Feed This Basics




 GIVE TO BOARDING FACILITY

Hi. My name is _________ and I eat a homemade diet of raw foods. Since I eat this diet, I can't have any kibble or canned food, so please don't give me any or I might get sick. My food is very yummy and easy to feed! Just take a container out of the freezer on the day I am to get fed, put in a bowl of hot water, and let it warm up until it is at least room temperature. Then open the container and dump into my bowl. My diet is basically raw meaty bones, ground meat, pureed veggies, organ meat, and other goodies, so don't be surprised at what you find in my bag! Simply wash and dry the container when you are done you can return to Feed This for recycling or use it yourself. Do the same tomorrow and I will be a very happy animal!



 GIVE TO REGULAR VETERINARIAN

Hi. My name is ________ and I eat a homemade diet. My humans love me very much and only want me to have the best food. If you have specific questions about my diet, please talk to the nice people at Feed This, Inc. Call them at 707-887-1122, fax them at 240-332-8386, or you can email them at info@feedthis.com. They have a website up at www.feedthis.com. In general, I eat a diet that is outlined in the book "The Ultimate Diet" by Kymythy Schultze, which is available for purchase at the website. I eat raw meaty bones, ground raw meat, pureed raw vegetables, raw eggs, raw organ meats, vitamins and oils. I don't eat any grains, yeast, dairy, sugar or cooked foods and I might fast one day a week. I eat this way because it is how my body was designed!



 KITTEN & PUPPY INFORMATION

Kittens and puppies are built for the Feed This, Inc. diet so do not worry that they may be too young to handle it. If Mom does not eat raw, simply putting marrow bones and chicken necks in with them (even before they eat solid food) can help little ones get started. They will gum and play with the raw bones and build up the proper intestinal flora needed. Dispose of leftovers (or feed them to the mom!) when they start to get smelly. Mom can eat raw at this time as well. Keep in mind that as with any diet change, gastric upsets such as diarrhea and vomiting can occur if the diet is switched too quickly. An informative article "How I got my finicky pet to eat raw" can answer your questions on switching over the nursing mom. If the kittens or puppies are ready for solid food, THROW AWAY all that oatmeal, kibble, canned food etc. They don't need it and if mixed with the raw foods, it can cause diarrhea. Instead, start them on their first raw foods (other than mom's milk) by using our kitten or puppy diets. This diet is simply the adult diet with the bone ground up, and no garlic. Garlic is a great herb, but shouldn't be given to young animals until at least 8 weeks of age, and later if the animal is anemic. In our kitten and puppy diet we include whole chicken wings so little ones get used to gnawing and chewing on bones. Let them eat them if they can, and don't be surprised if they try to swallow the wings whole! Dogs and cats are designed to gulp and swallow large chunks of food. Puppies and kittens are just learning what is too big and what will fit down their throats. Keep an eye on them to see how they do. As they get bigger, they can begin the adult diet. Feed them more frequently per day than the adult. Kittens and puppies (excluding giant breed puppies) can be fed 4 times per day until 8 -10 weeks of age; 3 times per day until 6 months of age; 2 times a day until 1 year of age. After 1 year of age they should be fed once a day. Don't fast them until they are a year old, or if you like fast them half a day once a week after 6 months of age, and one full day once a month after 6 months of age. When your kitten or puppy can chew and eat the bones with no problems, let us know and Feed This, Inc. begin sending you the appropriately sized meals with the bones not ground, We will adjust as your pet grows. Chewing bones is an excellent way for little ones to teethe. Dr. Ian Billinghurst (author of "Give Your Dog a Bone" and "Grow Your Pups with Bones") recommends that puppies not receive any extra exercise other than eating and playing. When you give them bones you will see that they get a great workout just eating!



 SENIOR PET DIETS

Many people think that once their animal becomes a senior, the diet needs to change. Not necessarily. Kibble manufacturers consider cats seniors at 8 years of age, and dogs, depending on size and breed, seniors around 6 years of age. These manufacturers tell you to give less protein and more fiber. This often results in pets that don't get enough protein because their digestive systems, now working less efficiently, process even less protein. Manufacturers say they do this to lessen the burden on the kidneys, which process the protein leftover from digestion. However, new studies are showing that it is not the amount of protein that needs to be changed as an animal ages, it is the quality of the protein. Raw meat has the high quality protein that they referring to. The higher the quality of the protein, the easier it breaks down in the gut, which eases the burden on the digestive system. Bottom line - senior pets need good amounts of high quality protein. The best way to give them this is to feed a raw diet.



