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Granted I no longer make my own pet food. I have so many suppliments that, I'm having to write down a meal plan. Because unfortunately I'm often not the one feeding them. Either I sleep in, or I leave so early that I don't have time.

I feel bad because my dad also doesn't have all the time in the world to be preparing meals. I buy pouches of natural balance because it's faster so Rascal gets those in the morning. He also gets, fish oil (when we have it) probiotics, plaque off, and a chinese herb medication prescribed to us close to a year ago. Meanwhile Cowboy also gets fish oil and probiotics, and glucosamine. (I'm thinking about maybe using the plaque off on him as I've been bad with brushing his teeth and the bones don't clean the canines.) Ontop of all that, I buy canned veggie/fruit suppliment for Cowboy. It's source of fiber to help with digestion and it allows me to cut down on how much kibbles he gets on the days when he doesn't get walked. AND I'm looking into getting him green lipped mussle powder, though, that is a source of omega 3, so possibly replace the fish oil with it?

I'll post a pic of my mini pharmacy, but, I have written up a meal plan for whoever is feeding them. I am trying not to mix liquid with liquid (i.e fish oil and glucosamine are given seperately) and vice versa, not mix powder with powder (i.e plaque off and probiotics, though I suppose that wouldn't make much difference)

Well see how this goes. Maybe I'll end up giving them everything at night, maybe I'll stop the probiotics. I've also decided to try giving Rascal lunches. On the days people are home at lunch time. My whole theory behind this is, smaller meals spaced out is healthier, means less waste products entering the kidneys at each meal, and he'll start screaming for supper a lil later.

As for Cowboy, I've also started doing a raw meal once a week. Not ideal, but all I can afford right now. Unless I see a package of turkey necks for cheap at the grocery store, then maybe myself or parents treat him that night.

Seriously never want to have kids, pets are complicated enough.

It's all the planning that goes into though lol. Like, I don't want to mix liquid with liquid cause his meal will be a soup! But then, for Rascal, if I mix the plaque off with a liquid, I dunno if it will be as effective, it's mean to mix with saliva, will it do that if it's absorbed by the fish oil? Then trying to give the same suppliments together, like, they both get fish oil and probiotics in the morning. This way it's already out. I seriously sat and brainstormed this. If I add any more suppliments I will have to rethink everything!

Even with my 20% discount I can't afford to buy dog food. I'd have to stop supplimenting his diet. So rather than buy raw and not add any fresh suppliments, I get the Acana for free and add what he needs. I would be so incredibly broke without this free food, I can never leave this job lol. The clinic will give me food at cost, but the best food they can offer me is the Medical.

Recently I got a bag of offal patties and a bag of tripe patties. WOW do they ever SMELL. I've done canned tripe before, and fresh offal from the store. The canned tripe is well liked, but the fresh tripe, is licked perfectly, spotlessly clean. Oddly enough fresh offal from the store, is ignored by Cowboy and loved by Rascal, yet the mixture of it in a patty is ignored by Rascal and loved by Cowboy. I got these patties for free though, cause my boys get to taste and review all the new stuff we carry. (bet they're pretty happy about that job) but when I run out, not sure if I'll be able to afford to keep giving them.