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Miracle weapon coconut

Actually, the coconut should be a staple food! Don't you think so? Today we introduce you to the valuable fruit in more detail and tell you how you can use the summer and beach-scented fruit for you and your dog.

In general, it should be said that the coconut...

  • ...is rich in nutrients such as iron, phosphorus, zinc, minerals and vitamins
  • ...contains protein and fiber, but hardly any sugar
  • ...is solid at room temperature and becomes liquid at approx. 23°C and above.
  • ...due to the high proportion of saturated fatty acids does not go rancid so quickly

 

The coconut oil/coconut fat is obtained from the dried kernel meat, the copra, of the coconut. Coconut fat is excellent for cooking and frying because it can be heated to high temperatures. Coconut oil:

  • promotes digestion and food absorption
  • is not stored in fat depots, but immediately enters energy metabolism
  • therefore it is a healthy and quick source of energy e.g. before jogging
  • strengthens the immune system against inflammatory symptoms
  • reduces the load on the pancreas, as no fat digesting enzymes are required
  • thereby also relieves the liver, since no bile is needed for digestion
  • can be used externally as care on dry and scabbed skin areas
  • contains lauric acid, which ticks do not like at all and thus acts as a good pelvic protection (from the inside and outside)

Application:
Add coconut oil to your dog's food regularly as an additional source of fat or to protect against ticks.
In summer, rub him on the ears and in the groin and armpit area with coconut fat to protect against ticks.

Coke shavings/flakes:
Coke shavings can be used as a natural protection against worms in your dog.
Add 1-2 tsp/per 10 kg body weight of the dog of coke shavings to the food every 3 months on 4-5 days/week run.
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The successful conversion to BARF feeding

Don't worry. You do not need a calculator and also no study, in order to convert your dog to a BARF feeding. For ourselves, we do not weigh every day whether we take enough calcium, iron, fat or protein to us!

It is important that the food is varied and fresh! This is true for the dog, as well as for ourselves!

In our previous blog posts, you will find detailed information on which vegetables/fruits and meats are suitable for feeding, what composition of muscle meat, fat, offal, bones, vegetables/fruits and oils the rations should have, and many other useful tips.

Ready to go?
To prepare, all you need to do is create some space in the freezer, get yourself a sharp knife with which you can easily cut meat and have a way to grate vegetables and fruit or chop them with a food processor, for example. A blender and a kitchen scale are also good helpers!

You can easily make the switch from one day to the next for a healthy dog. Do not mix dry food and fresh meat in any case!

It is important not to overload the digestive tract during the changeover. The stomach, pancreas and intestines must first adjust to the new food and nutrient composition. Introduce different types of meat gradually and also start initially without bones, offal and with only one type of vegetable.

Get started.
For the first week, start with an easily digestible muscle meat like turkey or chicken. You should also choose only one type of vegetable at first. Carrots or zucchini are best for this.

Natural food tip: Mix the best directly the sufficient amount for a whole week together! Then simply portion, freeze and defrost as needed!

As a source of fat add to the lean meat a little goose fat, lard, butter fat or coconut fat.

Ready for the next step?
If meat and vegetables are well tolerated, you can now add chicken necks or wings as a supplementary bone portion. If you do not want to or cannot feed bones, algae lime, deer horn meal or eggshell powder should be added as a calcium source. Offal such as chicken liver can now also be added to the feed bowl.

Give your dog 1-2 weeks until you introduce the next protein source, e.g. beef. If this is well tolerated, now also feed animal by-products such as rumen, leaf stomach, cartilage, etc. to.

Observe your dog's digestion and always take the next step only when there are certainly no digestive problems. Otherwise, take a step back and wait until everything has normalized.

What you can do to support your dog during the transition?
Diarrhea or even vomiting may occur during the first few days. However, these symptoms should subside after 2-3 days at the latest. You can support your dog by giving him intestinal bacteria (probiotics such as Probiotic or Basis-Damaufbau) to build up the intestinal flora. To calm the stomach, flaxseed mucilage can be given about 15 minutes before feeding in case of vomiting and occasional spitting.

After the conversion
It is sufficient to feed about 3 different types of meat (protein sources) in alternation after the successful conversion. For fruits, vegetables and herbs, alternate as you see fit based on season and availability. The more varied the vitamin sources, the better.

You will see the positive effect of the change of feed:

  • the amount of stool becomes smaller
  • the chair becomes firmer
  • the dog drinks less
  • Better defined muscles
  • Shiny coat
  • more pleasure from eating

 

Food refusal?
If your dog refuses the new food, try one of the following tricks:

  • Pour warm broth over meat and vegetables
  • Lightly fry meat in coconut fat
  • Sauté the vegetables, puree and mix into the meat

Some dogs are spoiled due to the flavor enhancers in the ready-made foods and must first learn to classify and accept the new food as "edible"! The dog can do without food for 2 days as long as there is always enough fresh water available. So stay consistent 🙂 You will see! Once tried, the industrial food is quickly forgotten.

