Dear Dr Lonsdale, I cried several times reading your book Raw Meaty Bones. The first time took me by surprise in an unfortunate location — at work, but at least I was alone at the time. I’ve never cried before while reading a book about nutrition, of all things, until it really sunk in what I had ignorantly subjected previous (and current) dogs to in my many years of caring for them, and the shame, misery and guilt came crashing down. My husband doesn’t want me to feel badly about my ‘innocent ignorance’, but it is still ignorance. I understand it was a combination of blind belief in my veterinarians, zero knowledge of nutrition and a general faith in the pet food industry, all of which has been completely reversed since this last spring. All of those years I always thought that I was giving my dogs the very best I could. I fell so tragically short, and I didn’t know. I had been reading about raw feeding for several years but was finally forced to it this year after a new addition to our household crew took up coprophagia, which ended immediately upon implementing a raw diet (I posted that extensive story on reddit here: https://www.reddit.com/r/dogs/comments/8kpmsh), and out oldest dog starting having chronic soft stools/diarrhea, which has not been resolved despite many, many and varied efforts, and may not ever be, given your explanation on pages 115 & 116. Of all the reading on the latter topic, and I have quite the library of raw feeding authors, you were the only one that gave it to me straight, like everything else in your book. You described several health conditions that my heart dog suffered with, a Labrador who passed in ’09, but that I could get no real information on their cause from my vet, and just went along with the recommended treatments. This and the line where you write that our dogs are forced to eat what we give them, was absolutely devastating (when I first cried) —and exactly what I, and millions of pet guardians, need to hear. A very bitter pill to be swallowed. Thank You. From a very grateful reader in the U.S., thank you for your years of efforts and all you have endured and lost to bring people to the truth. I wish I could come and visit to thank you in person. In lieu of that, I have purchased several used copies of your book and plan to distribute them to my current vet and some other select people. God Bless you. Ruth Oliver Springfield, IL 62705 USA July 18, 2018

Report/ Observations after Canine Dental Procedure

Veterinarian Doctor Tom Lonsdale
My name is Barbara O’Neill. I wish to present a testimonial regarding the outcome of dental procedures performed on my two dogs Connor and Rosie.

Connor (12 Years)
Maltese/Pomeranian cross

PREOPERATIVE
Connor presented to Dr Lonsdale with severe gum disease and failing health. He had milky blue shadows across his eyes and was obviously having problems with his sight. His hair had become dry and course. Connor is a dog that imitates cats in his grooming habits and loved being spotlessly clean.
I could not lift Connor without him yelping in pain and his hind legs were very stiff. He was becoming detached to his surroundings and would stand for long periods staring into space.
Connor resisted chewing and was always lethargic.  He had halitosis and little interest in food. He slept restlessly and urinated constantly throughout the night.
POSTOPERATIVE
When I collected Connor on the day of the operation he was running around following the vet nurse around the cages. That night he slept for 12 hours.
Upon waking he was given a raw chicken frame which he hungrily attacked.  He then looked for more chicken frames, which of course he received.
Within a week the milky blue shadows in Connor’s eyes had receded and they are barely there a month later. He is now alert and puppy-like in his playfulness and awareness of his environment. He does not yelp as much when lifted (I think he thinks he is going to hurt).
Connor now runs like a puppy and has a fresh clean smell in his mouth at all times. His coat is silky and beautiful; he prances around with his head held high. He is so happy.
My dog does not miss his teeth. I have noticed that the strength of his jaws has compensated for the missing teeth and he has no problems with bones.
I am however distressed that Connor had been to several vets to have his teeth fixed, with the result being a cosmetic polish and shine. I knew he was not well as a result of his teeth.
Connor no longer eats commercial dog food with the exception of Beneful meat and vegies once or twice a week, this is dependent on when I get home in the evening. Otherwise it is raw meaty bones and nothing else.

Rosie (11½ Years)
Maltese

PREOPERATIVE
Rosie presented to Dr Lonsdale with severe gum disease and failing health. She had halitosis, was aggressive and irritable. Her hair had become very dry and coarse and her skin was constantly itchy.

