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Dr Mei Yam & Associates
Readers Say: Page 1Email us with your comment Subject: My Chihuahua thriving on RMB diet Dear Tom and everyone I got my Chihuahua, Taco, from a rescue centre and he was lethargic, depressed; his coat and teeth a disgrace. The vet said he thought he was about 10 yrs old. Well, I got him a lot better on a vet recommended dry diet, as well as bits of supermarket food, but his coat was always poor and dry, and he had shocking flea allergy despite my best efforts with best products. THEN I put him on your RMB diet- dipping the chicken wings and chops in boiled water at first, cooling them then tearing them up- to get him used to it. He hardly ate -then I let him get really hungry (not too hungry!) and he hasn't looked back. Is this just coincidence that Taco's hair coat (after 2 years of bald patches and flea allergy???) is long, silky caramel instead of dry, crisp lawn clippings? His breath is now good and he runs around like a 2 year old dog. I can send a video if you like; hard to film as he runs so fast! Either he ain't no 10 year old dog OR he is now a very healthy one. I am delighted with the effect the raw meat /bone diet has had. Kindest regards,
Megan Stroh Subject: Thank you Dear Tom I have a 6 ½ month old Miniature Schnauzer Schatzi. Naturally I wanted to do the best for him and he was put on Pro Plan puppy as the main diet plus the daily chicken neck recommended by the breeder. He is the first dog I have ever had so I’ve been reading about training, diet, grooming etc. It was when I read about cleaning your dog’s teeth daily with a toothbrush and toothpaste that something clicked ... why the heck would we need to clean a dog’s teeth????!!! After that I started reading as much as I could about a raw diet and came across your books, website etc. Needless to say, Schatzi hasn’t seen a Pro Plan biscuit since. I’m working my way up to giving him whole carcasses (tough call when you’re a city girl!!) but he absolutely loves his chicken wings, chicken carcasses, brisket bones, ox tail etc. Emotionally he’s a much calmer, happier puppy. His breath doesn’t stink and his poo is firm and white just as it should be. He recently had to go to the vet to have three puppy teeth removed as they hadn’t fallen out yet. I talked to the vet nurses and vet about his raw diet and while they were really polite and friendly it was very clear they thought the processed foods were the “right” and I even left with a sample of one of the “dental” foods from Eukanuba or someone like that. (It’s going in the bin!) Anyway to cut a long story short, after the visit I began to question my decision regarding his raw food diet – was I crazy to go against the norm? Everything is angled to making us believe that those processed foods are best for our dogs, even down to puppies learning quicker with certain brands that have their magic ingredient!! Your books and website reminded me why I decided to go this way in the first place and I want to thank you for sticking it out when I imagine you would have had HUGE opposition to going against the grain. Thank you for all your work Libby Collier December 2007 PS: Attached is a photo of Schatzi at 10 weeks chomping on a chicken neck. One happy puppy.
Subject: Cats eating raw meat Howdy, I have followed a Natural Rearing diet for my pets for over 30 years now, but more specifically I have followed Tom Lonsdale's version for my cats particularly since 2001. I breed Maine Coon Cats, which keep perfect health on this raw meaty bones diet. My only trips to the vets are for the various tests that this breed needs to screen out genetic faults, and some desexing and things of that nature. When I raise my own kittens from birth with this natural diet, they take to it like ducks to water. But when I purchase a mature cat from another breeder that has been raised on commercial processed food, it's like taking a child off a McDonald’s only diet and offering the child a salad. It takes a little while to change their taste buds. But I always win, and more importantly, the cat wins big time with a vastly improved, long and happy and healthy life. They cycle better; they breed healthier kittens and are far more robust in general. Many Thanks Tom for the courage to write this book. Cheers - David Enderby Victoria, Australia www.classic4coons.com 6 January 2008 View photos of Maine Coons (Readers Photos pg 5) Subject: El Greco - a happy senior and youngster Dear Tom, Here enclosed is a product of your great advice. El Greco just passed away in August 07. The picture taken on one of his last walks - shows white teeth - all - and a shiny coat. As comparison a photo taken half his age - although still the great smile. El Greco became 13 1/2 year old, was fed his entire life on rmb diet and after reading your book, I was even more confident, that it is the only