White Meat - Good or Bad?

Lucretia · Old Hand

White Meat - Good or Bad?

Suzanne · Guru

I think its just a GH thing to be honest - most seem to have dicky tums - a lot do however seem to have an irriation to white meat. Mine are fine with white meat however. Oily fish is great for skin etc but it shouldnt really be fed with every meal ....maybe every other meal - or just a few times a week (my 2 have "sardine sundays") - too much can quickly over suppliment a "complete feed" and you need to be careful with oversupplimentaion of vitamins & minerals as they can do more harm than good if overdone...

I found with Murphy that it was trail and error before I found a food that suited him as he would get a dicky tum at the drop of a hat. I now have them both on Arden Grange (www.ardengrange.com) dried "classic lamb & rice" - that is the only food that so far doesnt have him crossing his legs & whining at the door to get out - quick!!

Good luck in finding a common ground - remember to mix in new foods slowly to the diet over a good week or so as Greys are oh so sensitive....

Sunny girl · Master

Hi I'm another greyhound learner but had dogs all my life. You could try stopping the fish for a few days and see if it makes a difference. Once he's "dryed up" start introducing it small bits at a time increasing it slowly. It might just take time to get his system to get used to good food and home life. We had to try several brands of food for Sunny before we got the right one that suited her. I've always found brown bread toast helps with any runny problems!!!

Landess Sunny and Lady

Sunny girl · Master

Just what I was trying to say Suzanne but you put it so much better

greyluvver · GAL Membership Co-Ordinator

Lucretia, yes oily fish is great but not every day (as Suzanne says). Ours have it about once a week. We do add a little oil every day to one of their meals - groundnut oil or olive oil which is great for their coats & doesn't cause dicky tums.

P.S. Billy in the antler photo looks so like our foster Max, although I know Billy is smaller. Max wore the antlers at the GAL Xmas fatyre, and I was so surprised he kept them on no problem!!

-- Edited by greyluvver at 00:54, 2005-12-20

max · Enlightened One

I agree with cutting down on the fish and give fish maybe once a week , I find natural yoghurt very good for settling dickie tums, just mix it in with normal food once a week.

Siouxsie · Enlightened One

Hi Jenna,

As mentioned in our chat on the phone the other night, Arden Grange is a great food and has been found to be suitable for many a grey with their sensitive tummies. I will pm you the number later today. Talk soon.

Siouxsie

also really loved the photo, it's brilliant

-- Edited by Siouxsie at 09:21, 2005-12-20

Teresa · Enlightened One

terrific pic ! dave kept his antlers on the other day too - i was most surprised as, last year, he shook them off immediately!

as for oily fish - i found it didn't agree with either dave or daisy, even once a week. it always gave them runny tums, as did adding oil to their ordinary dinners. they rarely have fish or oil these days and their coats are beautifully shiny.

i guess it's a very individual thing, feeding. greys are as unique as we are and it's mainly trial and error with the food thing.

good luck tho

Lucretia · Old Hand

Thanks everyone, I will definitely give Arden Grange a try once the other food is used up. I did order a bag of Autarky, I'll see how he is on this.

The antlers in the pic are part of a stupid story: I took Billy to the vet again on Monday, and then realised I didn't have a bag for the walk along the beach afterwards. Next to the vet is a garden centre, and they had the antlers (meant for kids, complete with flashing lights and Christmas medley jingle) on sale, so I bought them to get a carrier bag. To my surprise, for the first time ever, I have a dog that likes being dressed up. He wore them all round his evening walk, and even kept them on when we got home. In the below pic he is on the sofa right next to the Cockatiels' cage, and I think the birds were a bit confused by his new look, since they were unusually quiet...

Image hosted by Photobucket.com

Siouxsie · Enlightened One

I really love the expression on Billy's face.

Keep sending the pics.

Siouxsie

Christine Young · GAL Newsletter Editor

Hi Jenna - I'm not surprised your cockatiels were quiet! Billy's stunning in his antlers and like Siouxsie says, his expression is priceless. These are great photos of a beautiful boy!

Christine

emma · Guru

I have been giving mine sardines every day. One can between two dogs - so not a huge amount. They are so faddy now that they refuse to eat dinner unless I add fish (Ok -because I have spoilt them). If they are not having digestive problems is it ok to continue giving the fish every day?

Thanks Em x

Suzanne · Guru

i suppose half a can each cant harm Emma - just dont suppliment them with anything else as their diet is already rich in protein if being fed a 'complete' dry food AND sardines which are very high in protein....

not that it relates to you at all but I must share a story with you that one of our nutrition lecturers told us at college last year. A woman came into her vets with her 3 year old & the dog couldnt weight bear at all - it was so weak & being sick all the time....It came in for investigation as the weakness & lack of muscle tone had progressed rapidly...The lady left the dog with the vets over a long weekend with a list as long as your arm of instructions of what the dog was to eat & when. She also handed in a bag full of over the counter suppliments - The dog was getting about 6 suppliments daily - all the vitamins & minerals you can think off. It was also on a complete diet. As soon as the vet saw this she knew the problem. She didnt say anything at the time, but over the next few days, they omitted the suppliments completely from the young dogs diet & suprise suprise - in 3 days the dog was brand new.

Bless her but the owner was soooo close to killing her dog with kindness - the dogs kidneys & liver were massively overloaded, but recovered in time. It took a LOT longer to persuade the owner as to the error of her ways....

Im guilty myself of giving my dogs treats of bits of meat etc but in an 'ideal' world - millions of pounds worth of research goes into the production of 'complete' dry food to ensure they encompass all the nutrional needs of our dogs - in all their life stages...

less is more is prob what Im trying to say....of course certain conditions such as arthritis etc require extra supplimentation (just as they would if you were human & elderly) - but always consult your vet before self-adminstering anything extra to your dogs diet - just to be on the safe side.

-- Edited by Siouxsie at 22:19, 2005-12-21

emma · Guru

Suzanne,

Thanks as ever for the advice (where would I be). I have cut down to every other day, but on the day I don't sardine the dinner I put fish oil capsule in instead.

Tiger is still also on the glucosamine and thriving (no limping at all!).

I think with Charlies death being still quite raw I am being a bit o.t.t with them, when I first got Tiger I over-proteined him and he came out in a rashy dandruff mess down his spine.He was biting us if we went near him and I had to get the vet out, who took one look advised on a change of food and injected him.He has been fine since but I have listened to the warning and I know what he is like if over proteined!I will calm down on the protein a bit!

Em, Tig and Chad Xxx