Anyone know about Balance It vitamins???

No one has heard of them? They look good. They are sold online and to vets. What other vits does everyone use, those of you who home cook?

 I have never used that product, but I have seen it mentioned on these boards.  Personally, I like to use human supplements instead of the ones that are made for dogs.  A human multivitamin works better to balance my dog's diet than most of the dog vitamins I've seen, and is less expensive.

I have never used that product, but I have seen it mentioned on these boards. Personally, I like to use human supplements instead of the ones that are made for dogs. A human multivitamin works better to balance my dog's diet than most of the dog vitamins I've seen, and is less expensive.

 
   The site is operated by two veterinary nutritionists and the supplement is designed to be used with their recipes;
 
    "Balance IT® vitamin, mineral, and amino acid supplements contain essential micronutrients in the appropriate balance for supplementing home cooked dog and cat diets. Our supplements do not contain non-essential nutrients such as vitamin C, beta carotene, or inositol to avoid potential interactions between nutrients."
 
   I like the fact that it's already balanced according to your dog's weight by nutritionists and you don't have to know how much of each vitamin and mineral your dog needs and calculate those amounts from human supplements. I haven't tried them though.

Yes, it also talked about not having anything bad for allergies. I would gladly use vits. for people. Just thought this looked really good. Also, since she eats so many good foods, I would hate to over do. I know some can just go out with urine, but some cannot.
 
For calcium, I will use yogurt and cottage cheese and also, Salmon is a good source. That Trudy's main protein. It is so perfect for fish oil too!
 
I know you can sterilize egg shells in the oven and pulverize them and add a bit of that, but the other foods are more fun to eat.

For calcium, I will use yogurt and cottage cheese

 
  Do you mean in addition to the calcium in the Balance It or adding your own supplements to a recipe? You need to add about 250mg of calcium for every three and a half ounces of meat, and adding too little or too much calcium can be harmful.

Sallya, (and Jessie's mom),
 
On the other post you started, you mentioned still doing some kibble.  It would matter how much kibble you are giving as to whether you need to add calcium or not.
 
If you are not feeding much kibble, then please know that the other food sources are not enough.  It's not just that you are trying to "add" calcium.  It's that you have to balance out the phosphorus that is in the foods.  So, if you are mostly homecooking, then you must start adding calcium.  Either buy calcium citrate or use the crushed dried eggshells.  For the later you will need a clean, never used coffee grinder ($20).  Otherwise, the particles will be far too large to be absorbed.  The amount you add depends on which one you choice b/c each source of calcium has a different amount of "elemental" calcium in it.
 
Jessie's mom,
 
I just had a conversation in the last couple of days on whether the eggshell should be added just to the meat or to the entire poundage of food.  I thought just the meat, but others thought it was all the food weight.  This amount, tho, is less than your ratio, b/c it is generically speaking, 900 mg per pound of FOOD, not just meat. 
 
Might I say, as I have been trying to learn this, that the calcium thing is THE MOST confusing element of it all!  I'm not saying you are wrong, I am just trying to understand all the differences.  I do know that some people give a one to one ratio, and others give higher.  I know that the citrate is better absorbed than the eggshell.  And, I know that if you want to get technical, then every meat type is different.   I'm just trying to match up these different statements on how much calcium to give. Aaarggghhh.  So, maybe your's is just based on a higher ratio, of say 2:1. ???   I'm guessing.   You don't have to answer..... []   I think I'm just venting over this calcium frustration while I'm learning!!

I have not bought any vits or calcium yet. So far, I am just adding fresh foods to the kibble. I am REALLY afraid now, to get rid of all kibble. The calcium thing is hard to understand.

Well, these days I am more afraid of the kibble.
 
I had started with the Citrate b/c it's more absorbable, but it is pretty bulky.  So, I just bought a new coffee bean grinder and dried and ground the eggshell.
 
I am now doing meat and veggies in a pot and adding the ground eggshell - 1/2 tsp per pound of food.  I might do two pounds of ground meat to one pound of veggies.  The veggies need to be well cooked.  I put an immersion blender in there (kitchen aid has a good one) and blend everything it's cooked just a bit, add eggshell and cook till done. You don't have to have an immersion blender - you can cook the veggies well done, seperately.   Figure up the organ percentage ( I answered this tonight, but don't remember exactly which thread) will take care of the vitamins. 
 