and right thing to do !!! Besides his outer appearance, his soft temper and inner balance always reached peoples attention. Sadly, his both hindlegs had dying nerves, due to an accident. As I did go to various Vets/Clinics and Universities for those hindlegs - all were amazed, in what good state of health he was. When asked, what I do, obviously my response was RMB. Well, disbelief showed in their eyes - but they just had confirmed rmb. Thanks to you and thanks also from El Greco in the stars above - he had a healthy and great life. Now there is Ella, 1 y., and she is happy not living on the street anymore but enjoying rmb out of El Greco's bowl. Wishing you all the best in your work Bernadette Bernadette Garff 85653 Aying / München - Germany November 2007 View photos of El Greco (Readers Photos pg 5) Subject: Morgan's First Roo Tail Hi Tom This is Morgan, my then 18 month old Border Collie with her first Roo tail. I changed her diet to RMB after taking her to the vet 3 times in 3 months with skin problems. The vet put her on anti-biotics each time and it cleared up only to return within a week of finishing the course. She also was a very picky eater and I worried that she wouldn't have the energy to play Flyball and Agility. After hearing about RMB and reading your book, I changed her and my other 2 dogs to solely RMB. I have not had to take her to the vet apart from vaccinations since, much to the relief of my husbands wallet. She is now 3 and a half, fit as a fiddle and eating all that I put in front of her. No more Miss Picky. I do get some funny looks from passers by as they walk past my dogs chewing on a pigs head in the front yard, but that is a good way to extol the virtues of RMB. My vet always looks at my 3 dogs teeth when we do visit and is always surprised at how good they are. My older Border Collie is now 11 and his teeth are shiny and white. My Papillon is 8 and I used to have her teeth cleaned about once a year. She has been on RMB for 2 years and shows no plaque ion her teeth at all. When I get another pup believe me it will be fed RMB from day one. I only wish that whichever breeder I get it from would do the same but I figure that starting at 8 weeks is better that not starting at all. Keep up the great work. Woof Woof from Jan, Mike, Dash, Chloe and Morgan Redcliffe, Queensland 1 November 2007 Subject: Nexus article Dear Dr Lonsdale, I read your article with great interest in the recent edition of Nexus Magazine. I am so glad to see someone from the medical profession making a stand for the health of our pets. I hope that your campaign continues with great success - it is a slow process but so worthwhile. I have had dogs all my life and the two rescue dogs I have now are 12 and 11. All my previous dogs have never died at an age lower than 16 years. From a very young age I started feeding them chicken carcasses (freely obtained from the local organic butcher who has to pay to have them taken away). I also let them freely eat left over organic vegetables, nuts and fruits (when out with me they will often "pick their own" strawberries and blackberries from the hedgerows). They are so fit and well they never have cause to go near a vet, but one remarked recently that the 12 year old looked like a six year old as she was so lean, fit, shiny and still has beautiful gleaming white teeth. I think most people got put off feeding their dogs bones for two reasons - firstly they are getting confused with cooked bones and therefore feel they are unsafe and, secondly, so many people do not have an area where they would like to let their dogs chew up bones (ie they don't want to mess up the house and the dog would get wet doing it outside if it's raining). Not only do bones do the necessary from a nutritional point of view but I have always felt that the dogs are psychologically satisfied by lying down and grinding and chewing. I liken this to horses who are designed to eat/forage 23 hours a day - when this natural instinct is stopped we see vices developing in some cases. I got into an alternative form of healing a while ago that analyses food intolerances. I came into this from a very sceptical viewpoint (I trained in the conservation of historic buildings, of all things!) but it does seem to work. One thing I have noticed which may be of interest is that there do seem to be a high number of dogs (I have not done work on cats) with sensitivities to bovine produce. I have puzzled over this for some time, as when the dogs are put onto fish, pork, lamb or chicken, their skin problems ease. I have thought that perhaps, in the wild, a pack of dogs would naturally eat and scavenge for fruits, nuts, dead washed up fish, fledglings, birds, rabbits, perhaps the odd young or old sheep, pig or injured deer. But could wild dog packs take out a cow? Apart from the wild auroch which was hunted to extinction in the UK during the Bronze