Meat additives for food

[gooeydog]

So now that the canned food I feed has been raised up to almost 1.50 a can, I'm having a bit of a hard time managing the cost of 1/2 can plus dry food I was feeding every night. Tried cutting back the canned food to 1/3 can a night and adding a bit more dry food, but Goo was starting to lose weight and I don't want that as she's right where I want her. Not to mention I figured they're probably getting more grain with this more kibble/less canned food regimen, which I also don't want, so for now they're back to 1/2 can a night and I'm looking into other options. I think I'm finally going to start with real meat additives, but (as usual) have some concerns and questions that I don't remember being addressed here. I'm not ready to do raw, so whatever meat I give will be cooked, and I'm planning on just using it as an additive to their kibble some days, not as a major part of their diet.

What's the best way to cook this stuff, I'm not good in the kitchen (and don't eat much meat myself, hence my general lack of knowledge on it :lol: ), so temps and times would be great. I'm guessing boiling is the way to go, but does meat for the dogs need to be cooked as thoroughly as for humans?

I know Goo doesn't do too well on beef kibble, and some chicken ones have caused problems as well, though that may be due to other things in them. Do problems with types of meat in kibbles usually carry over to real meat, or is this something I'm just going to have to test? And what sorts of meat are best to give, as in parts of the animals? I'm planning on getting the boneless meat (or deboning it myself I guess), then adding in calcium after its cooked (probably use crushed eggshells for that).

How do I know how much real meat to give to substitute the kibble? I'm guessing about 1/4 lb meat plus some veggies every night would be pretty equivalent to the 6 oz canned food she was getting. How much can I go up to before it becomes a significant part of her diet and I have to worry more about carefully balancing it and adding other nutrients? I'm going to start just giving one real meat added meal a week, the rest canned food, then swap real meat for canned food other nights as they adjust, hopefully with at least several feedings a week having meat additives in them, maybe all.

And to go off-topic for a minute, I also got some Neura canned food when I got their food this past weekend, I fed this for a while about 6 months ago, and they did ok on it, though the food didn't smell as "nice" as the natural balance. I remember it being mentioned as a decent food, and it has more meat (supposedly is 95% meat) than the NB, plus is about $.25 cheaper, so I figured we'd try it again. Any thoughts on how the two foods compare?

[TDG]

[quote]What's the best way to cook this stuff, I'm not good in the kitchen (and don't eat much meat myself, hence my general lack of knowledge on it), so temps and times would be great. I'm guessing boiling is the way to go, but does meat for the dogs need to be cooked as thoroughly as for humans?[/quote]

actually you don't have to cook it at all. it's really not necessary, and your dogs would benefit much more from raw. but if you really aren't ready for that yet, the best way to go is grinding up the meat (or cutting it in small chunks) and simmering it in a little hot water. boiling isn't necessary as protein already denatures at temperatures as low as 110 degrees fahrenheit and the hotter the temperature and the longer the cooking time, the more nutrients are destroyed. heat up the water before you add the meat, otherwise too much of the nutrients leech into the fluid. what you could do is bring enough water to a boil so the meat will just barely be covered, turn off the heat, add the meat and let it sit until you are ready to serve it. once it's cooled, put the pot in the refrigerator. you can cook enough for 3-4 days at a time without a need to freeze.

[quote]Do problems with types of meat in kibbles usually carry over to real meat, or is this something I'm just going to have to test? And what sorts of meat are best to give, as in parts of the animals? I'm planning on getting the boneless meat (or deboning it myself I guess), then adding in calcium after its cooked (probably use crushed eggshells for that).[/quote]

they can carry over but don't have to. test it out. the thing with beef kibble is that most of them are of very poor quality with barely any beef and way more byproducts and bonemeal. such brands are also pretty poor quality when if comes to the remaining ingredients, something that isn't the case with fresh meat.

keep in mind that cooked, boneless meat isn't going to do anything at all for your dog's oral health tho, and neither does kibble. don't waste those nice meaty bones after deboning - let the dog have them. pieces of raw carcasses are one of the best things you can do to keep a dog healthy.

as for what part of what meat to use, it really doesn't matter. ideally you'd give a variety of types (beef, pork, chicken, turkey, lamb/mutton etc.), since they are all slightly different in composition. also make sure you don't only feed meat that is lean. dogs do utilize fat well and need it for skin and coat health. if you use ground beef for example, get the 70% lean.

[quote]How do I know how much real meat to give to substitute the kibble? I'm guessing about 1/4 lb meat plus some veggies every night would be pretty equivalent to the 6 oz canned food she was getting. How much can I go up to before it becomes a significant part of her diet and I have to worry more about carefully balancing it and adding other nutrients? I'm going to start just giving one real meat added meal a week, the rest canned food, then swap real meat for canned food other nights as they adjust, hopefully with at least several feedings a week having meat additives in them, maybe all.[/quote]

there is no hard and fast rule really. pitcairn recommends about 1/4 cup of meat supplement per cup of kibble, which i think is a good start. personally i have fed a 50/50 ratio for quite a while when i was still feeding kibble. you can check out nutritiondata.com for caloric content of all kinds of meats to get an idea but if you keep an eye on your dog's weight and condition you will find out how to adjust amounts too.

the whole "balance" thing is completely blown out of proportion by the pet food manufacturers. it's absolute hogwash that every single meal needs to be balanced in order to keep the dog healthy. the true reason is that dry food is something so artificial that it has to be carefully formulated so a dog can eat it for extended periods of time without major problems. however, unless you go with a completely home prepared diet that you can adjust to your personal needs, it's difficult to gauge if you are creating an imbalance long term. i'd recommend rotating in other protein sources as well as meat - give some raw eggs and cottage cheese as well, they have different vitamin and nutrient contents.

[quote]And to go off-topic for a minute, I also got some Neura canned food when I got their food this past weekend, I fed this for a while about 6 months ago, and they did ok on it, though the food didn't smell as "nice" as the natural balance. I remember it being mentioned as a decent food, and it has more meat (supposedly is 95% meat) than the NB, plus is about $.25 cheaper, so I figured we'd try it again. Any thoughts on how the two foods compare?[/quote]

the neura meats are pretty good quality. another option if you want to stick with canned meats is evanger's, it's a less well known brand (so often cheaper than the more popular ones) and has some varieties that are 100% meat.

[DogPaddle]

If you want something quick and easy every now and then - take some ground meat - beef, chicken and turkey are easy to find ground - brown lightly (just break up and move meat about until it is not red more brown or if you like pink/brown) without adding any oil much like you might for spegetti sauce. Refrigerate and dole out as desired - I used to give Kavik (40lb) a heaping tablesppon with his kibble. If your concerned with balance try adding a heaping teaspoon of yogurt. I used to do yogurt in the morning and meat in the evening.