# Satin Balls.



## Werehorse (Jul 14, 2010)

I'm going to try making some "satin balls" for Oscar! (for some immature reason "satin balls" does make me snigger  ) I went shopping for ingrediants but couldn't find any wheat germ. I also realised how much mince the recipe required and didn't have enough money on me to get it! So I'll buy that fresh once I get wheat germ. The recipe I have calls for the eggs to be hard boiled but I think I'm going to just add them raw - they'll be frozen before feeding so that should kill any nasties.

I'm not planning on feeding them long term just having a stock in to build him back up after hard exercise. And we want to start getting them both fitter and building up their exercise now and at the moment even if I take Oscar out for an hour or so a couple of days on the trot he goes skeletal! Then I give him a couple of rest days and feed him loads and he gets a bit of covering again but not much and then as soon as we have a reasonable walk he's skeletal again.  I'd much rather him be thin than fat and very much like to see lean dogs but I can pretty much see all his ribs and the ones nearest his waist have clear dips between them - which is just a bit too lean in my view.

This is the recipe I'll be using;

Satin Balls:
10 pounds raw ground beef, 70%-85% lean
18 ounces Total Multi-grain cereal (or other vitamin-fortified, unsweetened cereal _going to use own brand bran flakes_
2 pounds oatmeal, uncooked regular or quick oats (not instant oats)
20 ounces wheat germ
1 ¼ cup canola oil _just going to use vegetable oil_
1 ¼ cup unsulfured molasses _probably will use lyles black treacle_
10 hard-boiled eggs and shells, crushed and minced _going to go raw_
10 envelopes unflavored gelatin
¼ teaspoon salt _might skip the salt_
1 teaspoon minced garlic

I think it'll make loads! But they'll just stop in the freezer. From what I can gather you just feed them frozen as well, no need to defrost.

I am NOT looking forward to making them! :lol: Mushing raw meat up with loads of other stuff? Blergh. But ordinary food is just making no impact so needs must. 

I'll get some before and after pictures as well.

Has anyone else fed Satin Balls? _snigger_ What are your experiences?


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## hawksport (Dec 27, 2009)

I used to feed them when we were doing 28 mile bike rides 2 or 3 times a week. It did what it said it would
You should be able to get wheat germ at a health food shop


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## DoodlesRule (Jul 7, 2011)

Never heard of them - was expecting you to get the sewing machine out 

Wow 10 pounds of mince, you will get a lot of balls from that


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## springfieldbean (Sep 13, 2010)

I make them for Sherlock sometimes, in fact you've reminded me that I must do another batch because he's looking skinny again . The smell makes me gag. He does love them though, and they do help him gain weight, without causing a bad tum like most foods.

I don't use wheatgerm though. My recipe's a bit more simple than yours:

beef mince
raw eggs
branflakes
oats
spoon or two of honey
crushed garlic clove
gelatine sachet
spoon of oil - veg or olive, whatever we have

I'm not very good at sticking to measurements, I just use whatever amount of beef mince I can get and adjust the other things, but it doesn't seem to matter. I make them into 1-2 inch balls, freeze them and feed him a couple a day.

There's something about the smell of raw mince and branflakes that is really, really revolting.


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## delca1 (Oct 29, 2011)

Never heard of them, but the name made me snigger too


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## pogo (Jul 25, 2011)

I personally don't like them and to put weight on i feed little meals often and that works well for me.


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

Everytime someone mentions them, this pops into my head: South Park - Chef - Chocolate Salty Balls - YouTube


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## bluegirl (May 7, 2012)

If you have a Holland and Barrett near you they sell wheat germ or should be able to get it from an independent health store.


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## Werehorse (Jul 14, 2010)

pogo said:


> I personally don't like them and to put weight on i feed little meals often and that works well for me.


Can I ask why you don't like them?


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## pogo (Jul 25, 2011)

Werehorse said:


> Can I ask why you don't like them?