Age, most cattle are domesticated and protected fairly well from predators. Perhaps their digestions just aren't up to bovine produce - this also includes tripe, cheeses, milk, whey and cream. Or perhaps it is something to do with the way that cows are reared nowadays? I am not sure. I think that the benefits of getting all dogs onto a more natural diet far outweighs the few who may be sensitive to bovine produce. But I felt that I should point this out just in case you find one day that you find that you have a dog patient with skin conditions or irritated coats that do not respond healthwise (not their teeth obviously!) to coming off the junk and eating more bones. It may be that they could be manifesting symptoms of bovine sensitivity in which case you could try to switch them onto chicken carcasses or similar and see if that clears it up. I would be interested if you have ever noticed this phenomenon in your dog patients? In the meantime, I was very heartened by your article. I feel like I am a one woman campaign for feeding bones, but am glad to see that, when pointed out gently and at the appropriate moment to owners, they are actually quite keen to do the best for their pets. Luckily my own dogs act as ambassadors, so people do ask me how I get them looking so well. It must be much more of a challenge for you, as you are standing up against some firm beliefs within the RCVS! I do hope that you do not mind me emailing you on this, but I did get so excited that someone was doing something I felt like I should share my experiences with you! Keep up the tremendous work. Kind regards, Rebecka Blenntoft Oxfordshire, UK, October 2007 Subject: RMB Endorsement Dear Tom In May 2007 Mij, my kibble-fed Border Terrier, had a litter of 4 puppies. At weaning time I literally looked at the handful of kibble on which I was about to start feeding them and thought, this can't be right. It just looked like junk, expensive junk mind you, and instinctively, I didn't want to start feeding it to these very young pups that had only ever had mum's milk. I immediately embarked on intensive research on the web to see what I could find out and came across the whole raw diet versus processed food debate. I downloaded and then purchased your book, “Work Wonders”. It was a revelation to me and absolute common sense. To cut a long story short, I immediately switched Mij to raw meaty bones and weaned the pups on raw mince and then RMB. The new owners have continued with RMB. Mij was starting to get periodontal disease at 2.5 years old, with terrible breath. Her breath now is fresh, her teeth are clean, she is healthy and vigorous, her stools are small, dark and firm (side benefit for me!). The pups have thrived. I daren't think about the mess they would have got into had they been fed kibble in the nursery! I am not evangelistic about it, everyone has to decide for themselves, but I have become an advocate of raw feeding. Best regards, Jonathan Lunn, September 2007 Subject: CLEAN EARS Mr Lonsdale, A family member who has six Polish Lowland Sheep dogs introduced me to the concept of raw feeding, and recommended your books, which I purchased and read. I have a 3 yr. old mini long haired dachshund. I bought her at 2 l/2 yrs. of age, very thin, recently spayed because the breeder said she had problems giving birth and he couldn't use her anymore. She was so thin; I and a vet thought she was malformed. I started feeding her the kibble he gave me. She wouldn't eat it. I tried many brands, and settled on a "wet" product without much success. Then the dog food scare!! China supplied ingredients that was killing dogs and cats. I started cooking for "Molly". She prospered . cooked meat, many veggies, noodles, brown rice, cottage cheese and other cheeses and brown bread. She filled out and looked like a real dog, no more of her bones sticking out. But . since I bought her, she had a constant ear inflammation. Red-hot ears and lots of black gunk in them. The vet gave me drops and I was using them almost constantly with no improvement. Then my husband.s niece told me about raw feeding. Molly took to it at once. She now gets for breakfast a l/4 cup ground chicken or turkey (with ground bones). And for dinner it's an assortment either a chicken wing, a piece of turkey back or a single bone in piece of pork rib. For a change a dinner of beef tips (no bone) or a breakfast of scrambled egg with cheese. She REFUSES to eat the green tripe, canned mackerel or canned salmon, raw or cooked liver, and NO more veggies or table scraps. She just wants poultry, pork or beef. I'm worried she is not getting proper nutrition. BUT THE BIG NEWS . her ears cleared up very soon after starting her on the raw diet. No more ear problems!!! And cleaner teeth. Thanks to the niece, and to you and your informative books. Ruth Bovalina, near Pittsburgh, Pa.USA July 2007 Subject: Support for your