 BACTERIA

With all the frightening headlines regarding bacteria and food, it is no wonder some people are scared to feed raw meat to their pets. Luckily, our little carnivores were designed to digest and even thrive from a variety of microorganisms. After all, to clean their bottoms, cats and dogs lick themselves, and dogs are notorious feces eaters. They pull us off the sidewalk to go munch down a long-dead rodent or bird. The fact is, they thrive on stuff that makes us cringe and hold our noses. Rotten organic matter is full of nutritious things, like vitamin K and pre-digested proteins. So when you present them with a yummy chicken wing or ground beef, it actually does them good. Yes, as with any diet change, upset tummies can occur. Dogs and cats CAN and DO handle enormous amounts of bacteria daily. The more pets are exposed to it, the stronger they become. As for the humans handling raw meat, we have taken that worry away by handling it for you - all you do is dump it in a bowl and feed. The same rules go for humans - we can handle large amounts of bacteria too with little to no problem, as long as we are healthy. Of course, normal food handling rules apply whenever you work with raw meat.



 CHOKING ON BONES

Choking on bones, particularly chicken bones, is a concern for most pet owners. We have all heard that you should NEVER give your pets chicken bones. That is absolutely true. As long as you are talking about cooked chicken bones (or any other cooked bone). Cooked bones can be dangerous. Raw bones, however, are rarely dangerous. They are digestible and nutritious. When bones are cooked it changes the chemical structure. The body does not recognize it in the same way. Cooking bones makes them sharp and splintery and usually indigestible. So yes, throw away those cooked bones. But go for the raw ones! Cat and dog jaws differ from those of a horse or cow, right? Cow and horse jaws have huge heavy mandibles (lower jaw bones) with large cheek muscles. That, along with a jaw that can move side to side (like ours) make it possible for them to chew their food very thoroughly. Cats and dogs do not have those large chewing muscles or the same bone structure, so therefore, they can't chew their food like we can (or any grazing animal can). Watch any dog or cat eat. They gulp and swallow. Very seldom do they chew, except to make larger food particles small enough to swallow. This is how nature designed them to eat (also to digest large chunks of food rather than ground up food). Don't be surprised if your Lab swallows a chicken neck whole without even chewing. This is perfectly fine, and is sometimes accompanied by regurgitation of the food for another chew and swallow. Again, perfectly normal. Rarely, some animals when starting for raw for the first time don't realize what size of food particle will fit down their throats and they can choke. This is uncommon. Normally it is simply regurgitated. However, animals can choke on bones. Just as they can choke rocks, sticks, toys, etc. It is always a good idea to keep an eye on your pet while eating (or playing, for that matter) to make sure everything goes down O.K. Again, this is very uncommon, so do not feel unduly worried. If you are interested, learn how to give dogs and cats the Heimlich maneuver, which your vet can teach you. Of the animals we have fed raw bones to, in all the years we have been doing it, none have choked. Two ways to get around potential choking are give the animal very large bones, which HAVE to be chewed or grind them into a mush. We recommend the former, as the latter will not help to clean the teeth and doesn't give them any exercise.



 OVERWEIGHT DOGS AND CATS

Sad to say, many of our furry friends today are overweight. However, that is often easily remedied with a natural diet. For weight loss, we recommend feeding once a day, fasting healthy (and nonpregnant, nonnursing) animals at least once weekly, using a lower percent of fat in the diet, and of course appropriate exercise. Animals, like humans, shouldn't lose weight too quickly, but you should start to see the pounds (or ounces) melt off once on a proper diet. Grains, which kibble is packed full of, often add those unsightly bulges. Once you pet is off grains, they will look and feel so much better. It is always a good idea for overweight dogs to have their thyroid hormone level tested (the thyroid is a gland in the throat). This is to be sure that they are not hypothyroid, which is the condition caused by an under active thyroid. Hypothyroidism is discussed later, as is hyperthyroidism, the opposite condition that cats are often affected by.



