so i saw a holistic vet. one of the only ones in the area. i feel like i was severely taken advantage of and, after confirming that through price comparing with some other resources, i am composing a letter to let them know how i feel. i fully expect no response and am prepared for that.
however, i have a friend who is a vet tech and when i mentioned i was considering feeding homemade, she brought up the concerns i knew she would have, mostly about balancing. which i don't think is a problem with the premade supplements, or commercially prepared raw.
and obviously my 'nutritional consult' went poorly. i was referred to a premade supplement mix to add with lamb and sweet potato for piglet. the same kind of stuff we all know how to easily find online with reputable companies that provide the premade mix. which makes me feel like i'm on my own (with your help and advice lol) on nutrition. my problem is piglet and her kidneys. i feel like commercially prepared raw wasn't serving her very well. and feeding all of them high quality canned food like i am is getting very expensive - more expensive than it was to feed commercial freeze dried raw. a lot more expensive. i've done some number crunching and feel like i could feed my brood home cooked or raw for less money using a supplement like alnutrin, tcfeline, or my natural cat/feline instincts (who also have a kidney formula). and i feel like no matter who i speak to vet-wise, i'm going to be misled.
does anyone else feel like that? have any advice? i know how much better samantha and jake seemed to be doing on raw and grain-free. according to piglet's blood work, commercial raw may not have been the best bet for her. but i truly feel that canned food cannot be the best for her, either. to me, that's the difference between me eating whole foods that are prepared in their whole form or me eating lean cuisines and chips all the time. yes, i have chips or crap food once in a while - and i often give my cats a kibble snack at bedtime (currently wellness complete health indoor, used to be nature's variety instinct). but i don't feel like feeding them kibble or cheap canned food is what is best for them. i just feel like i don't know what to do and that i'll never find a vet who wants to work with me on that. i think i'm just going to have to take them for their checkups and emergencies and just do the rest on my own...?
however, i have a friend who is a vet tech and when i mentioned i was considering feeding homemade, she brought up the concerns i knew she would have, mostly about balancing. which i don't think is a problem with the premade supplements, or commercially prepared raw.
and obviously my 'nutritional consult' went poorly. i was referred to a premade supplement mix to add with lamb and sweet potato for piglet. the same kind of stuff we all know how to easily find online with reputable companies that provide the premade mix. which makes me feel like i'm on my own (with your help and advice lol) on nutrition. my problem is piglet and her kidneys. i feel like commercially prepared raw wasn't serving her very well. and feeding all of them high quality canned food like i am is getting very expensive - more expensive than it was to feed commercial freeze dried raw. a lot more expensive. i've done some number crunching and feel like i could feed my brood home cooked or raw for less money using a supplement like alnutrin, tcfeline, or my natural cat/feline instincts (who also have a kidney formula). and i feel like no matter who i speak to vet-wise, i'm going to be misled.
does anyone else feel like that? have any advice? i know how much better samantha and jake seemed to be doing on raw and grain-free. according to piglet's blood work, commercial raw may not have been the best bet for her. but i truly feel that canned food cannot be the best for her, either. to me, that's the difference between me eating whole foods that are prepared in their whole form or me eating lean cuisines and chips all the time. yes, i have chips or crap food once in a while - and i often give my cats a kibble snack at bedtime (currently wellness complete health indoor, used to be nature's variety instinct). but i don't feel like feeding them kibble or cheap canned food is what is best for them. i just feel like i don't know what to do and that i'll never find a vet who wants to work with me on that. i think i'm just going to have to take them for their checkups and emergencies and just do the rest on my own...?