Looking For Meat Free Kibble

[sllebasi]

My dog is going on a driving holiday at Christmas time (first time ever as cant get her into kennels, and where we are going she can come too as its private property)

She is 12 years old, has not been on any tin food or dry food for the last 4 years or so. Has pancreatitis and arthritis which flares up with any red and some white meat product (beef, lamb, pork, kangaroo), seems to tolerate only chicken, fish and turkey. At the moment she is getting salmon and veges and a little bit of pasta or chicken and veges and pasta (homemade)

so I am looking for something to feed her whilst we are driving (2 day solid trip) and for the first day until I can organise her fresh food.

The only other idea I can come up with is a tin of baby food - I noticed last night a tin of chicken with veges and pasta which I thought would be at least gentle on the stomach especially for the long road trip. (she also had a couple of tins of this during our cyclone for a bit of variety) I did also think the small tin of salmon and a tin of peas, carrot and corn, but I think it would be extremely messy if there is an accident on her behalf. I was also thinking maybe a muesli bar or something just to add bulk and for some amusement.

whichever way I go, I would like to try it for a month or so beforehand so that she gets used to it, and I can keep an eye on any symptoms. Can anyone recommend a dry food, or should I stick with the baby food idea especially as its only for 2 days.

[WreckitWhippet]

Make and freeze her normal diet in meal sized portions and then put them in an esky. You are making the trip way more difficult than it needs to be.

[trojka]

Alternatively, you could go with the Nature's Gift cans. There are two chicken varieties that contain no red meat. Or a fish-based dry food?

[dancinbcs]

Make and freeze her normal diet in meal sized portions and then put them in an esky. You are making the trip way more difficult than it needs to be.

Definitely the way to go. Also there should be somewhere along the way that you can buy more fresh food unless you are really heading into the outback. I took 2 dogs on a 16 day, 4500km road trip in 2009 and kept them on fresh raw food all the way.

[Danois]

Feed Eagle Pack Anchovy?

[espinay2]

For two days it is VERY easy to stick to a normal fresh food diet. I have done it plenty of times for both one dog and for multiple dogs for a lot longer than 2 days too. As suggested, just freeze in meal size portions. But looking at your diet:

Salmon: in a can so easy to transport (dont forget the can opener)

Veggies: either prepare and freeze or look for the organic baby food sachets (the ones with the screw tops) in the supermarket - the ones that are pureed veggies and nothing else.

Chicken can be frozen as can pasta (though you can cook pasta on the go if you have access to a microwave or a burner and pot - the little portable stoves are great for doing everything from boiling water to preparing a three course meal as many a dog show junky will tell you ;) ).

For the first day though you really only need to keep it cold as frozen may not even thaw in time. Use the second days frozen portion to keep the first days meal cold. though depending on the weather an ice brick can help. Just put it in a cool bag or esky. Wrap portions in newspaper for extra insulation if required.

If you are staying in a cabin, caravan or motel for the night you will have a fridge.

An easy way to do it would perhaps be to feed chicken the first night and maybe the second then have salmon for the third and maybe fourth until you can arrange more fresh supplies. Veggies and pasta will last a couple of days unfrozen if kept cool and you can take the uncooked pasta and veggie sachets as well depending on your facilities.

Edited June 4, 2011 by espinay2

[poodlefan]

Hills I/D cans are basically chicken and rice and very palatable. That might be one option.

[trichien]

Check out Sustainable Agriculture and Food Enterprise website www.safe.com.au for dry kibble..my chihuahuas eat it and it is loaded with vitmains and all the daily requirements for nutrients including essential oils..great stuff, very palatable..

Edited June 4, 2011 by trichien

[sllebasi]

Some great ideas there, thanks for that, will do some thinking over the next few weeks about which way to do it.

[Tilly]

What about Canidae Salmon grain free ... Website

The ingredients are:

Salmon meal, potatoes, potato protein, ocean fish meal, canola oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), peas, tomato pomace, natural flavor, choline chloride, suncured alfalfa meal, inulin (from chicory root), lecithin, sage extract, cranberries, beta-carotene, rosemary extract, sunflower oil, yucca schidigera extract, dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, dried trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, niacin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid, papaya, pineapple.