If you have any questions or problems, feel free to contact us!

If the effort is too great or you are unsure, ready-mixed Barf menus are also excellent. These already have a good mix ratio of marbled muscle meat, offal, minced bones, vegetables / fruit and oil.

Get started! It's never too late to eat healthy!

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A healthy year 2017!

First of all, we wish all two-legged and four-legged friends a happy and above all healthy year 2017!

To make that happen, and to keep us all fit in this dingy, dreary January weather, we should watch what we eat and strengthen our defenses!

Fortunately, we have our fur noses, which give us day after day a reason to move outside in the fresh air! Thanks to them, we can romp through the snow (or slush) and are thus already a big step ahead of all non-dog owners in terms of "exercise in the fresh air"!

But we should also make sure that we take enough vitamins! This is true for us and just as for our dogs and cats. Chronic vitamin deficiency can lead to creeping diseases.

We at NATURFUTTER have therefore compiled a small vitamin ABC with valuable knowledge and tips for the bowl and our own plate for you! Have fun reading!

 

What are vitamins important for anyway?

  • Bone development
  • Blood clotting
  • the DNA synthesis
  • release energy from food
  • Radical scavenger
  • Nervous system
  • and much more.

 

What vitamins are there?

  • water-soluble vitamins B and C

We cannot overdose on water-soluble vitamins because the body simply excretes the excess in the urine.

  • fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E & K

Caution is advised with fat-soluble vitamins! Excesses are stored in fatty tissue and can have toxic effects.

Foods containing fat-soluble vitamins should ideally always be eaten together with some oil/fat to enable their absorption.

 

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)

Vitamin C is necessary for the body to produce collagen for our bones, connective tissue and teeth. With a deficiency it comes to:

  • impaired bone development
  • Deformities of the bones
  • Anemia
  • Delayed wound healing
  • Capillary bleeding

Unlike us, dogs and cats can produce vitamin C themselves in the liver. However, in the case of diseases, a supplement of host C can still be useful. E.g. in immune diseases, burns or joint problems.

Top Vitamin C Sources: Rosehip powder, sea buckthorn, acerola, black currants.

 

Vitamin B complex

The B vitamins have a variety of tasks in the organism and are important for our energy metabolism. Among other things, they are responsible for the formation of tissue, the maintenance and growth of our cells and for blood formation. In case of a deficiency, depending on the vitamin, diseases can occur such as:

  • Dementia
  • Nervous system disorders
  • Skin diseases
  • Fertility disorders
  • Growth disorders
  • Kidney damage
  • Oxalate stones (cat)

 

B vitamins are found in all animal foods such as:

  • Meat, fish
  • Offal
  • Eggs
  • Dairy products

But also in:

  • Brewer's yeast
  • Chlorella

When feeding with Barf menus, the B vitamin supply is optimal due to the muscle meat and the sufficient proportion of offal.

 

Vitamin D 

Distinguishing the provitamins

  • D2 (from plant sources)
  • D3 (from animal sources)

Vitamin D is essential for the regulation of calcium metabolism and maintains the balance of calcium-phosphorus levels in the organism.

A deficiency of vitamin D leads to problems with the minaralization of the bones and thus to diseases such as rickets, osteoporosis or osteomalacia.

We, as well as our dogs, can utilize provitamin D3 from animal sources better than the plant source D2. It is contained in:

  • Fatty fish
  • Fish oil e.g. salmon oil
  • Cod liver oil
  • Butter, cheese
  • Eggs (yolk)

The conversion into active vitamin D takes place in the kidney.

CAUTION! In case of overdose, e.g. by synthetic Vit D, calcification of tissues and vessels may occur.

 

Vitamin A

You probably know vitamin A as the "eye vitamin". In fact, vitamin A is important for light/dark vision. But also for the:

  • Maintaining the health of the skin and mucous membranes
  • Promotion of bone growth
  • Acceleration of wound healing
  • Synthesis of hormones
  • Reproductive capacity

Cats cannot convert the provitamin beta carotene into the active vitamin A, or only to a limited extent, and must take vitamin A in their food in any case! It is contained in:

  • Liver
  • Cod liver oil
  • Chicken
  • Fish oil
  • Eggs (yolk)
  • Carrots
  • Fennel
  • Spinach, chard
  • Lamb's lettuce
  • Nettle, cress

In the case of a deficiency, there are visual disturbances, changes in the skin and hair, or even fertility problems.

CAUTION: Overdose is also possible here, as it is a fat-soluble vitamin.