 UNDERWEIGHT DOGS AND CATS

There are very few truly underweight animals in the United States. Most supposedly underweight animals are actually animals in good weight - we are not used to seeing cats and dogs as thin as they should be. Ribs should easily be felt, and when viewed from above, there should be a definite waist. Of course, this depends greatly on breed - a Saluki will have much more of a waist than will a St. Bernard. However, no breed of cat or dog should have flab. There are some animals, due to neglect or ill health that truly are underweight and need to gain weight (excluding growing youngsters). An excellent way to add healthy muscle is to feed a proper natural diet. One of the great things about the raw diet is that their weight balances out - thin animals gain weight and overweight animals lose weight. To help an underweight animal gain weight, we recommend feeding once a day, fasting healthy (and nonpregnant, nonnursing) animals once a week, feeding a higher percentage of fat, and appropriate exercise. It is always a good idea to have a severely or chronically underweight cat's thyroid level checked - he could be suffering from an overactive thyroid gland (located in the neck). Hyperthyroidism, as well as hypothyroidism (the opposite condition caused by an under active thyroid gland which dogs are more commonly affected) is discussed later.



 VOMITING

Vomiting is much more common for dogs and cats than it is for humans. Cats, and dogs particularly, are designed to grabbing onto a large hunk of food, swallowing it down whole and digesting it. Sometimes, though, the chunk is too big, and up it comes again for another chomp and a swallow. This behavior, however normal for cats and dogs, can be very unnerving to the humans who are watching. Rest assured that this way of eating and regurgitating is very normal and is more often expressed in young animals, animals inexperienced in eating large chunks of food, and animals who are stressed at the time of eating. Puppies and kittens are just getting used to eating, so will try to put all sorts of things in their mouth - some that fit and some that don't. It is simply a way of learning what is too big and what fits - much like human children. Same with animals unused to eating large chunks of food. And if you or another animal makes a move to take food away, many dogs and cats will swallow it whole just to get it, then will go to a corner to regurgitate and take their time with it. If you are concerned you can avoid any problems by giving dogs and cats bones that are either way too big to swallow whole, or bones small enough (usually cut into small pieces or ground) to not matter if they are swallowed whole. We prefer the larger bones, as pets won't get the mouth, jaw, neck and whole body exercise with small bones or the natural teeth cleaning. Sometimes vomiting happens hours after eating or in the middle of the night, and is not connected with regurgitating anything. Vomiting can be a sign of detox, or it could be a sign of illness. We recommend at least calling a vet familiar with the raw diet if vomiting persists after one or two days, or is accompanied by lethargy, diarrhea, etc. We are more than happy to discuss any problems you are having, but we are not veterinarians, and will refer you to a vet if the problem seems severe or continues past normal.



 DIARRHEA

Diarrhea can happen with ANY change in diet, so it is no surprise if your animal develops soft or runny stools after switching to a raw diet. We recommend a slow switch to raw, especially if the animal is older and/or ill. Changing stools are a trademark of a raw diet. You will notice than some days stools are darker and softer, while other days they are hard and pale to white in color. This is the sign of a varied diet, and is perfectly normal. Mucous in the stools is another symptom that is usually a good thing, as it is a classic sign of detox. Too much mucous in the intestinal tract is not a good thing, and often worms are found in the mucousy stool because the body is getting strong enough to expel them. Stools after a veggie or organ meal will be softer than stools after a meal of simply meaty bones. Diarrhea at the beginning of the switch can mean that the switch is too fast, or they need some help in digesting the new foods. Help can come in the form of fasting, and/or adding probiotics and digestive enzymes. Soft stools are not usually a problem, but if the stools are very runny for more than one or two days or are combined with other symptoms like lethargy, vomiting, fever, etc., we will recommend you at least call a vet familiar with the raw diet. We are more than happy to discuss any problems you are having, but we are not veterinarians and will refer you to a vet if the problem seems severe or continues past normal.



