# Trimming the Fat



## krispifsu (Dec 23, 2007)

I am just wanting to get some opinions from people on 

1) Whether you cut the skin and/or fat off of the food you feed?
2) Why you do or don't?
3) Which items do you make the most effort to trim any/all fat/skin from? 

I buy 10 lb bags of chicken quarters and whole chickens - and spend quite a bit of time pulling off the skin and trimming all the visible and easy to get to fat. I am wondering if this is necessary to do all the time - or whether there is any benefit to leaving some of the fat on. 

Thank You!


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## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

If the meal has lean MM such as ground turkey or turkey hearts as the MM and lean turkey neck as the RMB.. I actually add fat via olive oil, or a small chunk or two of fresh beef fat. They need fat, especially when growing.

That said, I definitely trim fat away from beef off-cuts (soup meat).

If the MM is really lean like turkey ground or hearts, I would feed the chicken with skin on. If the MM portion of the meal is fattier like beef chunks, I might take the skin off of the chicken quarter for that particular meal.


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## Amaruq (Aug 29, 2001)

I will occassionally trim the skin off of Chimo's chicken, duck or turkey but he was diagnosed with spondylosis over three years ago. I don't always do it but I will trim it down some. I sometimes trim a bit off of Lakota's too but she was overweight and needed to loose some. 

Tika, KC, Rayne and Kanuck have never had weight issues- well never had an OVERweight issues so I don't trim theirs. Sometimes they actually get the trimmings from the other two.









If a dog has arthritis I would recommend trimming poultry fat (especially) as it causes inflamation. I do not trim fat off of beef hearts but I do "creative" cuts so the fat is distributed between all 6 dogs. I agree with Patti, dogs DO need some fat in their diet.


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## 3K9Mom (Jun 12, 2006)

I trim the thick layer of fat that comes on leg of lamb. And I'll remove the white chunks of fat from beef. But my guy has a tendency toward SIBO, and those big chunks of fat, along with the fatty meats themselves, can push him over the edge. 

Poultry? If I'm feeding cuts that have a ton of loose skin (like the rear section of a whole turkey), I'll trim off a bit, but that's about two hacks of my knife to remove a bit of the extra. Poultry meat isn't particularly high in fat (except duck. I do remove more skin when I feed duck), so I don't make much extra effort, if any. 

So, as I tell Dh when he feeds them, if it's clearly icky white chunky fat or squishy skin, remove it. Otherwise, for us, it's fine.


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## DancingCavy (Feb 19, 2001)

I generally don't trim fat from Ris' meats. I do on occasion trim pork or de-skin chicken but usually only when Risa has her GI issues. Otherwise she gets the fat. I don't think it's an issue as I have yet to see any body fat on her!


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## natalie559 (Feb 4, 2005)

I think your answers will largely depend on the dog and owner.

For any dog with digestive issues, sibo or pancreatitis I would certainly remove the fat.

For dogs that tolerate the extra fat well and do not have over weight issues I would likely leave the fat.

Even the raw meals that seem lean, like turkey, are not- there is plenty of fat even if you don't see it as visibly as what would appear on a chicken quarter. Feel assured that the dog is getting plenty of fat regardless of which meats you feed and do not let the thought of 'is he getting enough fat' drive your decision.

For my crew, I don't want them filling up their caloric needs with items that offer little nutrients- like fat- and I have one dog that doesn't digest large amounts of fat well- so I trim- to an extent.

I trim excess fat off beef hearts and chicken quarters. Now this doesn't mean that I trim it all, or even close to all, just if there is a huge hunk of fat. I leave the skin on the chicken and I don't feed chicken to the one with troubles digesting fat b/c it is just too fatty for her- even with the skin removed.


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## tracyc (Feb 23, 2005)

Like Natalie said, I think it depends on whether or not your dog needs to watch fat intake--that will direct your decision. 

My dogs don't seem to have any problem with fat, so I don't trim off any. I do try to spread it out so that they don't get a meal of all fat, and the next all lean. But I do that in the portioning of the meals themselves.