Join the yahoo group k9nutrition.  Opt for the digest format, and just read the posts as they come thru.  That's what I've been doing for the past month, and I've learned alot.  It is overwhelming at first, but the puzzle slowly starts going together.  Just take it one step at a time.
 
Also, go to bnaturals web site and search for the April 2006 article and read it.  Then go to dogaware and read up on her site.  Both people contribute regularly to the yahoo group I just mentioned.

I know! I am afraid of dog food and it makes me angry that all of the recalls happened. The Nat. Balance has been so good for Trudy, her allergies were awful. The food and of course the dermatologist, skin testing, shots etc. have her all better!!!!! I have always addes good fresh food. I don't like having to worry about her eating dog food OR me messing up home cooked!!!!
 
I cook assort. veggies and sweet potato. Then I use a food processor. gets it very well blended!
 
The calcium is hard since I use fresh cooked salmon. I don't put things in a pot. I make Trudy a plate with diff. side dishes. Trudy is only 13.5 pounds, or less.
 
I did join the yahoo group. I will look for the other groups also. Thanks.

I can't find that article at bnaturals.

Sally--
You need to click on the Newsletter Directory to find it---here's a link:
 
[linkhttp://b-naturals.com/Apr2006.php]http://b-naturals.com/Apr2006.php[/link]

Might I say, as I have been trying to learn this, that the calcium thing is THE MOST confusing element of it all! I'm not saying you are wrong, I am just trying to understand all the differences. I do know that some people give a one to one ratio, and others give higher. I know that the citrate is better absorbed than the eggshell. And, I know that if you want to get technical, then every meat type is different. I'm just trying to match up these different statements on how much calcium to give. Aaarggghhh. So, maybe your's is just based on a higher ratio, of say 2:1. ???   I'm guessing.   You don't have to answer..... []   I think I'm just venting over this calcium frustration while I'm learning!!

 
   I've read a lot of your posts; you know a lot more about balancing nutrients than I do. You're right; the amount of eggshell you use depends on how much meat you use. The ratio I use of adding 250mg of calcium to every three and a half ounces of meat comes from Monica Sega's booklet about enhancing commercial diets. That would be about 1143 mg per pound. I learned that calcium citrate is absorbed better than calcium carbonate after I bought the later; when it's used up I'll use the citrate.

ORIGINAL: jessies_mom

Might I say, as I have been trying to learn this, that the calcium thing is THE MOST confusing element of it all! I'm not saying you are wrong, I am just trying to understand all the differences. I do know that some people give a one to one ratio, and others give higher. I know that the citrate is better absorbed than the eggshell. And, I know that if you want to get technical, then every meat type is different. I'm just trying to match up these different statements on how much calcium to give. Aaarggghhh. So, maybe your's is just based on a higher ratio, of say 2:1. ??? I'm guessing. You don't have to answer..... [] I think I'm just venting over this calcium frustration while I'm learning!!

I've read a lot of your posts; you know a lot more about balancing nutrients than I do. You're right; the amount of eggshell you use depends on how much meat you use. The ratio I use of adding 250mg of calcium to every three and a half ounces of meat comes from Monica Sega's booklet about enhancing commercial diets. That would be about 1143 mg per pound. I learned that calcium citrate is absorbed better than calcium carbonate after I bought the later; when it's used up I'll use the citrate.

OK, Is all of this calcium confusion explained in Monica's booklets that I ordered???
Because...the WHOLE measurement of supplements thing is what is going to confuse the crap out of me when it comes to homecooking and feeding raw.

OK, Is all of this calcium confusion explained in Monica's booklets that I ordered???
Because...the WHOLE measurement of supplements thing is what is going to confuse the crap out of me when it comes to homecooking and feeding raw.

 
  I have her cooked diet recipes booklet and she tells how many capsules, mg, teaspoons, eggshells, etc. to add for each supplement for each recipe.