Dr Bruce Syme

Good to hear it isn't as icky - that was one of the main issues Bruce wanted to address with the Raw76, giving people another option. Unfortunately the rolls are pricier than what consumers are used to with a roll. There is no gelatin or fillers of any kind. A test we have suggested to people to check the quality of a roll is to pop a slice in the microwave for a few minutes. If it's packed full of gelatin and expanders these will melt and become a gluggy messy. Try the same with a VAN roll and it will just cook.

Any chance that these will be available in SA? The HealthRolls are being shipped out this week to wholesalers across Australia. They should start appearing in Petbarn's & Petstock's soon. Different to the Woolworths Rolls as they have more variety and are larger.

thanks - just that I don't feed any type of grains Aren't VAN products packed full of oats etc? Or not the rolls? Yes, there are grains in the rolls. When anniek asked what else was in it because it's not 100% raw I assumed she was asking what else was in it to not make it raw. Apart from the rolls, everything in our diets are raw - including the vegetables and grains. Processing grains - like protein alters the composition.

Hi Clash, Here is Bruce's reply All seems a bit confusing – the levels on the CM pack are “as fed when soaked and mixed with red meat”, and they are also indicated at the moisture level of the food as fed. If you take out the moisture component, and look at Dry Matter basis, which is the standard way of comparing foods and the levels that are used by AAFCO etc, you will find that CM (as fed) has adequate calcium levels. It is the same as feeding raw 76 in any case (which is just mix and meat ready-made). AAFCO have a max level of calcium for pups of 10g/kg DM (dry matter), or 1%. VAN CM with red meat has 2.4g/kg as fed at 67% moisture, which is actually 2.4 x 2.7 = 6.5g/kg, or 0.65% I have used this formula and calcium level for 18 years, and we have sponsored many large breed clubs (eg mastiff, malamute societies) with great success. I have no doubt the levels are prefect for a large /giant breed puppy. Warm regards, Dr Bruce Syme BVSc(Hons) Here is some more information- Puppy diets for Large and Small breed dogs Do large breed puppies really need a specialised diet, or is this simply “marketing gone mad” ? This a common question asked of many vets, myself included, and there are many differing opinions. If you ask a vet who supplies premium dry foods, then his answer is most likely to be yes, and the information and reasoning behind this will have come straight from the pet food company he supports. If you ask me, then I will happily say no, as I have been actively involved in advising and assisting large breed dog owners and breeders for over 15 years on how to feed puppies, and I have never seen the need for a specific “large breed” puppy diet. The simple fact is that the primary difference between small and large breed dogs is how long they are in active growth for, and what is the growth factor (size difference from birth to mature weight). If you have a “perfectly formulated and balanced” puppy diet, then the only difference between feeding a toy poodle puppy and a great dane puppy will be how much you feed per day (including how often), and for how long do you continue to feed the puppy formula. A small breed puppy will reach mature weight much faster than a large breed, and as such, they may only need a puppy formula for 6 months, whereas large or giant breed puppies may take 18 months or up to 2 years to reach full mature size. A small breed (eg toy poodle) may have a birth weight of 100-150g, and a mature weight of 3-5 kg, which we can call a growth factor of approx. 20, but in comparison a greatdane puppy born at 600g will grow to 60+ kg, which is a growth factor of 100+. The smaller breed puppies will grow very quickly, and as such, you can feed them more per meal (based on bodyweight) and keep a higher frequency of feeding (eg 2-3 meals per day). With a slower maturing large breed puppy, it is important not to over feed them or let them get fat. They need a lot less per meal (relative to bodyweight), and certainly only 2 meals per day. A small breed puppy can consume up to twice the calories (per kg bodyweight) than a large/giant breed puppy requires. So for a large or giant breed puppy, the goal is for slow and steady growth, keeping bodyweight on the leaner side until full maturity is reached. A good balance of nutrients is important in a puppy diet – higher in protein to match growth rate, balanced calcium levels for skeletal development, adequate carbohydrate for fuel, low in fat but high in Omega 3 for brain development. A good ratio for fresh meat diets is 70% meat to 30% carb and vegetable matter, with a properly balanced vitamin/mineral/trace element additive. Calcium levels do get a good deal of discussion, and there is plenty of evidence to show that a diet lacking in adequate levels of available calcium will cause growth defects. However, much of the information that relates to supplying too much calcium also causing growth problems, has been based on some very flawed feeding trials dating back to the 1980’s. As a general rule, there should be no need to add extra calcium to any correctly prepared, complete and balanced pet food. So the only difference in puppy feeding (assuming you are using a correctly formulated puppy diet) is how much you feed, and for how long you keep using the puppy diet.

so waht else is in it? Nothing else is added, its just that it is pasteurised - therefore not entirely raw.

That sounds great, if that is the case then I can rest easy now. The reason it is so unclear to me is how are they giving precise values of fat and protein content for the meat that isn't included. The packaging should clarify this. Suggestion: If this is the case, then please change the packaging so that "Nutrition Guide Per Serve" is qualified. For example: Nutrition Guide Per Serve* * When prepared as directed using 95% fat free Kangaroo mince. That would have saved me running around today looking for bone meal unnecessarily!! I still would like clarification how the "per serve" values were calculated. It's a bit of a mystery with the lack of information. Thanks for explaining Nekhbet :) I will ask Bruce tonight to write a reply about why he decided on the current wording on the packaging.

Unlike any roll you have ever smelt before? :) The roll is simply the VAN Raw76 but pasteurised. While not 100% raw, and we still encourage people to feed raw, we have produced them in response to people who just don't like handling raw meat, and also for the section of the market buying 'supermarket' pet food in an attempt to give them something that Dr Bruce feels is much better balanced. If you are a roll feeder try microwaving a portion of other rolls for 2 min, and then doing the same for the VAN roll. The VAN roll simply cooks, as it has no fillers, gelatin or expanders. Others which contain these 'bulking agents' end up in a gloopy mess.

