prepping with pets

[Brent S]

I guess if I had to run I would just release the chickens and rabbits to fend for themselves. My pit would come with, she's not much for protection but makes a great bed warmer at night. I guess she might be able to learn some protectiveness in tough circumstances, but she's family and gets to stay regardless.

 

[Brent S]

You can avoid intestinal difficulties in pets by introducing new foods very gradually. But I want you to think very seriously about this: If you have to bug out and it looks like it's going to be for a very long time, do you really want to lug hundreds of pounds of dry dog food with you too? People food is much healthier for pets than commercial dog foods. Before the advent of commercial dog foods, most of our pets lived on what they could forage for themselves plus our table scraps. The average lifespan of a small breed dog in the 1920's was over 20 years, with even the Great Dane living as long as 18 years. Commercial dog food is killing our pets, folks, just like commercial foods are killing us.
My recommendation is that you start feeding your dog a small amount of your leftovers every evening after you are finished eating. Let them slowly get used to having real nutrition in their stomachs. Then, if you have to bug out, your dog will be able to eat your leftovers without having to worry about where you're going to put those hundreds of pounds of dog food.

Your right about most of the cheap foods being bad for you dog. Next time you go for shots or something ask your vet, or just google it. There's kidney failure and liver disease being caused by some of the main brands. I read something about vitamin k added in the ingredients being particularly bad. I can't afford the 60 dollar a bag stuff, but I read the ingredients and go somewhere in the middle.

 

[Gazrok]

You can avoid intestinal difficulties in pets by introducing new foods very gradually.

Key word is gradually. It's why we stock extra, but at the same time, we realize we'd have to wean them off it. I've always used store pet food, and never really seen an issue with it....and my pets live pretty long and healthy. They do get table scraps too though. (and my bird loves chicken, the little cannibal). Of course, the chickens love cooked eggs, so go figure (I mean they LOVE them...will go crazy at them).

 

[QuietH3art]

Your right about most of the cheap foods being bad for you dog. Next time you go for shots or something ask your vet, or just google it. There's kidney failure and liver disease being caused by some of the main brands. I read something about vitamin k added in the ingredients being particularly bad. I can't afford the 60 dollar a bag stuff, but I read the ingredients and go somewhere in the middle.

Unfortunately, Brent, courses in "nutrition" are electives for veterinarians. I have done tons of research on my own due to the loss of 3 pets because of the recalls 7 years ago. I happen to be good friends with a veterinarian who is continually studying and going to seminars. At a recent nutrition seminar, the discussion was regarding the numbers of American dog foods that actually use ingredients from China. Every pet food recall there has been has been linked to tainted ingredients from China.
The primary problem with commercial dog foods is the amount of corn included in the food. Besides the fact that most commercial corn is now genetically modified, dogs cannot digest corn. Period. The cheapest brands all contain at least 33% corn. The cheaper the food you feed, the more poop you're going to be cleaning up and the less healthy your dog will be. Giving your dog any commercial food sold at a grocery store isn't much different than feeding your children potato chips for dinner every night.
Shortly after that recall when I lost my 3 dogs, I began feeding a raw food that was biologically appropriate for dogs. Within 2 weeks, I saw healthier coats, brighter eyes, more energy and better focus in training. Feeding straight raw can be prohibitively expense - for my danes, it was costing me $50 per week per dog. It's also difficult to transition some dogs to it.
The biggest drawback to commercial foods is protein. If the food you are feeding lists "chicken by-products" as the first "meat" ingredient, your dog is not getting protein from it. By-products can include feet, beaks and feathers. If you can supplement your dog with meat and eggs from your table (or your farm) preferably raw but even cooked is better than nothing, you're dog will be much healthier than a straight dry food diet.

 

[Brent S]

Unfortunately, Brent, courses in "nutrition" are electives for veterinarians. I have done tons of research on my own due to the loss of 3 pets because of the recalls 7 years ago. I happen to be good friends with a veterinarian who is continually studying and going to seminars. At a recent nutrition seminar, the discussion was regarding the numbers of American dog foods that actually use ingredients from China. Every pet food recall there has been has been linked to tainted ingredients from China.
The primary problem with commercial dog foods is the amount of corn included in the food. Besides the fact that most commercial corn is now genetically modified, dogs cannot digest corn. Period. The cheapest brands all contain at least 33% corn. The cheaper the food you feed, the more poop you're going to be cleaning up and the less healthy your dog will be. Giving your dog any commercial food sold at a grocery store isn't much different than feeding your children potato chips for dinner every night.
Shortly after that recall when I lost my 3 dogs, I began feeding a raw food that was biologically appropriate for dogs. Within 2 weeks, I saw healthier coats, brighter eyes, more energy and better focus in training. Feeding straight raw can be prohibitively expense - for my danes, it was costing me $50 per week per dog. It's also difficult to transition some dogs to it.
The biggest drawback to commercial foods is protein. If the food you are feeding lists "chicken by-products" as the first "meat" ingredient, your dog is not getting protein from it. By-products can include feet, beaks and feathers. If you can supplement your dog with meat and eggs from your table (or your farm) preferably raw but even cooked is better than nothing, you're dog will be much healthier than a straight dry food diet.