 NOT EATING (ANOREXIA)

Occasionally an animal will forgo his or her meal, which is oftentimes very normal, but again can be nerve-racking for the human in charge. Animals can become anorexic (which simply means they refuse to eat; it is not the same as human eating disorders) for a wide variety of reasons. Dogs and cats in the wild do not eat every day - they would be extremely successful hunters if they did! Typically, they eat 4-6 meals a week, which is also how the wolves and large cats are fed in wild animal parks and zoos. So don't worry if your dog or cat only wants to eat 4-6 times a week. This can be normal, especially if the weather is warm and the animal is at a good weight (not too thin or fat). However, you don't want your furry friends to go too long without food. A good rule of thumb for healthy, nonpregnant and nonlactating animals is to let cats go two days without food, dogs three, without too much concern. They will refuse food because they aren't hungry, because they don't want to have to eat their veggies or because they are sick. As long as the animal is drinking and otherwise looks and acts healthy, not eating is fine. And many animals do hold out for their favorite foods, be it kibble, ice cream or chicken wings. However, at the end of the two days for cats and three days for dogs, if they are still not interested any food, or have other symptoms, then at least call a vet familiar with the raw diet. We are more than happy to discuss any problem you are having, but we aren't vets and will refer you to a vet if the problem seems severe or continues past normal.



 LARGE/GIANT BREED PUPS

Much controversy surrounds the proper way to raise and feed large and giant breed dogs, it is hard to know who or what to believe. We recommend reading Dr. Billinghurst's book "Grow Your Pups with Bones" if you have a puppy or ever might. It is excellent reading and we recommend his methods of raising puppies. Basically, he recommends feeding large/giant breeds of dogs the raw diet without grains, yeast or dairy, but to limit their food so that they grow slower. This does mean growing your pup lean and hungry, as she shouldn't have access to as much food as she wants. But puppies can be hungry and be very happy and healthy. In the wild, they wouldn't get all they wanted every day. Dr. Billinghurst also recommends that no puppy get more exercise their first year of life (first two years if it is a large/giant breed pup) than playing and eating. This means no extended walks or jogs with humans - just playing with littermates or other friends and eating exercise, which on a raw diet is a lot of exercise. This is to help prevent the terrible problems we see every day - hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, panosteitis, etc. Again, this is all outlined in his book, which we highly recommend specifically for the puppy information.



 HYPO & HYPERTHYROIDISM

The thyroid is a small gland located in the throat, and is responsible for a wide variety of functions. Too much (hyperthyroidism) or too little (hypothyroidism) output can cause problems, and unfortunately these problems are becoming quite common in pets today. Cats usually don't suffer from hypothyroidism - they tend to become hyperthyroid. Signs of hyperthyroid can include weight loss or heart dysfunction. Hypothyroidism in dogs, on the other hand, usually shows itself as weight gain, poor skin and coat, and grumpiness. A simple blood test can rule out these problems, and there are treatments for both. Hypothyroidism can be treated with synthetic hormone, which is relatively inexpensive and has only a few side effects. Hyperthyroidism is a little trickier - medications or surgery can be used to control the problem. Dietarily, hypothyroidism can be helped by including kelp, a natural form of iodine, which the thyroid needs, and by not feeding a lot of the cruciferous veggies, like broccoli and kale, which in large amounts can depress the thyroid. Hyperthyroidism on the other hand, can be helped by reducing kelp and including fair amounts of the cruciferous veggies. If you think your cat or dog may have either disease, please call your vet to have the blood test done - raw diet can often help these problems, especially hypothyroidism. Most vets recommend regular testing to ensure that the dosage of medication is working, and we recommend it as well, especially since the dosages of the medications can be sometimes reduced or stopped all together if the animal is on a raw diet. We recommend testing at least every 3 months, or more often if your vet recommends it, reason being we don't want you to give too much of the medication if the diet is helping the animal heal itself.



