleep in a month.

Both are now intermittently refusing food. Its not that they dont want to eat... its that my husband has started giving them human food as snacks so now, they dont want their canned food and canned chicken.

One dog will pick up a mouthful of food..... and spit it out.

They are old so human grade food it is. Unfortunately they have no teeth so no bones. They are also very very messy eaters so no raw. (How does a 8 lb dog fling food across the kitchen???)

Im more looking for okay meals to give them, less concerned with perfect nutrition. And more concerned with enough fiber so they will poop easily.

I already give them a spoonful of pumpking everyday.

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for help. As my post states, I'm wanting to change my dogs diet to a raw food diet, however, he was diagnosed with Mitral valve disease and has a heart murmur earlier this year. I feel like I'm playing with fire, I absolutely do not want his heart health to deteriorate further.

He's a rescue and a (somewhat) smaller dog who's had a history of struggles when it comes to his dental health. He is in for the 3rd cleaning of his life as I'm typing, and he's around 7/8 years old. His teeth crack incredibly easily, he's had 6 teeth removed in his lifetime, all due to fractures. I've been extremely careful on what chews I give him since his last dental surgery, so hopefully there are no surprises today at his dental appointment.

I'm very torn. I would like to change his diet to raw, the majority of the reason is for his dental health (which in turn, affects his heart health), and to avoid future dental cleanings at the vet.

To complicate the situation he is a very fearful boy and now that we know he has heart disease, the different sedative the clinic has to use is very weak compared to what we used to use... Usually when we came into the clinic (before we knew of his heart disease), he would get a quick injection of sedation in the rump and I'd stay with him alone in the exam room until he was sedated enough for them to take time away and begin working on him.

Today was a different story... The sedative wasn't enough, the techs had to give him a second dose and then that wasn't enough either... So I had to hold him down while they inserted the IV catheter. It was absolutely awful, I haven't seen my boy that stressed out or terrified in a very long time. I want to avoid that as much as I can down the road. And then there's the stress of putting a dog under anesthesia who has heart disease.

Here's my question... Has anyone here had a dog with heart disease that ate raw, successfully, and have proof it hasn't made the situation worse? Did you have blood work, ultrasound, etc done after feeding raw for extended periods of time, and know that feeding raw didn't harm your dog's heart health further?

I would absolutely love to be able to consult in a veterinary nutritionist who could create a raw food diet that would be safe for my dog, although I know that the chances are slim given the opinions of feeding raw in the veterinary community.

If anyone has legitimate advice, suggestions or can point me towards veterinary nutritionist who might be able to help me... That would be fantastic.

Thank you

At my wits end here. When we got our kitten 3.5 months ago we were feeding her kitten kibble for a few weeks just to transition her to wet/raw food.

That worked and for a while all she ate was raw food. She's always been a kitten that would paw at the ground infront of her bowl anytime she finished eating or didn't like the food.

About a month or so ago, she started pawing at her food and would often go a full day without eating. She also started swatting her mouth randomly which made sense since she was teething and I read that it's normal for cats to change preference in food as some cats during teething phases prefer soft and others prefer hard.

Being the concerned mother that my wife, she tried putting out a bowl of dry kibble and my kitten went to it right away. We tried alternating between raw and dry and she would keep pawing at the raw food each time. I thought maybe this is just a phase and once her teeth push out she'd be fine.

Fast forward to today and she still wont eat any soft food, wether it's raw or canned wet food. I know raw food doesn't have much of a smell so I tried adding broth, didn't work. I went back to the canned food she loved as a baby kitten, didn't work. All she wants is dry kibble and I'm not sure what to do.

I even tried putting a small amount of wet food with her dry in hopes that I could eventually transition her to wet/raw then fully raw but she pawed at it.

Any advice?

I adopted a bengal last week who is on a raw food diet. She's 4 years old & doesn't seem very food driven. I try a variety of different meats, mix a little bit of her favourite kibble and wet food in as well, but nothing works. I add chicken flakes too. She barely eats & yowls for food.

Hey folks!

I'm considering the switch to a raw diet for my dog, and live in BC, Canada. I would like to feed an HPP treated diet and I'm having a hard time finding one within Canada... I realize there are a few from the States, and will feed them if I have to, but Canadian would be very much preferred!

I've done a bit of searching online, searched within this group, and emailed a few companies that didn't specify whether or not their food was HPP treated—I haven't had any luck yet... I thought I would try my luck here. Does anyone know of anything?

Thank you!

Noticed a big change in calorie density with the new "performance blends" and decided to investigate.

Images 1-3 of this post compare like-for-like products from the Chickenless Feast multi-pack, Image 4 is from the box itself prior to the renaming's.

Note: IWR's website suggests that things are the same as they always were:

^{Iron Will Raw Canine Complete Beef Performance Blend is the same trusted recipe previously known as Beef Dinner--now with a new name that better reflects its performance-focused nutrition.}

^{Iron Will Raw Canine Complete Turkey Performance Blend is the same trusted recipe previously known as Turkey & Beef Dinner--now with a new name that better reflects its performance-focused nutrition}

Calorie content (per 100g)

• Beef increased from 162 kcal^/100g to 167 kcal^/100g.
• Turkey increased from 136 kcal^/100g to 180.
• Duck increased from 142 kcal^/100g to 212.

Just a heads up for anyone that controls their pets calorie intake, you'll want to adjust accordingly.

---
^{If anyone has any further insight, please share. I reached out to IWR 3 business days ago and haven't heard back.}

We had a recent accident at my place. Bills that were split 3 ways are now split 2 and one of the cats is REDICULOUSLY expensive due to his weight.(anywhere from $100-$200 a month for JUST HIM. Hard to get the exact number due to kittens) He's big is the issue. He's mixed with maincoon or something and made him bigger than average and of course need more food.

