Originally Posted By: 4wheeldog
Originally Posted By: Ducman
The BARF diet reigns supreme over all else.
The testimonials are glowing.
From personal experience. I had a dog that was dying from an aggressive cancer and switched him over to the BARF diet.
Prior to that he was on a mixture of top quality dry food, and some cooked food which I prepared myself.
Within a couple of days of switching him over to the BARF diet, it was literally like turning the clock back a few years.
He eventually died of the cancer, but it definitely improved the quality of his remaining time, and I'm absolutely confident his life was also extended.
My current dog is on the diet, and is going at 110% with superb dental health.
If your dog has dental health issues, you need to reflect upon what you've been feeding him over his lifetime. Dental health issues are not the norm with a proper K9 diet.
BARF stands for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food or Bones And Raw Food.
Google it, and all will become clearer.
There are also books, but the internet obviously gives us the abridged version.
We can buy the patties here in OZ already prepared, I don't know about where you live.
Good luck
Don't do this to a dog without teeth. He cannot handle bones. This diet is patterned on what wild canines eat, and your boy would be long dead in the wild, with his missing teeth.
Soak his food in water, or low sodium broth.
Consider cooking for your dog. My 3 terriers get baked chicken thighs, plus dry food. (I do not give them the bones.....My Vet would strangle me......She says, would you digest bones, raw or cooked? Why would you think your dog could?). Our Vets give their dogs macaroni and cheese, with browned beef mixed in.
IMO. Somebody has their wires crossed.
The BARF, in terms of "Biologically" Appropriate Raw Food (taking the emphasis away from Bones) is easily swallowed and digested, and that is the relevant point for the OP.
My apologies for not making it clear in my previous post.
A study of the principals behind the BARF diet will reveal that it has a solid practical basis, and well proven to be beneficial under all circumstances.
Especially given that K9 biology hasn't changed in more than 30,000 years, regardless of what human kind has been feeding their K9 companions in terms of the ill-conceived, precooked and mass produced products which have been widely available since the last 50 or so years.
I have lived long enough to have witnessed the changes over the years in what people are typically feeding their dogs, and it hasn't been good.
Canned food has been the worst thing ever created for dogs in the last 40 or so years, and this has been recognised in some circles for the last 25 years or so for a number of reasons. Dental problems are the most apparent issue associated with canned food.
Then there was the dry food revolution which was better, but it took a long time for improvements to come through in that type of food.
It's better than canned food, but to get the best products one has to spend a lot of money.
For about the same money one can feed pre-prepared BARF patties, with much better health outcomes.
Regarding the OP's particular issue of the dog with virtually no teeth.
I would assume it's plainly clear to everybody, that the dog wouldn't be able to gnaw on a bone, and it's much too late for that aspect.
Regardless, the dog will still be able to swallow and digest the small pieces of bone that would be found in a pre-packaged BARF minced patty.
One could easily feed the dog (by hand in small amounts) the pre-prepared/packaged patties which consists of "all" the good things required for superior K9 health.
I don't know if BARF is available in the USA?
In my earlier post, I did suggest to the OP, to Google the BARF diet in order to help gain further information to go forward with.
In summary.
The patties are simply a ready to serve completely balanced, minced raw food.
I am absolutely confident the dog could virtually be hand fed the mince in very small amounts from one's fingertips. A child could do it.
In terms of dietary requirements for K9's, the BARF diet is the gold standard in every respect.
I sincerely hope the BARF is available in the USA for the OP to have a look at in a reputable pet food store before purchasing.
The OP can make up their own mind in the fullness of time after investigation if genuinely interested.