Rosie had developed a meaty lump on her sternum which moved to the left and right across her chest regularly. She had developed chronic nocturnal breathing difficulties.  During those episodes I had to assist her breathing by raising her chin and upper body.

Rosie was diagnosed by a local vet with Congestive Heart Failure and was on permanent medication when I took her to Dr Lonsdale.

POSTOPERATIVE

When I collected Rosie on the day of the operation she was running around with Connor following the vet nurse. That night she slept for 12 hours.

Upon waking she was given a raw chicken frame which she hungrily attacked. She then looked for more chicken frames, which of course she received and which she the proceeded to bury industriously. Previously she couldn’t care and showed little interest in food.

Within a week the aggressive behaviour lessened and although she has now become aggressive in guarding her bones, her casual aggression to the other dogs in the family has markedly decreased.

Rosie runs like a puppy now, her coat is silky and beautiful and she has a clean fresh smell in her mouth at all times. Her eyes are so bright and she actually shows joy in her face. Rosie is loving life again and now enjoys playing games.

Her coat is silky and beautiful.

Rosie does not miss her teeth, (nor do the other dogs and visitors!) I have noticed that the strength of her jaws has compensated for the missing teeth and she has no problem with bones.

Rosie has not had medication for her heart since the day of the operation. The lump on her chest is completely gone. I am however distressed that Rosie had been to several vets to have her teeth fixed—the result being a cosmetic polish and shine.  In addition with being diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure.
Rosie no longer eats commercial dog food with the exception of Beneful meat and vegies once or twice a week, this is dependent on when I get home in the evening. Otherwise it is raw meaty bones and nothing else.
I am a strong supporter of Doctor Tom Lonsdale’s theory and practice. I was reluctant to go through with the procedure, especially with Rosie being diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure.
I did not think my dogs would be alive by the year ending 2013. I can now look forward to many more years of their unconditional love. 

Hi there,

After a random comment from our vet that he feeds raw chicken bones to his dogs, that sent me on a journey to learn more. First I came across your book called Raw Meaty Bones and read it from front to back in 1 day! Then I kicked myself that I had ever fed my dog kibble for the first 2 years of his life! And then I started last Saturday to feed my dog the way you suggest. So I just thought I would let you know that in only 6 days of feeding this way, already Mack's eyes have stopped weeping, and he is not flapping his ears all the time.

Mack has had trouble with weight, allergies in his ears and eyes right from when he was born and I'm now thinking I probably contributed to these problems with the crappy kibble he was forced to eat! He is loving his new menu and seems more sprightly...and has lost .2 of a kilo since his last weigh in which was 10 days ago. He still has 900 grams to go to get to his ideal weight and before when I was trying to make him lose weight on a 'obesity management' kibble, it just wasn't working and the poor little bugger seemed starving all the time. Now he enjoys his food but does not appear to be starving....he is not lined up in the kitchen begging for anything the minute I go in there. So anyway I just wanted to email and say thank you so much for writing a book that when I read it, I just had so many light bulb moments and couldn't believe that I was one of the idiots before who fell for the 'complete and balanced obesity management kibble' Everything you say makes absolute complete sense and I so appreciate it and I'm sure Mack does too. Mack is a shih-tzu who should weigh 6 kgs but on the kibble, even at less than the recommended amounts, ended up weighing 7.1kgs. And he always seemed hungry which is definitely not the case since I have been following your guidelines on raw food.

THANK YOU FOR SAVING MACK FROM A LIFETIME OF SICKNESS AND PAIN.

I will be forever grateful for coming across you and your books!
 
Kind Regards
Donna Garrity and Mack
New Zealand

September 2013

Hi Tom,

This note is long over due , my apologies.

I just purchased another one of your books and sent it to a friend, the sixth time I have done that since reading your book myself back in March of this year.

I am just a random consumer in the United States and a privileged guardian of two Red Australian Shepherds, both 8 years old.

Just wanted to thank you for improving their lives and for the fantastic education received through your book, I learned a great deal about both human and canine nutrition , and about nature.

I have passionately promoted your  book ever since , including buying our veterinarian a copy ( sadly,  not sure it helped him).