 HEALTH CONDITIONS

Feed This Inc. has been thrilled with the result of our diet on many cases. The most dramatic change will be the condition of your pet's teeth and breath. Their breath will improve within the first month of the diet and the teeth have been noticeably cleaner within the first few meals. Bones are nature's toothbrush. Next you will notice after the first few weeks of mucous in the stool, hard white stools that if allowed to dry for a day or two, can be stepped on and turn to dust. Our personal experiences are:



 SUPPLEMENTS

Prozyme

Prozyme is a brand of food enzymes for dogs and cats. Enzymes are the proteins produced by the body (most come from the pancreas) that actually do the digesting of food. A supplemental enzyme helps animals digest their food and get the most from it. Animals on anything but a raw diet should be given Prozyme with each meal, as cooked food is devoid of all naturally occurring enzymes. We do suggest giving your animal Prozyme during the transition from a kibble or cooked diet to the raw diet, as it helps their bodies cope with the brand-new food. The transition period length depends on the health and age of the animal - some only require a few days or a week to become accustomed to the raw diet, some animals may take weeks or months.

Probiotics

Probiotics are the exact opposite of antibiotics. 'Pro' means for, and 'bio' means life, so probiotics help life flourish. Antibiotics, on the other hand, destroy life, i.e. the bacteria in the gut. Antibiotics are designed to kill particular bacteria, but unfortunately, they also kill beneficial bacteria. Beneficial bacteria in the gut help digestion, make vitamins, and can be used for food. The more they flourish the more they edge out the bad bacteria in the gut. We recommend probiotics for all animals transitioning to the raw diet from a cooked or kibble diet, as the beneficial bacteria in the gut most likely need a boost. Also, if your animal is taking antibiotics, we recommend giving probiotics for at least 2 weeks after stopping the antibiotics, to help the beneficial bacteria recover.

There are many different strains of beneficial bacteria. Two of the most commonly supplemented strains are acidophilus and bifidus. The kind of non-dairy probiotic we carry contains the acidophilus strain. Probiotics are best given on an empty stomach. If they are given with food, they won't work as well as they could. Keep the probiotics in the refrigerator, as they are heat and light sensitive.

Vitamin C

We recommend supplementing any diet with additional vitamin C because even with the most well balanced diets, the level of vitamins isn't always what the animal would thrive on. This is usually because of over-farming of our soils, resulting in nutrient-deficient plants and anything that eats plants. Vitamin C is really a fantastic nutrient - we urge you to read more about how vitamin C can help with many ailments and boost health. It can help calm down allergies, scavenge free radicals as an antioxidant, boost the immune system, help prevent skeletal problems and aid in pain control. We use and recommend the calcium ascorbate form of vitamin C, as opposed to the other forms that you may commonly see in health food stores or other stores. Ascorbic acid is the most common form found and is the cheapest, although it is very sour and acidic and can cause tummy upset. Sodium ascorbate is better, but it tastes very salty and many animals dislike it. Ester C is great for humans with a long digestive tract, but the time-releasing abilities of Ester C are rather lost on animals with short digestive systems (like cats and dogs). The amount of calcium in calcium ascorbate is also basically insignificant. Vitamin C is found in fruits and veggies.

Cod liver oil

Cod liver oil (different than fish oil) is a wonderful source of pre-formed vitamin A, which is a necessary vitamin for many things, including good vision, a healthy liver, a functioning immune system and an excellent antioxidant. Vitamin A can be formed in the body from beta carotene (found in veggies like carrots and sweet potatoes) in some animal; however, cats can NOT form active vitamin A from beta carotene, so they absolutely require active vitamin A in their diets. Dogs can convert some beta carotene to active vitamin A, but no one really knows how well or fast they can convert it, so it is a good idea to supplement them with it too. Quality is very important in a vitamin supplement, which is why we carry a high quality brand. Supplements are usually inexpensive for a good reason! Liver is also a good source of vitamin A.

Fish oil

Fish oil (different than cod liver oil) is a wonderful source of Essential Fatty Acids (EFA's) for dogs, cats and even humans. EFA's are tremendously important in many things, including good immune function, good brain function, and good nerves. Again, quality is very important here, and we carry a high quality supplement that actually works, unlike the cheap supplements found on every corner. EFA's can also be gotten from other sources, like high quality flax seed oil or hemp seed oil, but cats again can't take the inactive form of the EFA's in the flax or hemp oil and activate them like they are in the fish oil. So they absolutely require EFA's from an animal source. Dogs can convert some EFA's to the active form, but it is not determined how well or how fast, so it is good to give it to them as well.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is another wonderful nutrient used in so many things - like wound repair, as an antioxidant, and for good immune function. Once again that quality is important? If the supplements you or your pet takes aren't high quality, they won't do any good, and may even harm you, so don't skimp on the quality. There are several forms of vitamin E, or tocopherols. D-tocopherols are the natural form of vitamin E, which is much better than the synthetic dl-tocopherols. We also prefer mixed tocopherols (more of a whole) than just alpha-tocopherols. Food sources of vitamin E include seeds, nuts, eggs and leafy greens.