Cat: 100 IU/kg KM
Dog: 75 - 100 IU/kg KM

 

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an important antioxidant. It is therefore often used as a natural antioxidant under the term "tocopherols" in industrial feed. It prevents fat from becoming rancid and counteracts loss of flavor and color. In the body, it protects cells from oxidative stress and plays an important role in reproduction.

In addition, vitamin E also protects the very reactive vitamin A!

Vitamin E is contained mainly in:

  • Liver
  • green leafy vegetables
  • Fennel
  • Black salsify
  • Wheat Germ
  • Sunflower seeds
  • Eggs (low content)

The requirement for an adult dog and for cats is: 2 - 3 mg per kg body weight

 

Vitamin K

Vitamin K is produced by the organism itself in the large intestine and is contained in the following foods:

  • Alfalfa flour
  • Liver
  • Fishmeal
  • Poultry meat
  • Eggs
  • Leafy vegetables
  • Broccoli, cauliflower
  • Spinach
  • Dill

We should only provide an additional supply of vitamin K after antibiotic therapy or intestinal diseases!

Caution is advised with the synthetic Vit K3. It is hidden behind the term menadione.

Quote from the Academy of Veterinary Medicine: "From scientific papers, the following facts can be collected on vitamin K3, the synthetically produced menadione causes, among other things, cytotoxicity on liver cells, causes radical formation from enzymes of leukocytes, can result in mutagenic effects and causes radical formation with an accompanying series of cytotoxic reactions. For this reason, vitamin K3 has not been approved for human use since 1989. It is also no longer allowed to be given to food-producing animals. Only the use in Pet food it is still permitted sometimes does not have to be declared on the label."

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Festive roast for dog and cat?

Christmas is just around the corner and one or the other of us is looking forward to the holiday roast or Christmas goose! And of course we also want our dogs and cats to get a special treat for Christmas!

Unfortunately, this often backfires. Because some dogs and cats react rather with vomiting or diarrhea to the unfamiliar food. And a well-intentioned feeding of the strongly spiced sauce or the leftover bones of our tasty Christmas dinner, ends in the worst case for our dog in the veterinary hospital.

Rather surprise your four-legged friend with a tasty chew item such as dried beef or rabbit ears or delicious dried or fresh chicken necks. Chicken necks are also a great Christmas snack for cats.

So that it can be a merry Christmas for all, here again an overview of the types of meat that you can basically feed and what to consider when feeding bones! Even if Christmas is beautifully long gone!

 

The animal portion of the ration should be about 70% for the dog and about 95% for the cat! No matter whether you feed barfen, dry food or wet food.

To keep your pet healthy, it is important to bring variety into the bowl. The variety ensures that he or she regularly gets all the necessary vitamins, minerals, trace elements and vital substances! However, 2-3 different protein sources in alternation are completely sufficient!
It applies: in principle, all types of meat can be fed!

Attention. The following list applies to healthy animals that do not have to do without certain foods due to illness!

 

Beef, sheep, goat, lamb:

  • Muscle meat such as head meat, cheek meat, diaphragm meat (crown meat), stab meat (neck), mouth meat, tongue meat, leg meat, tail meat, heart, etc.
  • Offal like liver, kidney, rumen (green), lung
  • Hooves, teeth, ears, horns to gnaw and chew on

 

Poultry: ducks, chickens, turkeys, pheasants

  • whole, minced or in cuts
  • Meat, cartilage, bones (only raw!!!), offal, necks.
  • WARNING! Goose necks are very fat
  • Day-old chicks represent a complete prey animal

 

Game: excellent source of meat if you have a good source of game meat

 

Horse: all parts as for cattle

  • is often used in case of allergies, as far as the animal has never been given this protein source before

 

Pig:

  • only from organic farmers, or from a reliable source, since pork can contain the Aujeszky virus, which is dangerous and usually fatal for dogs and cats.

 

Fish: Bones can be fed with raw fish without any problems

  • Fish can be fed as a whole or as a fillet
  • Saltwater fish: redfish, herring, tuna, cod, salmon, mackerel, dorade
  • Freshwater fish: catfish, pike-perch, trout, carp, pike...
  • because of the heavy metal pollution in the sea please pay attention to the origin or switch to freshwater fish
  • No Pacific salmon due to rickettsiae contamination -> 4-6 weeks freezing at -18°C renders the pathogens harmless
  • ATTENTION: when feeding whole fish in front of fishhook

 

Bones: always feedraw

  • Feed raw meaty bones (RFK) with a meat content of 50%.
  • Do not leave especially inexperienced dogs unattended in the process
  • for small, young or old dogs are suitable softer RFK such as chicken necks, chicken carcasses, rabbit carcasses, or the like (be careful with bones from old chickens! These bones can be brittle and break off sharp parts).
  • experienced and larger dogs can also get harder bones like: Turkey necks, duck necks, lamb ribs, venison ribs, veal breast bone or beef breast bone.
  • Bones can be replaced by adding eggshells (powder), deer horn meal or algal lime.