efforts Dear Dr. Lonsdale, I just picked up your book Raw Meaty Bones, and am half way. I have read and reread the appendices. I only wish I knew about this years ago for my first two cats. I am fascinated and in agreement with your discussions on periodontal disease and diet, and implications. I am not a DVM, but merely someone who reads and studies as much as I can on a subject, makes my own decisions and act on it. My three cats have been fed raw following your recommendations/experience coupled with other raw diet breeders (Not BARF crazed people) for only the past three weeks. In that short period I have noticed remarkable changes in my cats. More lustrous coats, more relaxed, eating with relish and enjoyment and chewing and getting great benefit from this activity. Better breath and their teeth are becoming cleaner, and whiter. And the cats seem to be more satisfied after they eat for longer periods of time and are more active than before and sleeping through the night. Even my 17 year old cat, suffering from myocardial hypertrophy all his life is more active. He has done well on diltiazem and careful diet (I thought). He took to the raw easily and loves his food and seems to be thriving more than before. I am thankful for your efforts and am now just beginning to understand the battle you face trying to bring about change. It is incredibly difficult for me to convince good friends to start feeding their own pets the raw diet. The pet food manufacturers along with the crafty advertisers have done their jobs too well convincing (brainwashing) people in the United States to buy their crappy foods. What a shame!! Sorry for the long email. Just wanted to let you know I support, applaud your efforts, and am trying to pass on your knowledge and experience through your publications to friends and other pet owners in my small world. Best wishes and regards, Jonathan Berens July 2007 Subject: RMB diet Dear Dr. Tom Lonsdale, For the past five years, I've bred and raised Brussels Griffons on my 15-acre hobby farm. I also raise sheep and meat goats on a small scale. When I think of the animals and partial animals I've buried through the years while putting good money down on sub-nutritional commercial dog food, it sickens me! I read your book a year ago and began incorporating its principles into my feeding program. I am happy to report that aside from a single incident where a dog swallowed an intact goat rib requiring emergency surgery to remove it, I've had great success feeding my dogs raw meaty bones. Many of my dogs had suffered from chronic diarrhea, but within a day of switching them over to a raw diet, it's cleared up, never to return! That in itself is cause for rejoicing. This spring I bred for the first time a female Brussels Griffon who previously had been too thin (on commercial dog food) to breed. She was switched to raw diet six months prior to breeding and was bred one time to a male who is also on raw diet. She produced seven healthy puppies unassisted and raised them to weaning without any supplementary feedings for the puppies. I am weaning the puppies exclusively onto raw diet and so far they are the healthiest litter I've ever produced! (According to the literature, Brussels Griffons produce an average of four puppies per litter with a forty percent survival rate.) Wow! I would very much like to encourage the puppies' future owners to continue them on a raw diet. Do you have any free literature that I could include in my puppy kits? Do you offer bulk discounts on your books? Thank you again for your research and the courage to publish it. Ever grateful, Linda Thompson July 2007 Subject: Thanksfully words I have a female black labrador retriever. Its name is Monalisa and it is 2 years old. She got a skin disease around a year ago. And also the bad called "breath dog" problem. When I took her to the vet, treatment was antibiotics, some antiallergic pills for 3 weeks and changing to a more expensive dog food. But the problem went on. Even the dermatologic specialist could not solve anything and just said to keep with the treatment. Then I found your website and decide to follow your suggestions. Now my dog is healthy, no more skin problems or bad breath. And I think I can be late on express my thankfullness. Sincerily yours Ronald Zevallos Lima Peru South America May 2007 Ron & Tracey Slingerland Dean Park NSW Australia October 2006 Hello there, We are writing to express support and agreement in the Raw Meaty Bones diet for pets. Read more ... I would just like to say that Work Wonders is an excellent book and I will now give a copy to all new puppy owners to help them see how easy it is to follow a raw diet. It is short and to the point, making it an easy read, whereas most other books on raw feeding are over long and over complicated. Work Wonders is in my opinion THE best book available on raw feeding at this moment.
