Mine have hurled some of the mice they caught (over many years) and kept some down. We try to humane trap the mice and release them in wilder, unihabited areas, but a few weeks ago, Bud caught one and killed it before I could intervene. We then had an argument about whether he should eat it or let me donate it to the forest critters. He said it would be "good for him" and I thought he was just speaking purely from instinct and that I had science on my side when I spoke of the "cooties" it might have. Having learned of the taurine in mice and the high nutritional value, I guess his point was more rational than I'd thought . (I won when he dropped it, used plastic gloves and out it went.)

Don't think I'll be getting any live store bought mice for them, frozen maybe....

Klondike:

You're lucky if your coffee grinder got it down to where there were just tiny chips.  Mine had huge chips so it was a waste of time.  One time I tried a regular food processor to just throw all the meat, veggies, rice, & eggs in to mush them all together.  Believe it or not, the shells were in huge hunks so I had to work on those before I could serve it to Hannah.  Now that was fun......trying to pick those out.

Actually, because dogs eat bones, I don't suppose egg shell would hurt them but I do try to get them down to at least tiny chips.  So far it hasn't bothered her.  I did read somewhere that the larger pieces are ok for bigger dogs but not for small dogs.  Poor Poco.......

The funny part of this is that I have had a problem since I was a kid......if I get an egg that has even a tiny piece of shell in it, I start to heave BIG TIME.  I don't know what it is but it just totally grosses me out.  My mother used to give me a soft boiled egg several times a week & she'd peel it for me.  I'd start eating it & find a shell & it would gag me......I can remember her telling me to stop with the theatrics, she was sorry there was shell in there.  True story......except it's not theatrics.  To this day I can't handle it if I get a shell in with an egg I'm eating.  So it's not easy for me to serve my dog egg with shells.  

Sorry I got off topic......I get so carried away sometimes......

 

Freerange backyard mouse breeding!

Recipe question - I bought 99 mg tablets of potassium gluconate instead of potassium chloride.  Do I still use 1/8 teaspoon of that in the recipes?

Thanks Laurie - I didn't know that!

Laurie:  I have tried to find references that potassium chloride may induce metabolic acidosis in cats... I cannot find anything... what I am finding is depletion of serum potassium (hypokalemia) causes or atleast contributes to metabolic acidosis.

For example:

"Potassium depletion will occur whenever the rate of potassium loss through renal excretion and/or loss from the gastrointestinal tract exceeds the rate of potassium intake. Such depletion usually develops as a consequence of therapy with diuretics, primarily or secondary hyperaldosteronism, diabetic ketoacidosis, or inadequate replacement of potassium in patients on prolonged parenteral nutrition. Depletion can develop rapidly with severe diarrhea, especially if associated with vomiting. Potassium depletion due to these causes is usually accompanied by concomitant loss of chloride and is manifested by hypokalemia and metabolic alkalosis. Potassium depletion may produce weakness, fatigue, disturbances of cardiac rhythm (primarily ectopic beats), prominent U-waves in the electrocardiogram, and, in advanced cases, flaccid paralysis and/or impaired ability to concentrate urine."

This is from the published literature of a potassium chloride prescription supplement:  MICRO-K® LS
brand of Potassium Chloride Extended Release Formulation for Liquid Suspension
Rx Only

http://www.fda.gove/Medwatch/safety/2005/aug_PI/MicroK_PI.pdf



http://www.fda.gove/Medwatch/safety/2005/aug_PI/MicroK_PI.pdf


I am kinda bemused because potassium is an alkaline mineral like salt... how can it cause acidosis?  Do you have the literature to share with us becuase this is important I think?

Here's a link I took a brief look at that mentions hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis:

http://www.fpnotebook.com/ren1.htm

The textbook I mentioned, by Carol Mattson Porth, I think, is excellent, but pricey even for a used copy. (I borrowed it). Acid/base balance is extremely complex and in no way do I claim to really understand it, but I thought this might be a start so you can find a definitive answer to this question, which you'll probably understand much better than I do!