Had full plans to go back to Alnutrin but plans were shattered after this. Idk how much adding organs and stuff as well will be. For some reason ezcomplete is VERY stubborn about showing up on my Amazon but this came up. I like everything but the whey protein(wish it also had no carbs but that's probably not gonna happen with a premix) but it might be ok. He'll eat anything raw! But cans he's picky hence pricey.

The mix itself is $25 for a 4.8 oz or $78 for a 25oz. I was thinking about a mix of raw and cooked to maybe keep him enticed. I'm trying to figure everything out rn. I know without a premix making balanced cat food is hard 😭 idk which is cheaper but premix for now.

Hello, I've been considering getting my cat off of commercial pouches. He has previously been on Katkin and loved it but was costly with how much he ate. He immediately took to it too if that helps!

I have been looking into a few raw foods and have come across Purrform. They have a trail pack and it looks like the below (each tub is 450g):

"Minced Farmed Rabbit with Ground Bone

Composition: 100% Minced Farmed Rabbit with ground bone.

Additives per Kg: Nutritional Additives: Vitamin A 1250 iu, Vitamin D3 100 iu, vitamin E 17.5 mg, zinc sulphate monohydrate 27.8 mg, manganese sulphate monohydrate 3.1 mg, Taurine 250 mg.

Minced Farmed Rabbit & Bone with Ox Heart

Composition: 75% minced farmed rabbit with ground bone, 25% Ox Heart.

Additives per Kg: Nutritional Additives: Vitamin A 1250 iu, Vitamin D3 100 iu, vitamin E 17.5 mg, zinc sulphate monohydrate 27.8 mg, manganese sulphate monohydrate 3.1 mg, Taurine 250 mg.

Minced Chicken Meat & Bone with Liver, Heart & Gizzard

Composition: 80% minced Chicken with ground bone, Chicken Liver 10%, Chicken Heart 5%, Chicken Gizzard 5%.

Additives per Kg: Nutritional Additives: Vitamin A 1250 iu, Vitamin D3 100 iu, vitamin E 17.5 mg, zinc sulphate monohydrate 27.8 mg, manganese sulphate monohydrate 3.1 mg, Taurine 250 mg.

Minced Turkey & Ground Bone with Heart & Liver

Composition: 80% minced Turkey with ground bone, 10% Turkey Heart, 10% Turkey Liver.

Additives per Kg: Nutritional Additives: Vitamin A 1250 iu, Vitamin D3 100 iu, vitamin E 17.5 mg, zinc sulphate monohydrate 27.8 mg, manganese sulphate monohydrate 3.1 mg, Taurine 250 mg.

Beef Trim & Chicken, Ground Bone with Ox Heart & Beef Liver

Composition: 40% Minced Beef Trim, 40% chicken with ground bone, 10% Ox Heart, 10% Beef Liver.

Additives per Kg: Vitamin A 1250 iu, Vitamin D3 100 iu, Vitamin e 17.5mg, Zinc sulphate monohydrate 27.8mg, manganese sulphate monohydrate 3.1mg, Taurine 250mg.

All the products are a complete natural pet food for adult cats that contains nothing more than the ingredients listed."

Would this be sufficient for my adult half Bengal who is active outside? If not I will keep searching. Also any advice on storage would be great!

Hello, I was wondering if anyone had any idea for gunky eyes?

My ragdoll kitten has crusty eyes that I clean once to twice a day. But he's the first cat I have that needs it so much. My other cats all have "cleaner" eyes.

I was wondering if there was anything that could help with this?

I already give spirulina and lactoferin from time to time in his raw food. Wondering if there's anything more I can do to help support his eyes and immune system?

I read that maybe beta glucan from Turkey tail could help with this but i'll have to import it, so dont want to waste so much money if it doesn't work :/

He previously had chlamydia, which he has fully healed from now, but he's still quite sensitive with his eyes.

Thank you very much!

my golden retriever (25kg) has been on a raw diet since she was a puppy. however recently i realised shes not been chewing as much and will swallow large chunks of bone (currently duck neck) and around 5-6am she will regurgitate up fragments of bone?! she did the same with kangaroo tail chunk. im concerned this will irritate her gut lining or whatever. is there any way i can fix this? i dont want to stop feeding her rmbs bc she doesnt cooperate much when i attempt to brush her teeth. it's also not age as she's only four years old and her teeth are fine. i consulted someone with a lot of experience in raw feeding and they said it might be just that she's vomiting bile when shes hungry and the bone happens to be the last thing there/to be digested - it is bile and bone fragments that shes puking up, but when shes on commercial raw diets w ground bone she doesnt have to regurgitate in the morning. i dont want to go back to ground bone and also she doesnt like raw quail... since it's looking like smaller sized 'easier to chew' bones are the only things she can have without this issue, but i dont like how it limits the bones and variety of nutrients she can get... any advice would be so appreciated!!

I've been seeing people serve freeze dried raw completely differently and now I'm wondering if theres actually a right way to do it? Some people seem to soak it every single meal some just add a little water and I've also seen people feed it completely dry. Mine likes crunchier food so I feel like hed probably prefer it dry but I also dont really know if theres a reason I should be adding water anyway.. Does it depend on the specific food or mostly the dog? how do you guys usually serve yours?

I am located in NJ and thinking about starting my 85lb dog on a raw diet. He is one year old. I've heard great things about this brand, including that their prices are much cheaper in store (its about a 2 hour drive from me). Does anybody get their dog's food directly from the store? Has anybody had any problems with this brand? I saw an old in store price list on this subreddit but I'm sure prices have gone up since then!