Isobel Wilson
I have a 2 1/2 yr old Beagle who has never tasted dog food and has been on a raw meaty bone diet since day one (we brought him home from the breeder at
16 weeks old). I purchased your book Raw Meaty Bones about the time I got my beagle along with other publications . . .
I just finished reading your new book Work Wonders and it is a masterpiece. Sometimes I run across dog owners who think feeding raw bones is a joke but
with your new book I can now refer them to an easily understood book that makes sense.
Gary Humlack
Love your books. Here are my 7 week old Kelpies eating a roo, for your photos page. They all went on to become great working dogs in various areas of NSW.
Sonia Perkins
I have been showing my French Bulldogs for the last 4 years and read your book around 3 years ago and put my dogs on raw meaty bones immediately. Any dog biscuits
won at dog shows are given away. My 5 yr old male Frenchie's breath is as fresh as the day he was born.
Recently I entered the breeding world with my 3 yr old bitch and on Dec 21st 2005 Polly gave birth to 8 very healthy babies, something of a breed record especially
for a maiden bitch. One was put to sleep due to a cleft palate. What an amazing sight seeing 7 Frenchie babies chewing on raw meaty bones. I now understand that
dogs are pre-programmed for this. Today they are ready to leave home and will be going with your diet guide. I put my success down to your book and my Frenchies
thank your for it. Proof that brachycephalic breeds can thrive on a raw meaty bone diet.
Thanks and regards…
Rachel Williams
It's now 2 1/2 years since I returned the carnivores at my place to their proper diet. Read more ...
Thanks for your book again. I'm just finishing Tom Lonsdale's book and I must say that it is a wonderfully informative book. And information so well supported! As a bonus, the first part of the book, describing Tom and his colleagues' experiences in the beginning, attending conferences and such, is so well written that I had to remind myself that I wasn't reading a novel. As a side note, it alarmed me so much, that I'm now flossing my OWN teeth twice a day.(g) This is truly, absolutely a must read for anyone considering raw feeding....especially if they are having doubts and are frightened by all the negative feedback from ignorant vets and giant pet food companies.
John Dunn Dear Tom, I will be attending your lecture in Perth in January 2005. By total accident I came across your views. I changed my dog's diet about 4 months ago. Prior to that I was thinking seriously I may have to put my little dog down, she was so ill. To start from the beginning - Just before my King Charles x dachshund was 14 months of age I noticed some breathlessness in what was a healthy, active little dog. No vet could find anything wrong except that they suspected a heart murmur which would come and go. By two years of age my little dog couldn't support herself anymore and I would help her to relieve herself otherwise she would fall over into her wastes. She became depressed and very sore in her joints. 2 x-rays and numerous spinal checks and nothing. Acupuncture, antibiotics, steroids and still nothing. Eventually we were referred to a spinal specialist/surgeon vet. Nothing wrong with the spine, let's check the joints, blood test etc - nothing showed up. Maybe muscles - yes very sore muscles and slightly raised muscle enzymes. By now she had megaoesophagus and could only eat small meals 4-5 times a day from a raised food bowl otherwise she would choke and food would go down her windpipe. After 2 bouts of recurrent pneumonia - we had all had enough. I had been studying kinesiology and my teacher said - why don't you try it on your dog, what have you got to lose. My little dog came up with allergies to colorants, preservatives and wheat. She was deficient in vitamin A and magnesium. No more commercial dog food, I thought, or commercial dog treats. If I couldn't understand the label ingredients I avoided the product. I contacted a couple of so-called reputable dog food companies asking what ingredients were used and how natural were they - wonder of wonders - not one response to this day. I passed it by my vet and was told that it was unlikely to be her diet. I didn't dare tell the specialist vet that I was about to change my dogs diet radically. Anyway the first two weeks on the new diet saw no change. The third week my dog started supporting herself, the fourth week she was walking about. By the fifth week it was time for her to go back to the specialist vet - Well she couldn't believe her eyes. The vet took her out into the yard and ran her about - no falling over or collapsing - no having to pick her up to bring her inside - she trotting in by herself happy as Larry. Her muscles