 DETOXIFICATION

Detoxify means to rid of poisons or the effects of poison. Poison is any substance that has an inherent tendency to destroy life or impair health. Pesticides, chemicals, devitalized food and vaccinations all set up toxic situations in the system. The body must rid itself of these poisons. We see symptoms of detoxification with vomiting, diarrhea, bad breath, itchy skin, draining eyes and ears, and cysts and tumors, to name a few. When pets begin on the raw diet, their bodies will detoxify because they now have the nutrients to build healthy systems and no longer will have the need to suppress disease. Detoxification can start immediately or it may take days, weeks or months before the animal's body is healthy enough to detoxify. Usually the body will detoxify through areas that are already diseased. For instance, dogs with skin problems will detoxify through the skin. The itching and body odors sometimes get worse before it gets better. There is no standard timeframe for detox. Each pet is different. Animals on raw continue getting healthier day to day. Animals on antibiotics, antihistamines, hormones or cortisone may appear not to have problems for a while, because drugs suppress disease, but it always comes back and even worse than before once drugs are discontinued. The side effects of drugs can be more deadly than the disease. Whatever your animal encounters in the way of detoxification, there is a natural remedy. Aloe vera, bee pollen, garlic and many other natural foods can be given to help the body detox.

A solution for the pet with skin problems is bathing. Bacteria on the skin and causes the itchiness. Baths will relieve the discomfort by ridding them of the poisons on the skin. Whenever the body is detoxifying through the skin, that skin needs to be kept free of poisons. Some may need to be bathed every day for a few days. Even though it takes a great deal of time, effort and care during that healing process, keep in mind how intense that itching sensation is. If you were suffering from a severe case of poison ivy, poison oak or chicken pox; that is how intense the itchiness is for your pet. Keep that in mind when you see your dog or cat scratching incessantly. When you see them scratching, do something about it right away. The more serious it becomes, the longer it takes to heal. Sometimes detoxification comes in the form of loose stools for a few days or even weeks. The stools have the consistency of mashed potatoes. That is a cleansing. If your pet has diarrhea, which is the consistency of water, this is not detoxification. Do not confuse the two. Diarrhea needs immediate professional attention because it causes dehydration, which can be fatal. Often detox stools will be encased in mucous. A healthy system gets rid of the mucous because it is no longer needed. Worms will also come out in the stools because they cannot live without the mucous. The whole process of detoxifying is a magnificent manifestation of healing. Your animal's urine may have a strong odor for a few days. Again, this is a cleansing.

You may notice that the eyes are draining. Everything from a thin watery discharge to thick mucous in varying colors will drain from one or both eyes. All is well. Let the toxins come out. The animal is getting rid of poisons out of any and all orifices that he or she can. When guardians tell me about the first signs of improvement they often say, "My animal's eyes are so bright and clear now. "Other comments are: "He's more like himself now. "She's just like a puppy again." "He's as playful as a kitten. The sweet temperament and the playful personality begin to emerge. Now, that's healing!

In order to reach that point your animal must go through the detoxification. For some animals you may not notice any aggravations. For others, it may be a constant uphill road. There is no way of predicting. What you do know for sure is that each day your dogs and cats eat good fresh food they are going in the right direction, towards good health. Call Feed This in extreme cases of detox and we will send you more information on easing through the process.



