Food Supplements for growing lab

vinesh · Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2008 5:53 am Post subject: Food Supplements for growing lab

Hello,

I've got a 6 months yellow lab and i've stopped feeding her commercial foods because she seems to be allergic to some ingredients.

Well, i now feed her home-made foods and i give calcium + Vitamins tablets everyday.

I use the following and i would like to have some input from anyone who might be using these or have better recommendations:

Calcium: Sanal Yeast Calcium
Vitamin: Unimin
Coat: Nutricoat or Kengran

thanks,
Vinesh

Sleeping_Lion · Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2008 5:57 am Post subject:

Hi Vinesh,

Do you cook the food or give it raw?? If you are raw feeding with bones, egg shells, veg, offal etc then supplements shouldn't be needed. Our dogs are raw fed, and rather than try and add supplements as such I try to make sure they get the range of foods required that will give them what they need.

vinesh · Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2008 7:59 am Post subject:

Hi,

I always give her cooked food(Chicken/Liver,eggs,veg,Yogurt,sardines)
The vet told me to always give her calcium and vitamins.
Also, her coat is a bit dry, so that's why i give her the coat supplement as well.

rgds,
Vinesh

Sleeping_Lion · Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2008 8:16 am Post subject:

Ok, I wouldn't know how much calcium is in cooked food, obviously with no bones because cooked bones become brittle and are dangerous to feed to pets. Eggs are good for calcium if you feed them whole so they eat the shell, other than that, I bought a general food book for humans that shows which foods contain which vitamins and minerals. If you're going to carry on cooking your own food I'd advise you give at least some vegetables, pulses, fruits and nuts raw and preferably blended so as to give the best fresh source of vitamins and minerals possible. Do look at 'Grow your pup with bones' by Dr Ian Billinghurst, it gives good guidance on the amounts needed, its a raw feeding guide but you could take certain bits of information from it.

If I'm honest, by cooking the food you are making it more difficult for yourself, adding in another step if you like. Ours thrive on raw bones and meat (with other bits such as vegetables, fish and left overs even), although I can understand it isn't a diet everyone is comfortable feeding their dog(s).