I will spare you all of the success stories with my dogs, you already know them, no surprises.

Just wanted to a note of sincere thanks , we are very grateful.

All the best,

Scott Edwards

Nov 2012

To Tom,

We have had great delight in meeting you and reading your books. We feel it is important to get your word out to help other pet owners get the most out of their beloved animals.

WELL DONE!!

P.S. If you're looking for a vet who shows kindness and compassion in your and your pets time of need call 02 4577 7061

Thank you Tom and all your staff for helping us through a tough and heartbreaking time we will always be grateful.

Kind regards
Elizabeth Fiola and family
Windsor, NSW

November 2011

I can see from your email that they are trying to sabotage you but guess what, when your time has come, no matter what they try, you will succeed in your quest, so do not be disheartened by those bullies. Now to go on to my story which I think you will be interested to know about.

Last week I went to my dentist, who is in his early twenties, to have my teeth cleaned and checked. Before he started to work, I asked him if he had pets and what he fed them. He said he had two dogs, one being 3 years old and the other only one year old and that he sometimes cooked the food himself but most of the time he gave them dog biscuits especially the one year old. I said that's bad, bad, bad and asked him how their teeth were to which he replied they were alright. I then told him about your book and that I've left your website with his receptionist and asked him to check it out.

I needed to go back to have a couple of fillings done so I made an appointment for Monday. When I went there, the first thing he asked me was what your website was again. I'd brought your book with me and I showed it to him and gave him your website. It must have troubled him when I asked how their teeth were (being a dentist) so he must have checked it out and found to his horror and dismay they were bad and foulmouthed. So you can see how even a dentist was conned by the pet food industry. Anyway, you've got a convert in him and his receptionist now. I hope they will pass the word around and promote your book and website just as I am doing now.

The few people I have spoken to so far have all shown an interest in reading your book so hopefully each one passes the message on.

Wishing you all the best and carry on your good work!

Regards, Jill Norman

March 2004

I now give them mostly turkey legs, whole chickens and pork legs, including trotters, with the occasional rabbit, pheasant and fish (the latter three are not very popular). My local butcher is very obliging and I store up portion-sized meals so that I have one or two weeks' worth at any one time. The diet is cheaper than the previous processed one.
My main problem is portion control. In the beginning I tended to feed them too much, guessing the weight of the meat and bones rather than weighing them, but have since cut back and now rigorously fast them once or twice a week. Their meals are infinitely longer and more enjoyable (particularly the pork legs which can keep them happily gnawing away for an hour or more).

There seems to be a fixed idea that bones are bad for dogs but I try to explain that only cooked bones are bad. I gave a copy to my vets but they are still displaying processed pet food in their surgery. I suspect that you are a bit ahead of your time; as humans we are only just waking up to the harm of processed food for ourselves so it is not surprising that animals are suffering. However, there can be no justification for feeding animals what we ourselves would not eat.

When you look inside my dogs' mouths you see the benefit of the diet too — perfectly clean white teeth and pink gums. I love to think that by feeding them this diet I am prolonging their life and thereby my enjoyment of their company. Thank you for writing this book and, yes, I am trying to spread the word.

Linda Pelham
May 2003

My mother taught me to feed dogs and cats raw meat and bones and scraps.
Read more ...

Nancy McIntyre
Harvey WA 6220
Email
April 2003

Well, sir, I wasn't ready to pay $50 a month to see a vet make my dog even more miserable than he already was (during the vet visits, he was shaking uncontrollably and was very distressed). After the visits, he was still very much in pain. And when he suffers, both my partner and I suffer with him.

Then I stopped giving him processed dog food, as recommended in your book. Within 24 hours:

- the foul gases stopped
- no more bad breath
- no constipation
- lots of energy

Within 7 days:

- no anal gland problems

Since August 2002, my dog has had no need to visit the vet. He is healthy and happy and bouncing like a rubber ball -- and he is already 13 years old!

I am very, very angry at pet food companies for killing our pets with their lies and false advertising. I tell everyone I meet to stop feeding their pets processed food and explain why: most are completely shocked by the news because like all of us, they have always believed pet food advertising and unchallenged veterinary suggestions.

