CC balls as a treat?

[MelodyR]

Maybe I missed it, but I did not see this question anywhere on here -- does anyone feed their chins Critical Care "balls" as treats?

The reason I ask is I also have guinea pigs and belong to GP forums and several other GP parents mix CC with a little water to form "balls" (like meatballs) and feed them in a dish to their GPs as treats. You just leave them there for a few hours, not days at a time as you don't want them to spoil.

The theory is that CC has so many beneficial ingredients plus it gets them used to the taste BEFORE they are sick, that it makes it easier to syringe feed CC to them at a later date if it ever becomes necessary.

I haven't tried it yet on either my GPs or my chins. Just wondering if anyone else had tried it or what you thought of the idea. Or why not. There are so few treats we can offer our chins, I just thought this might be one that would be healthy and okay.

 

[Essentia]

I don't see where it would cause an issue, but that's a mighty expensive treat.

 

[Carol~Anne]

I don't know about giving it to them for a treat and whether that would a good idea or not, but I won't be giving any to my guys as a treat b/c of the price factor alone. It is very expensive to purchase at the vets up here and I paid $25 for one package so it's being stored in the fridge for emergency purposes only. I did manage to score a package from someone online (California) who sent me a packet of CC for something like $5 and if I could get it online on a regular basis for around that price then I wouldn't be hoarding it like I am, but still not sure if I'd give it for a treat. It's all about the price thing for me.

 

[alli713]

I have heard of some chin owners doing that, to get the chins used to the taste of the CC. So that if they do get sick they recognize the taste and don't fight it as much.

The price isn't too horrible really.. I mean, you can get the small packet for $8 and that would make quite a bit of treats.

 

[MelodyR]

I am already feeding an elderly GP twice a day to boost up his weight, so have the open package, so the cost wouldn't be bad. Just want to make sure it would not be detrimental to the chins if I tried it!

Other than cost (if you use the small packets, it's not that expensive), does anyone see it as a bad idea? Please comment ASAP. If not I may try it over the weekend to report back to you all on it.

 

[tunes]

I don't see anything wrong with it as a treat, as long as they are eating their regular pellets and hay as well. I've heard of a couple people doing this and said that it made it much easier if hand feeding became an issue. I, obviously, have not because I would have to own Oxbow.

 

[sinfulcindylou]

could you add CC to chin "cookies"? I would think so, but has anyone else done it?

 

[menagerie]

I have taken left over mixed CC and spread it thinly on a piece of foil or waxed paper and let it air dry. Then broken it apart and handed it out as treats. It has given a few chins the taste for CC and they no longer turn their nose up if they are offered left over fresh CC.

 

[lauralynne]

could you add CC to chin "cookies"? I would think so, but has anyone else done it?

You could, but the oven will kill off all of the probiotics. I don't think it'd hurt anything to have it in there, it's just not going to be anything beneficial to the chin.

 

[MelodyR]

I spread some freshly mixed CC (pretty thick) out on wax paper as suggested - but it took like 3 days to totally dry out so I could break it up. Would it go bad during that time? It smells fine, but I wouldn't want to serve something full of bacteria. It was a fresh batch, not leftovers from a feeding. I just let it air dry. Thoughts?

Also, when feeding CC to a sick animal, I usually add warm/hot water as they seem to like it better that way - would that kill the probiotics? If it cools too much, I've warmed it a bit in the microwave. I always make fresh every time.