on deep penetration were not as sore and my dog didn't flinch. The vet was very curious and wanted to know what I'd done so I told her. Well I've never heard of that cure for myasthenia's (I think she called it that) maybe we have a new treatment - keep on doing whatever your doing. I went home happy and got a call from my normal vet - I think he was taken back on the change of diet working so well - keep doing whatever your doing he said. Into the fifth month now and my little dog is bounding around; the megaoesophagus has gone back to normal; there is no muscle discomfort on palpation; her eyes are bright; her coat is thick and shining and not thinning around the backside and legs; and she is smiling. Her doggy odour is not foul and unusual. She used to have one eye that had the colour part of the eye spreading into the white part - it has returned to almost normal. And the best thing is - I have my walking partner back again and she and I are getting fitter each day. So when things started to change for the better on the diet I started researching the web and found your site - the next week your lecture series came in the mail from University of WA. You are so right and I'm looking forward to reading your book and listening to you soon. I'm definitely a convert big time. Regards,
Janeen Cameron Dear Tom, I haven't yet had a chance to find your book, but without it I started to feed my 2 dogs raw meaty bones… I'm spreading the word as fast as I can, because my dogs just look terrific… No doggy smell or smelly breaths… I've only just today found your website and read about all the problems with vets etc… BUT, if you think about it, you can hardly blame them. What ARE they going to live on, if all dogs were fed this way…?? Take care.
Lene Dear Raw Meaty Bones Lobby, I recently began reading Dr Lonsdale's book Raw Meaty Bones, and must admit, I was a bit sceptical to begin with. Tucked up in bed last Friday evening, I got to the section on bloat associated with dry pellets, and the dramatic and sudden deaths of household pets fed dry processed foods. On Saturday morning I got up, threw away about $50 worth of dry food, and processed rolls, making sure I kept the chicken wings that were the "every second or third day's meal". I went straight to the butcher and purchased two pigs trotters, which caused some initial confusion, but were eventually eaten over the weekend. Our dogs are three and a half, and four and a half years of age, one a Lhasa Apso cross and the other a fox terrier cross. The fox terrier came from the RSPCA and is clearly a bit of a 'street kid'. Ever since we have had her, she has had the most foul breath imaginable, no visible calculus and no visible gum irritation, but regular meals of chicken wings, necks and ox shins seem to have little effect. Last night was Sunday night, less than 24 hours after I threw out the processed and dry food collection, and her breath smelled sweet and healthy! Most of the time, it is not possible to stand with my face even a foot away from hers, but I was able to press my nose right up to hers, sniffing determinedly for that foul stench that normally accompanies our sweet little "Chocolate" around. It is gone, and in such a short space of time. I am also pleased to see that both Samson and Chocolate's faecal deposits, exactly as Dr Lonsdale predicted, have become smaller, powdery and much more discretely odoured! On these two results alone, I am thrilled, and entirely convinced of the benefits of this natural diet. I intend to note and photograph evidence that is visible, and forward it to you to add to the collection of evidence, and if it was possible to send a smellogram, I would! I finished the book this weekend, and bought some chicken carcasses, heart, kidneys, liver and am planning to prepare some vegetable mixes to freeze. I am looking forward to some big trips to the butcher/wholesale meat market, as I am sure our dogs are too! I am thrilled with the results from such a small change, and anticipate improvements to internal health, coat and eyes, skin and organs (though not all may be obvious to me) with bated breath! Please pass on my thanks to Dr Lonsdale for his determination, and the sacrifices he has made. I intend to show my vet the results, and will be sharing my experience with friends at the off-leash area. I will convince as many as I can. Those of us who love our pets should be extremely grateful for Dr Lonsdale's ongoing care and concern for our furry friends. PS I read the Time magazine article, but could find no email address to send my testimonial to, otherwise would have informed them that Dr Lonsdale is by no means a crank! Kindest Regards and warmest thanks,
Jodie Taylor
September 2004
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