# Raw Diet Question



## Amac (Feb 6, 2009)

I just received my puppy two days ago! He has been eating a raw diet and I would like to continue this. My vet says its not a good idea because there isn't any quality control at grocery stores and he sees a lot of food poisoning cases. Do you think its okay to buy raw chicken/beef etc. from grocery stores? Is there a better place to buy it from?


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## Amaruq (Aug 29, 2001)

First off, where are the pictures.
















If your vet doesn't buy their food at a grocery store where do they get it? You can definitely buy food from a grocery store, however, if you have the freezer space you can find far better deals buying in bulk. 

And again I ask.... where are the pictures?!?!?!


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## balakai (Feb 9, 2005)

Okay, I've tried three times to phrase a polite way to say that your vet is way off track, but I can't. 

Hogwash! I have bought many things from grocery stores with no problems. The downside to purchasing from a typical grocery store? Lack of variety and price. But I would definitely NOT worry about quality control/illness.

~Kristin


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## RavenSophi (Feb 23, 2009)

I agree with the Vet but can only speak from South African experience. We avoid buying meat from the grocery store...period! It is much cheaper and fresher from a butcher. 

I can't tell you how many times in the past we bought meat from a grocery store and had to return it because it smelled horrible. They had a neat little trick where they would pack 'fresh' looking meat on top and then at home you'll discover the rotten green meat at the bottom! Luckily we learned our lesson! But again, I don't know how the quality control is in Oklahoma.


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## Amaruq (Aug 29, 2001)

> Originally Posted By: RavenSophiI agree with the Vet but can only speak from South African experience. We avoid buying meat from the grocery store...period! It is much cheaper and fresher from a butcher.
> 
> I can't tell you how many times in the past we bought meat from a grocery store and had to return it because it smelled horrible. They had a neat little trick where they would pack 'fresh' looking meat on top and then at home you'll discover the rotten green meat at the bottom! Luckily we learned our lesson! But again, I don't know how the quality control is in Oklahoma.


In the US there are very strict regulations regarding the handling and packaging of meat for human consumption.


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

In the US the quality control is very high.

I would ask the vet why, if a dogs system is SO delicate, don't they die from eating poop.

I've fed my dogs raw meat and bones for almost 10 years. Over 10 THOUSAND pounds worth of it. Some very fresh, some not so fresh and some downright nasty. And it never hurt them.


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## RavenSophi (Feb 23, 2009)

> Quote:Some very fresh, some not so fresh and some downright nasty.


I fed Blake some off smelling meat today and know it won't hurt him. I avoid feeding him stinky green meat more for my sake than his. 
I added OM 2 days back and he puked!







Poor guy, luckily now I know what he can handle and not. 
1 learning curve done 100 more to come!


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## Amac (Feb 6, 2009)

Pics are coming! I promise. I thought the vet was being a little bit dramatic and I had the same thought about them eating Poop! LOL I will check into the butcher to see if there are any close. Are there any parts of a cow or chicken or other animal that I should definitely avoid feeding them? Can I give it to them frozen or do I need to thaw it out first? OH, and do I need to buy lean beef or is the 80/20 stuff okay?


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

You might want to have this thread moved over to the raw feeding section of the board.

Dogs need fat and protein. I don't bother with the more expensive, lean stuff - I go for the cheap fatty stuff.









If my guys put on weight they don't need I simply feed them LESS.


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## balakai (Feb 9, 2005)

Avoid weight-bearing bones like cow's legs--too hard (recreational bone anyway, and they could break a tooth). You can feed thawed or frozen--if you have a dog that tries to swallow things whole, feeding it to them frozen can slow them down.

I buy lean beef for myself, but 80/20 for one of my dogs. The terriers get ground beef heart; not sure of the fat percentage but definitely higher than what I'd eat myself.

~Kristin


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## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: Lauri & The GangI would ask the vet why, if a dogs system is SO delicate, don't they die from eating poop.










I met somebody at a tracking test who suggested I not buy meat from the grocery store. Instead, I should raise my own chickens.







That's a little hard to do in the suburbs. Her issue was with growth hormones and other drugs. But, since most of us eat it, I guess my dogs will have to make do with their food from the grocery store.


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## JerzeyGSD (Jun 26, 2008)

I also just started feeding raw and feed meet for the grocery store since I don't have space for an extra freezer to allow me to buy in bulk. I figure, if it's good enough for me than it's good enough for Jerzey!! 

Also, check out this thread. It's called "Our Dog's Menus" and it will give you an idea of what other people are feeding their dogs so you know what you can feed your puppy, too. It was really helpful for me.

I don't know if you know the abbreviations but I'll post them anyways, since I was originally clueless as to what they meant:
RMB = raw meaty bone
MM = muscle meat
OM = Organ meat


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## Ocean (May 3, 2004)

In some places, large scale slaughterhouses spray some sort of disinfectant chemical on meat that goes to supermarkets and grocery stores. (The meat package actually has a little sticker saying this.) That chemical is burned off or dissolved by the heat in cooked meat but gives the dogs the runs when eaten raw. I rarely give frozen raw meat from grocery stores to the dogs anymore because of this, only fresh ones from the small slaughterhouse close by. The dogs sometimes bury their meat for some "aging", and unearth it a couple of days later. No problem!
Dogs are pretty bacteria resistant, its the man made stuff sometimes on the raw meat that's worse for them.


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