 CANCER TREATMENT AND PREVENTION

Article being updated



 FASTING

Fasting simply means to go without food for a specified period of time. Breakfast is literally broken down to "break fast" or break the fast, which was overnight. Fasting is a completely normal and healthy thing and all carnivores fast in the wild - it is simply impossible to find and kill prey every day. Some wild carnivores (and yes, your cats and dogs are carnivores) only eat a few times each week, and this is the way they are fed in wild animal parks and zoos not because they are being mean to the animals, but because it is the normal and healthy thing to do. We recommend fasting healthy, nonpregnant and nonlactating animals at least one day per week, a whole day where they only get fresh water, no food. This is not being mean - this is letting them be healthy. Metabolically, digesting and absorbing food is very labor intensive and time consuming. If the body doesn't have to deal with food, then it can turn its energies to other things like detoxing, healing, and cleaning house, so to speak. Animals instinctively fast when they don't feel well or when they have high fevers. Again, fasting is completely normal and should be encouraged. Some animals won't even want food every day of the week, others will beg for it 24 hours a day. If you don't think you can fast your animals because of they way you feel about it, then plan on fast days for your furry friends when you aren't going to be around - like days you have to work late, or days your partner feeds the animals (then make sure he or she fasts them!). Many people fast themselves and their animals one day a week with spectacular results - maybe it is something you will want to take up after seeing how healthy your animals are becoming! Make sure to consult a physician before. Fasting is one of the best things you can do for your carnivore friends in addition to the raw diet.



 WATER CONSUMPTION & QUALITY

Don't be alarmed if your pet is not drinking the amount of water they used to. Dry kibble requires that they drink quite a bit of water. Your pet will be eating a low sodium diet so they wont be as thirsty. Also the raw diet had plenty of water in the food. Your bowl may stay full twice as long as before. Since you are feeding the best diet you may also consider giving the best water…filtered. The impurities in tap water that can cause harm to humans, can cause harm more quickly in our pets as their filtering organs (liver and kidneys) and their bodies are smaller than ours. Even additives like fluoride can be harmful to our pets.



 BONES-ONLY

Every week of food that you purchase, you will receive what we call a bones-only day of food. Bones-only is not considered a fasting day. On this day your pet will get a meaty bone that will be the entire meal for that day. This meal would be like "eating light" to you. Bones-only provide very solid stools, which will cleanse the digestive tract and help to release the anal glands when they are having a bowel movement. The stools will dry hard in the yard and in a day or two you can step on they and they will turn to dust. This is a plus for those of you who have doggie clean up duty. In cat litter boxes you will notice a decrease in odor as well.



 PRICING

Once you and your pet have committed to a regular delivery of food, Feed This Inc. will make our best efforts to keep the diet at the prices that you received initially. We believe that a lot of thought, planning and budgeting goes into making a lifestyle change like this diet. We hope to accommodate your decision though out your pet's life. Our hope is to see each and every pet thrive on this diet.



 BUDGETING

We are asked quite often about the cost comparison of our diet and kibble. We priced our products as competitively as possible and we cost a little more than premium kibble but things to consider are the veterinary bills you will be avoiding in the future. On this diet, unless your pet has a unique disorder, you should never have to have their teeth cleaned. Which not only saves you money but also saves your pet the stress of being put under anesthesia. That is just to name one of the many benefits (see health conditions)



 DELIVERY

Feed This Inc. delivers to your doorstep. If you are home on our delivery day we are always happy to see our clients but if your schedule is busy like most peoples we can just drop it off. We ask that you have a cooler available in a designated location so we can drop off the food on your delivery day. We ask that you have a check ready and we will leave the invoice each week. If you have credit with us we will leave the invoice and you can mail the payment to us at our post office box.



 AUTO SHIP

Once you have decided that the diet is for your furry family members, just give us a call. We call our program Auto Ship. We will put you on a regular delivery every 1-4 weeks. You will receive your delivery on the delivery day for your area. Changes can be made at any time.



 RECYCLING

Feed This Inc. will recycle the plastic food containers in which the food arrives. We ask that the containers or plastic bags be returned fully washed, dried and with the lids off the containers. Leave them in the cooler that you place on the porch for food delivery and we will take them each week.






Feed This, Inc!
Is located in beautiful Sonoma County California at P.O. Box 687 Forestville Ca, 95436
Tele: 707-887-1122 • Fax: 240-332-8386 • Email: Info@FeedThis.com