 

Offal: 

  • Liver, kidney, spleen, lung, heart ( heart strictly speaking counts as muscle meat).
  • Offal can alternatively be replaced by the addition of brewer's yeast, cod liver oil and egg yolk

 

Fat: To supplement the fat content of the ration, fats such as lamb fat, lard, goose fat or coconut fat can be added. This is also recommended for Barf menus whose raw fat content is less than 10%.

 

We wish you happy holidays! 

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BARF basic rules for dogs

In our consultations, we always find that BARF still scares off many dog and cat owners! Many fear it is too complicated or are afraid to make mistakes. And that is certainly not entirely unjustified!

But a biologically species-appropriateraw feedingcan be quite simple, if you follow a few basic rules!

  • BARF does not simply mean feeding pure muscle meat!
  • For dogs, the BARF meal should consist of about 70% animal ingredients and about 30% vegetable ingredients.
  • animal components: Important for the supply of all nutrients is a mixture of approx. 50% marbled muscle meat (with fatcontent), 15% offal such as liver, kidney, lung or similar, 15% rumen or leafy stomach and approx. 20% bones (minced or raw).
  • vegetable components: Vegetables, herbs and fruit can be fed grated raw or steamed and pureed. The proportion of vegetables should predominate and fruit should only make up about 1/4.
  • In addition, carbohydrates in the form of pseudocereals (swollen millet, buckwheat, quinoa, amaranth) can be incorporated into the 30% vegetable portion. Cooked potatoes or sweet potatoes are also possible.
  • In addition, the addition of fats/oils is important for the utilization of fat-soluble vitamins and for the supply of omega 3,6 and 9 fatty acids. Salmon oil or linseed oil are particularly suitable. As a fat supplement to a lean meal, lamb fat, goose fat or coconut oil are suitable.
  • It is not necessary to always cover all components in every meal. What is important is a regular supply of everything throughout the week.

Play it safe with BARF menus, which already have the right mixing ratio of all important animal ingredients and you no longer have to put together anything yourself. Please pay attention to a sufficient fat content. If this is below 8-10%, you should add coconut fat, goose fat, lamb fat or butter fat.

  • For the Feeding amount is always based on the target weight of the dog.
    • Young dogs: 4-5% of body weight in g
    • adult dogs: approx. 2-3% of the body weight depending on the activity level
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BARF basic rules for cats

Free-rangers eat up to 12 meals a day in the form of mice, birds, etc.! So they take their food periodically in smaller quantities. Unlike the dog, whose digestion is designed to take very large amounts of food at one time and then sometimes nothing for a long time.

From their prey, cats eat mainly meat and bones, heart and brain. Unlike dogs, cats usually leave the digestive tract of their prey lying around. They apparently do not need the plant nutrients it contains. Cats also cannot utilize carbohydrates for lack of the carbohydrate-splitting enzyme needed for digestion. They are pure carnivores!

What does this mean for the feeding of domestic cats? After all, their nutritional needs are the same as those of their free-roaming friends?
The best food you can offer your cat is a meal consisting of 95% fresh raw meat, fat, cartilage and bone and 5% fiber.

BARF for cats

  • The meat content may well include 25-30% whole or ground bones in addition to marbled muscle meat, liver, heart meat.
  • If the cat refuses them or you can not feed them, calcium must be added in the form of eggshell powder.
  • You can feed fiber in the form of coconut flakes, rice flakes, spelt flakes or sesame flakes. These fibers replace the fur of the prey animal and they stimulate intestinal activity.
  • Suitable herbs are parsley, catnip or cat grass.
  • Ideally, like the outdoor cats, your house cat will have the opportunity to eat its meals in several portions throughout the day.

Additives

  • Salmon oil is an important source of omega 3 fatty acids and arachidonic acid
  • the amino acid taurine, which is essential for the cat, should be supplemented daily e.g. by green-lipped mussel powder if the requirement is not covered by feeding e.g. chicken hearts (heart meat in general), lamb, fish (cod, fresh tuna) or shrimps/seafood with the meal.

The feeding quantity is always based on the target weight of the cat.

  • 2 - 6 months: 4 -5% of body weight in g
  • from 6 months: 3 to 3.5% of body weight in g
  • Seniors: 2 - 2.5% of body weight in g

There are now also BARF menus for cats with an optimal, ready mix. As an alternative, cold-filled wet foods are available. Since they are not heated to high temperatures, heat-labile nutrients such as taurine are also preserved and no synthetic vitamins or other nutrients need to be added again afterwards.

 

Fluid requirements
Cats cover their fluid needs in nature by the blood of prey animals and drink otherwise quite little. Therefore, feeding dry food is strongly discouraged, as cats will not automatically drink more. Lack of fluids and highly concentrated urine stresses the kidneys and can lead to urinary stones.

 

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