Thank you so much for bringing this important issue to the world. If there is a heaven for dogs and cats out there, you'll be an honorary guest with your own throne and crown

Sincerely,

Laurent Boulanger

Craigieburn
Victoria, December 2002

We "saved" a Bull Terrier cross from the local RSPCA shelter. Gracie is a beautiful dog, full of vitality and now approx. 2.5yrs old. When we first adopted her we did the usual "recommended" thing - ie Processed dog foods as advised by both Vet and RSPCA.

Before long, we were noticing problems; she had unusually runny eyes, very sensitive skin that was prone to breaking out in rashes; was prone to "leaking" urine and developed abscesses on her anus (infected anal glands). We were taking her to the Vet on average once every 3 months — at $120 plus per visit. We ended up narrowing down her allergies/irritations and restricted her diet (under vet advice), cooking up mutton mince and vegies for her. We still continued to give her chicken necks and the occasional lamb-shank, and her skin seemed to improve. We had her on medication for her eyes and "leaking", and if her skin ever erupted, she would get medication then too.

Then the revelation - your book! I read it from cover to cover and it just made plain good sense, as well as being a damn fine read! I took it upon myself to embark on a new diet for Gracie consisting of whole raw meaty bones (lambshanks usually, with thigh-bone attached), lamb hearts, chicken necks and raw liver (usually only once a week), with the occasional table-scraps as per your book. The difference has been outstanding - no need for a visit to the vet apart from annual shots for well over a year - & then even the vet was astounded, as Gracie had been becoming a regular patient! To date on your recommended diet, Gracie has even more energy (sometimes a bit of a drain, actually!), has not had any anal gland abscesses, her eyes have not needed any medication and are crystal clear and bright - and her teeth are a brilliant white with nice healthy gums and not a hint of "dog-breath". Getting a kiss from Gracie is not a yucky experience!

I hope that more people take on your message and adopt the RMB diet for their pets - I pass on the good news (as I see it) as often as I can to others, but understand the enormity of the task you face. People are either too complacent or are just too afraid to consider your advice! The line about when did you last see a dog attack a wheat-field just draws blank looks! As it now appears a high-carbo diet for humans is being rethought, I wonder just how long it will take for the message to get across that dogs are actually carnivorous and do not do well on a high-carb diet that human beings have been advised to follow?

The last time Gracie was at the vet (to rapturous response), it was explained about the diet, which drew a very suspicious look and a shrug of the shoulders (the old "oh well, I suppose you must be doing something right") - my partner had to stop from pointing out all the "Recommended" processed food this vet had on the shelves - a picture of "then" and "now" of Gracie would have been all that was required to espouse how a dog should be fed and looked after!

This has turned out a little long-winded, but I really wanted to pass on my thanks (and Gracie's, no doubt!). You have a convert here, Tom, and one who will continue to spread the good word about your book and website whenever I get the chance!

Regards & Best Wishes,

John, Sarah and Gracie

Adelaide, November 2002

I got your book yesterday, last night I just wanted to "take a look" to see if there was something interesting to learn. I ended up going to bed at 4:00 in the morning. I can not wait to finish the book and get more of such interesting information you give

Thanks for sharing your knowledgement (but not for keeping me awake)

Darwin Angulo
Mexico City
May 2002

I have been feeding my German Shepherds naturally for 20 years, after I read a book on the subject. Prior to that I had continual 'fading puppy syndrome' and many other health problems in my dogs. In recent years I have been breeding Australian Silky Terriers with very good health outcomes due to natural rearing. My vet bills are about zero. For the last couple of years I have been breeding show cats and have collected a few. I wanted to feed them naturally, but wasn't quite sure how to go about it, because they are so finicky, and wouldn't eat so many things that I tried them on. But then I read your book and went for it. They stuck their noses up a bit at first, but I hung in there, and won out finally. Their overall health has improved out of sight, they love there food like crazy now. So I recommend your ideas totally to anybody who really loves there pets.

Sincerely

David Enderby
April 2002