This week, Denali our 14 year old senior, started turning away from any raw food that has bone in it. I am thinking her teeth may be becoming sensitive. She still likes raw, but I am having trouble finding raw food without bone in it that isn't to expensive. There are no butchers around my area so I am limited to grocery store stock. Has anyone been in this situation before? Any advice on what to do? Thanks.

You can feed raw without bone and just give a calcium supplement to make up for the lack of bone. You can also add ground/crushed eggshell to the raw meat to put calcium back into the diet. You can ask a holistic vet how much as a guideline, or you can buy a calcium supplement made for dogs so you can easily determine the dosage that way.

My mother in law uses a calcium supplement specifically made for dogs because it's easier than doing the ground eggshell.

Will she eat ground meat that includes bone in it? I'm not sure about the suppliers in your area, but that might be another thing to look into...? It shouldn't upset her teeth as much since she wouldn't have to crunch through big pieces of bone...

Its really hard to find cheap meat without big bones in it. I know she will eat cornish hens if I cut it up to small strips as the bone is realatively soft. I cannot find an suppliers of the type of meat you suggest Angela but will keep looking. I will also look into the calciun tabs. thanks Valerie

I know the raw pre-mades with bone will cost a small fortune which is why I only suggested feeding boneless raw meat and using a calcium supplement. Here is the Calcium supplement my holistic vet recommends if you feed a homecooked diet or a raw diet without bone:

Animal Essentials - Natural Seaweed Calcium



Product label:


Amazon carries it for a good price: http://www.amazon.com/Animal-Essentials-Natural-Seaweed-Calcium/dp/B0002AAO2M

What I like about this is that it's super easy to dose (just 1 tsp per lb of food) and you can safely feed boneless raw without worrying about a Calcium deficiency.

Wel yesterday she ate some checken wings with the bone after I cut them in more managable pieces, today she wouldn't eat anything. Hopefully tonite she gets hungry enough to eat, if not I'll start worrying.

I know a few peopel with this issue and they feed bone meal - 100% food grade. I personally like the brand by KAL, Inc. It has a perfect Calcium to Phosphorous ratio and I started using it after reading information about it from Dr. Pitcairn. I also use it to firm them up if need be and it really works.

P.S. Many dog supplement companies will claim that Bone meal isn't digestible. This is not the case at all in dogs, in fact it is much easier digested than any calcium supplement that is derived from plants. KAL is derived from Organic raised cattle in New Zealand.

The one I use: http://www.amazon.com/KAL-Bone-Meal-Powder-powder/dp/B00014D1LK

the powder sounds good but when she won't eat, then what?

She will, mix it in with something or make a gravy out of it.