Kora was about 8 ½ weeks old when I went to collect her from the breeder.
Kora before RMF
Born in August 2014 which she’ll be 8 this year. She had all her normal puppy vac’s and was a delightful happy pup. The only concern I had with her was her eating or rather lack of eating. At the time I thought that giving her commercial puppy food would be setting her off on the right paws. Now when I look back, she was instinctively fasting herself from the very cheap department store dog food the breeder gave her dogs and new puppies! I recall seeing a huge 20 kilo bag of it on the verandah.
Towards the 12mths of age she did begin to eat a grain free expensive kibble that was made here in Australia as well as raw meaty bones and premade barf which consisted of either chicken, beef or kangaroo. Some supplements were thrown in on the odd occasion like ground kelp, canine probiotics, turmeric and coconut oil.
I fed her like this up until I came across a YouTube video on Natural Hygiene that led me to search for the RMF group on Facebook. Immediately I purchased the Dog Nutrition 101 ebook, printed it and bound it. I began to read it with such lightbulb and aha moments! This was early August 2021.
Kora’s RMF journey started off gradually as I still had some barf in the freezer but I immediately stopped the kibble.
My intention was to feed her appropriately and simply so that she can live with me for as long as healthily possible. There were no known ill health concerns. Only a small encapsulated lump on the front left side of her barkbox (aka trachea). The lump had been there for some time (I don’t know exactly when I noticed it) and I always palpated it to check. She never scratched it and it never seemed to bother her when I was examining it.
Kora after starting on RMF
Kora’s rotation was the Petey Protocol 2:1. Plant meals have included watermelon, rockmelon, honeydew melon, apples, mangoes, papaya, blueberries, sweet potato, grapes, millet, quinoa (carrots, broccoli, peas, beans, cauliflower, lentils – these are sometimes fed).
I introduced her to apples early on & I found I needed to peel and remove the skin. She now loves eating her apples. Banana is the one and only fruit she leaves in her bowl.
Now fast forward 3 months from August to November being on RMF and my daughter alerted me to the lump being “HUGE”. It was more than huge! There was so much swelling that it covered her whole chest. Being a border collie it’s unnoticeable to see skin changes through the double coat. The day before, she had a meat meal so after the walk we were on, right then I decided to fast her for the very first time.
Over the 5 day fast she had moments where she was exhausted and other moments where she wanted to have some play time.
She didn’t scratch it all that much but she did happen to scratch it during the fast. It weeped a lightly coloured blood-stained fluid which didn’t last long. Each day I palpated the lump and each day it kept getting smaller and smaller.
December 2021 and I could only feel a very small, flat hardened area. I believe it to be scar tissue. Now, January 2022 and there’s absolutely nothing there. The only thing that I can tell is that her fur is still growing back.
RMF is amazing. Kora is a lot calmer with less reactivity (typical border collie brain). She rests more during the day instead of making our ½ acre of backyard a bird free zone. She happily comes inside whereas before RMF she always wanted to keep guard of her yard.
Robyn Deakin