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

If my dogs are putting on too much weight I feed them less FOOD - not less fat.

They need the nutrients in fat and skin (lots of good stuff in there).


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## natalie559 (Feb 4, 2005)

> Originally Posted By: Lauri & The GangThey need the nutrients in fat and skin (lots of good stuff in there).


What nutrients are found in fat? According to the USDA database search under 'fat, chicken' it contains lipids and choline- hardly what I would call 'needed nutrients.' It is primarily calories- which is neither good not bad- it just is what it is. . .


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## 3K9Mom (Jun 12, 2006)

According to nutritiondata.com, 1 cup of lard (beef fat) contains 0.4 mg selenium, 0.2 mg zinc, 102 mg choline, 1.02 mg vitamin E, 2050 mg Omega 3s, 20908 mg Omega 6s.

And 1849 calories. 

Yeah, I can think of better ways to get my dogs those nutrients for the calories they're consuming, if calories are an issue. For my GSD, he burns through calories like a powerplant. So it's neither here nor there, as long as it's not too much fat in one meal for his GI tract. 

And ok, a cup of lard is too much fat.









For my senior, a multi-vitamin is a far better choice.









It's what's best for your dog. It seems to me that Kristin is putting in a lot of effort when she may not need to be. In her shoes, I'd feed a bit more skin every week or so (and cut back slightly on MM). If the dogs aren't suffering GI issues, or gaining too much weight, then she can feed more of the meat she's buying and throw less of it away. 

In this economy, that would be a good thing.


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## Maedchen (May 3, 2003)

For your 9month old, I would leave the fat on (why the extra hassle?). 

In my senior dog I avoid excess fat, esp. from chicken, since I have to keep her slim. But she does get the skin of deer and other fats high in Omega3 (anti-inflammatory). 
My GSD doesn't tolerate a lot of fat, so I cut off the biggest chunks of fat, but leave some on. Dogs certainly do need fat, but farm raised chicken has *a lot* of fat- so very unnatural! It's disgusting and I'm glad I don't have to eat it.


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## krispifsu (Dec 23, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: 3K9Mom
> It's what's best for your dog. It seems to me that Kristin is putting in a lot of effort when she may not need to be. In her shoes, I'd feed a bit more skin every week or so (and cut back slightly on MM). If the dogs aren't suffering GI issues, or gaining too much weight, then she can feed more of the meat she's buying and throw less of it away.
> 
> In this economy, that would be a good thing.


That's exactly what started my post









I make such an effort to find good deals on meats - especially chicken since that is one of Lily's main RMB sources...only to throw away a lot of fat and skin. Seems silly to find the 10 lb bags of chicken for 55 cents a pound - only to cost myself more by throwing parts away!









Lily doesn't seem to have any digestive issues - except not too much pork with her. Haven't quite figured it out, but she gets loose stools if she has too much. She tolerates the skin I leave on turkey wings, turkey drumsticks, and chicken wings. But the chicken quarters usually have more fat on them so I was trimming away what I could easily get to. 

My vet said she's at a good weight - just over 60 lbs at 9 months old. So since there doesn't seem to be any reason not to - I think I'll try a few meals with the skin left on and just see how she does. 

Thanks for all the responses!


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## kallie (Sep 3, 2001)

Depends on each dog, the meat cut, the time of year (in regards to exercise). 

I will say I always trim the fat off duck, that is some dang thick fat there. Everything else just really depends on the above statement..If it is too fatty like chunks, yes I normally trim a bit off no matter what...


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## Qyn (Jan 28, 2005)

I remove the really obvious excess fat from chicken, beef and lamb that just pulls or cuts away easily but I leave the rest. I read somewhere - so do not take it as fact- that normal dogs need about 12% fat whereas the optimum for humans was about 3% but of course that depends on the dog and the human. Fatties and those with other issues need to watch their intake of any starch or adipose dietary consumption, others can get by with the reccommended levels.


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