I saw a clip on tv once that showed Opra Winfrey's dogs. She had a chef prepare their food daily. We're not talking any by products here, this was fresh salmon, lamb, chicken, etc. He mixed it with rice, carrots, peas etc. Damed dogs eat better than I do! If there is such thing as reincarnation, that's what I want to come back as, one of Opras dogs! Lol. I do share what I eat with my dog, but try to be careful not to let her have too much fat. They get hardening of the arteries just like we do.

 

[Gazrok]

We also feed ours raw scraps while preparing the meal. No way do we throw meat trimmings out. They go right to the cats and dogs, and when you're doing so for 5 adults, you end up with a lot each night, hehe.

 

[Maverick]

Unfortunately in a SHTF situation pet nutrition as we know it will go out the window in a few weeks, my outdoor dogs love rabbits, squirrels/chipmunks, birds and possums, since we have plantain and yarrow growing everywhere I added it to their food and water

 

[QuietH3art]

That's kind of my point, Maverick. Pet nutrition won't take a hit if SHTF. If anything, they'll be eating better. If they live through it, that is. People don't know what they will do if they are desperate. I don't eat meat as a general rule, but you'd better believe I will eat a dog or cat if I'm starving, even my own. I don't eat goat or chicken, either. But I will eat mine if I'm starving. Actually, I'd eat the goats first, cat second, chickens third, then the dog.

 

[QuietH3art]

But, as a caveat, I would probably be crying while butchering and dressing them.

 

[Maverick]

They will eat better if the owner knows what to do but then again, location will set the tone through disease and as a food source for others I see the pet population declining rapidly in a (severe) post SHTF, I just hope preppers that have animals but can't take them if bugging out (as in not returning) will do the right thing and put a bullet in the head and bury them instead of leaving them to fend for themselves I'm not meaning to sound cold but love, reality and common sense needs to prevail here.

 

[QuietH3art]

Owners who leave behind dogs will be creating yet another hazard in a post-SHTF world. Dogs left to run wild will form packs and if they are hungry, humans will become prey for them. They are amazing pets and do amazing things for humans when given the opportunity. But in the wild, they are predators and instinct for survival would take over if faced with either human prey or starvation.

 

[jimLE]

well,today i did 3 things for my dog.got her a chewable flea pill,to kill the fleas on her up to a month.i think i'll get the one,thats good for 3 months next time...then i trimed the hair on her rear hunches.then gave her a bath..now if i can get her to hold still for a good brushing..

 

[Gazrok]

Personally, I love the flea drops you put on the back of their neck. Expensive, but they actually work where other things fail, especially in the summer. Tip: You can get the one for bigger dogs, and just dose it out for smaller dogs. Cheaper than getting the small dog ones for multiple dogs. (this was actually recommended by my vet, not me just being cheap).

 

[jimLE]

vets office recommended the 3 months pill/chewable.so i think i'll go with that next time..im not sure about going with the drops thoe.on account i give my dog baths time 2 time,,and i dont know if the drop wash off or not..

 

[Gazrok]

They do wash off somewhat, which is why I usually do the bath bit first, then put the drops on after they've dried off. So, once a month they get the full bath treatment, then the flea treatment. The pills just haven't worked as well for mine, but no issue at all since using the drops.

If I have to bathe a dog before the month is up, I usually have some spare solution I can use after the bath...but my little dogs are mostly indoors most of the day (then grass when not), so don't get dirty really.

 

[jimLE]

bath first is a good idea.but i give my dog,i dont know how many baths per month.pluss she goes outside with me almost every time i go outside.so i need to spraay the yard as well.

 

[Gazrok]

Yeah, we spray the dog yard.
My big dog is black, and hates to get dirty (even though he's out a lot), so the once a month thing works for him pretty well.
The pills may be better now though...been doing the drops for years.

I do like the fact I could bathe them more often.

 

[Triscut]

I bought the I-Go 2 Traveller Plus, which is $95 but I found it online for $40.
It's a cat carrier that can be worn as a backpack or it has a extender handle and can be rolled. Everyone keeps saying "It looks like a suitcase"

It does look like a seethrough suitcase, but it has mesh all around so the cats can see out.

I give it 10 Stars.

I have a 10lb 1yr old cat, and he loves it. I looked for him and found him sitting inside of it, looking out the mesh at me.
It is roomy and apparently it's comfortable because he loves being in it.

The next test was my 23lb 5yr old cat.
I am a petite female, only 100lb so carrying this cat on my back would be an experiment.
It felt no different from the 10lb cat. The backpack must have good weight distribution because it was easy and I could do it for a long walk.

Now that they are taken care of on my back, I will have free hands for BugOut bags and real suitcases.



As for nutrition: Spirulina is supposed to be just as good for cats as it is for humans, so I sprinkle it over their food, just a tiny bit, so they won't notice the taste.