Any chance that these will be available in SA? Yes, when we release the pet shop/vet ones it will be Australia wide Does that include Woolworths in SA? Thanks. Yes, if they sell well in Victoria then they will go nationwide

Hi, The Woolworths rolls are limited by the range, only adult dog and cat. The pet shop/vet rolls will have much more choice. The pet shop/vet ones have added Chia seed for an omega 3 boost. They are both great quality rolls. You could consider the WW rolls a base model and the pet shop/vet rolls more tailored for different requirements - such as age or dietary requirements.

Any chance that these will be available in SA? Yes, when we release the pet shop/vet ones it will be Australia wide

Hi Lavendergirl, We have released a roll into Woolworths and other supermarkets just in Victoria (for the immediate future) only 2 varieties available, adult dog and cat. The functional rolls (joint health, sensitive skin etc) should be out in about 4 more weeks in selected pet stores and vets. The delay is very frustrating for us so we appreciate how frustrated those looking forward to them must be.

I'm not the OP, but I'm jumping into the thread too coz I'm having the same issue :p We've done all that and as a last resort had her on prescription acidic meds for the last few months which also had little to no effect on the PH of her urine (which is still currently at 8). Next stop is ultrasound or x-ray to see if vet can find any stones, because although her urine shows no signs of infection its still full of crystals. 8! Hopefully the ultrasound/x ray reveals the cause of her crystals

Hi, if you would prefer a natural approach have a read here -Struvite Crystals There are some good suggestions to add to a home made diet.

Sorry juice, missed your question. If you pm me your email address we can send you the diet sheet that Bruce made up specifically for Dallies.

Thanks The less yuckiness is from added carrot fibre, you will note its firmer and also accounts for the more veggie smell. We have also increased the offal content hence why the new Raw76 is a deeper red. The number 76 represents the 76 micro and macro nutrients found in the food. Training treats - Bruce thinks a healthy, long term option is to buy a food dehydrator. Then you can dehydrate all sorts of meat, fruit, offal that your dog likes. Dehydrating doesnt denature the protein so your still following a raw diet.

Its not so much 'wet' but more the presence of water triggers the grains to begin the sprouting process. You can add more water if your dog liked it sloppier, but just make sure your stick to the same amount of CM you have been using to maintain the body weight.

You can use the BARF patties as the protein source, but you are unbalancing it slightly, plus it would be quite expensive. Although the BARF patties might be the only reliable source of rabbit (excluding buying human grade)so I can understand you using them.

What are you having difficulty with? I can post or PM any information you might like. If you decide to revisit our products please call us, we can help most people. Are you still feeding Black Hawk? What made you consider feeding VAN?

HI Skully, Yes, if you feel that she has reached her adult weight then you can change over to the Adult mix. The Adult mix has joint formula added and whole grains for roughage bulk. You also drop the ratio of meat: complete mix down. Perhaps her not being so ravenous at the moment is a sign she has been through her final growth phase. Bruce will keep some dogs on puppy until the age of 2 but it is all dependent on the individual dogs.

The cheapest place in Sydney I can think of that's close to you is the pet shop on Richmond Rd near the M7. I think its been renamed My Pet Warehouse. 5kg for $18-$19. That might have changed though

Yes, we have supply chain agreements from the shooters right through to packaging and distribution. Due to the nature of kangaroo being a wild animal generally the inspection process is fairly rigid (there is only one extra step between roo for pet meat and roo for human consumption) and we ensure that our meat is inspected thoroughly.

We don't recommend it for puppies. It has been shown to hinder the formation of new red blood cells. In a mature dog not really an issue as the benefits outweigh the small negative. However, the vast majority of puppies don't yet require the benefits of shark cartilage so we would rather allow their bodies to generate red blood cells completely unhindered.

Just to let Premium Choice users know that we have improved the product and renamed it Raw76. The name reflects the 76 macro and micro nutrients it contains and some of the range has had name changes - Allerblend is now Raw76 Sensitive Skin and Senior is now Raw76 Joint Health. The improvements include a greater percentage of offal, carrot fibre to make it easier to handle and thicker packaging. We hope the improvements are well accepted :)

I called my local Petbarn and they don't have the Allerbend in stock. It will be a few days until I can get it which means I don't have anything to give him tonight and next few days. If I go by this statement though I should just stick with the Eukanuba for 6 weeks as he may be detoxing from weeks ago? So the 4 weeks been on fish - no itching/swelling in that time just diarrhoea. The vet dry food eating for 4 days and the itching/swelling is back but normal stools. persephone, I am thinking it may be starch related too. Only thing which seems to make sense so far. karly101, my vet seems to think otherwise. He doesn't want to send me to one until the itchiness is gone. I guess I could just rock up and demand one tommorrow, now sure how well that'll go down. Sorry Issy, we have been at the Vet Conference and not checking here often. No, he wont go through a detox period when on processed food (like Eukanuba), just like people, when we go on a detox diet it is a very clean, natural diet. For his liver to release the stored toxins he needs to eat intact protein molecules (think raw egg vs cooked egg). Some of the processed food try to get around this by highly micronizing the protein, but it is still protein in an unnatural state. If your finding it had to source our products PM me and I will send you some. Even if you don't try our skin diet, try to get him onto some Protexin powder. It is the main ingredient in our Skin & Coat Formula.

Hi, can I suggest, if you haven't already, look at diet. Dr Bruce Syme has a 70% success rate at controlling atopic allergies just through diet. If your interested in having a phone chat with him just let me know.