After reading this thread and how terrible cat food is, i'm going to see what kind of meats and eggs I can feed them. We buy them canned food, that's all the eat right now.
They have kibble in their dishes but they usually ignore it because they want a can of food.
At least the cans give them hydration, as opposed to kibble, since cats apparently wait til the moment they are about to die to ever drink water. We switched to cans after the older cat got a UTI and almost died from not drinking enough. I include water for them in my water preps, if they'll bother drinking it.

 

[Gazrok]

we do kibble in the day, then canned food at night. They nibble throughout the day (cats and dogs) at the kibble.

 

[Brent S]

My dogs like table scraps more than their own food, so that's what they will get in tough times. Hey, there just lucky to not be on the menu! Lol. Seriously, the three dogs are my companions, there likely to eat better than me. The rabbits and chickens, well, they really are on the menu.

 

[QuietH3art]

My dogs like table scraps more than their own food, so that's what they will get in tough times. Hey, there just lucky to not be on the menu! Lol. Seriously, the three dogs are my companions, there likely to eat better than me. The rabbits and chickens, well, they really are on the menu.

Prior to someone saying around the 1930's "Hey, you know what we can do with all the leftovers from butchering these cows?" all pet dogs had to eat were table scraps and what they could catch themselves. Their lifespans then were typically twice what they are now. Commercial dog foods are basically "junk food" much like feeding potato chips to your children for dinner. When I switched my dogs to Biologically Appropriate Raw Foods (BARF) I tried hitting up the local butchers for their leftover raw meat and bones. Guess what they told me? They toss it all in a dedicated dumpster and when it finally gets full they call the company that picks it up to deliver it to..... commercial dog food manufacturers. They might only pick up once a month.
BARF, the acronym and the diet, is the subject of several very good books on pet nutrition. Basically, you mimic the diet your pet's wild ancestors ate. There's even a website, barfworld.com if anyone is interested in learning more.
Major benefits to feeding BARF to my dogs include better mental focus which contributes to faster learning, shinier coats, brighter eyes, fewer veterinary visits, no need for flea and tick control products, stronger muscles and longer lives. Simply put, a much healthier animal.

 

[Brent S]

Prior to someone saying around the 1930's "Hey, you know what we can do with all the leftovers from butchering these cows?" all pet dogs had to eat were table scraps and what they could catch themselves. Their lifespans then were typically twice what they are now. Commercial dog foods are basically "junk food" much like feeding potato chips to your children for dinner. When I switched my dogs to Biologically Appropriate Raw Foods (BARF) I tried hitting up the local butchers for their leftover raw meat and bones. Guess what they told me? They toss it all in a dedicated dumpster and when it finally gets full they call the company that picks it up to deliver it to..... commercial dog food manufacturers. They might only pick up once a month.
BARF, the acronym and the diet, is the subject of several very good books on pet nutrition. Basically, you mimic the diet your pet's wild ancestors ate. There's even a website, barfworld.com if anyone is interested in learning more.
Major benefits to feeding BARF to my dogs include better mental focus which contributes to faster learning, shinier coats, brighter eyes, fewer veterinary visits, no need for flea and tick control products, stronger muscles and longer lives. Simply put, a much healthier animal.

There's a lot of info on the web about most commercial dog foods that aren't just not good for your pet, but is actually damaging them. There's an artificial vitiman k that vets are saying is causing liver cancer, and many other issues. The main ingredient is corn, which isn't in a dogs diet naturally. There are lots of good dog foods out there, they just cost much more.

 

[Gazrok]

When leftovers are just a bit past their prime (still edible, but not that appetizing), we feed them to the dogs. Otherwise, they get table scraps and dry food during the day, canned food at night. All of my cats and dogs typically live well past the normal lifespan, so I can't really complain.

 

[jimLE]

I-Go 2 Traveller Plus sounds like a good idea.my dog only weighs 12-14 LB'S..so having her in one,that goes across my chest would be good for me.then ghb/bob would be on my back.

 

[Brent S]

I-Go 2 Traveller Plus sounds like a good idea.my dog only weighs 12-14 LB'S..so having her in one,that goes across my chest would be good for me.then ghb/bob would be on my back.

I like the post I saw here a while back where the dog was outfitted to carry supplies vs the other way around . My dog would love to be carried, but the little turd weighs too much. She fifty plus lbs at least.

 

[Gazrok]

For the horses, we've started seeding more Timothy and Alfalfa into the grazing pastures. So, eventually, they won't even really need hay. Come SHTF, they'd lose their feed though, but they'd still have apples and carrots.

For the bunnies, come SHTF they'd lose their feed too, but would still have grasses, carrots, celery, etc.

Dogs and cats would get scraps (and eggs).

Bird would get different seeds from other crops we grow.

Chickens would get different scratch we'd make up, as well as their own eggs. (and insects as they do now)

Post SHTF, the chickens and bunnies would be more for food than pets. Though the chickens are kept for their eggs (and we'd start breeding them). Likewise, we'd start breeding bunnies for food too.

We plan to add goats eventually too, though we'll see.

Honestly though, barring some major ecological change, we are awash in frogs, birds, and snakes that would serve fine for food too. And come next month, we'll have a good start to our family garden, so even more possibilities for pets to eat too.