To much fat and fillers all at once can be hard on some dogs systems, it has also been known to cause pancreatitis in sensitive dogs. I just don't see the point in them just up the food or more meals. But each to their own


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## Werehorse (Jul 14, 2010)

pogo said:


> To much fat and fillers all at once can be hard on some dogs systems, it has also been known to cause pancreatitis in sensitive dogs. I just don't see the point in them just up the food or more meals. But each to their own


A little bit more complex than "each to their own" if there is a health risk though?  I'm not being confrontational - genuinely concerned now and would like to open up a discussion rather than ignore the downsides (which I didn't know about so I'm glad you have mentioned it and glad I asked you to extrapolate on "I don't like them"!).

Do you have sources for this information?

What do people think about feeding just for a few days to get a bit of cover on him? I am not planning to feed as a daily long-term supplement...

I have tried and tried upping the feed and in several meals a day but always seem to reach sloppy-poo stage before weight-gain stage. I suppose the sloppy poos *could* be just cos he runs around so much though... He's already getting 25% more than reccommended for his weight of his kibble plus a block of tripe.

I took him into the vets today just to pop on the scales and he is 16.3kg - a full kg less than he was about 10 months ago  The amount of food he's eating has gone up, the exercise he is doing has stayed around the same and surely between the ages of 14 months ish and 2 years old he should have _gained_ weight??

The only significant thing that has changed is that I have stopped working and he has graduated from his crates both during the day and at night (which would, obviously, have limited his movements). Could just mooching around the house after me have had this much of an effect on his weight? (I wish it had had the same bliddy effect on mine! ) (Also sorry if I have effect and affect wrong there - it never goes in no matter how many times I'm told).

Hmmmmm, not sure what to do.

I think I shall actually pop him into the vets next week to discuss it. He seems in perfect health otherwise, soft coat, bright eyes, clean smelling, energetic and happy. Although actually being brave enough to say the words "satin balls" out loud to another human being might be beyond me! Is "fat balls" really any better though? :lol:


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## Sarah1983 (Nov 2, 2011)

I know a hell of a lot of people who've used these and had no problems. Usually they use them for a similar reason you're looking at feeding them for. I gave them Rupert since upping his food wasn't an option, he simply wouldn't eat more. They made about as much difference to his weight as everything else I tried though.


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## pogo (Jul 25, 2011)

Werehorse said:


> A little bit more complex than "each to their own" if there is a health risk though?  I'm not being confrontational - genuinely concerned now and would like to open up a discussion rather than ignore the downsides (which I didn't know about so I'm glad you have mentioned it and glad I asked you to extrapolate on "I don't like them"!).
> 
> Do you have sources for this information?
> 
> ...


My point is people will feed things regardless of what other people experience of them.

There were a few threads on here last year, when they came back up and on a number of different sites where people asked for experiences of them and people chimed in, so not really any concrete sources so to speak.

I think in the short term they are very unlikely to cause any harm, like most things i do believe they should be feed in moderation, but i'm sure you kow that 

I wouldn't dismiss them now you've bought everything, but maybe speak to your vet first, or just feed a small amount. If he is good health, which you say then i'm sure they would be fine.

Don't forget there is a small risk no matter what you feed that they won't agree etc but it's always best to think of any downsides


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## Werehorse (Jul 14, 2010)

I've not bought the main awkward or particularly expensive stuff yet so can stuff change my mind. :lol: I like porridge and bran flakes and I could always turn my hand to making a cheesecake with the gelatin! I could do without the veggie oil and extra eggs but I could always pop a tablespoon of veggie oil and a few scrambled eggs on his food.

Plan of action is to speak to the vet first though I think. Especially as he is half cocker ish and they are prone to pancreatitis - I assume the show strains rather than working though but I may be wrong as ever.


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## pogo (Jul 25, 2011)

Werehorse said:


> I've not bought the main awkward or particularly expensive stuff yet so can stuff change my mind. :lol: I like porridge and bran flakes and I could always turn my hand to making a cheesecake with the gelatin! I could do without the veggie oil and extra eggs but I could always pop a tablespoon of veggie oil and a few scrambled eggs on his food.
> 
> Plan of action is to speak to the vet first though I think. Especially as he is half cocker ish and they are prone to pancreatitis - I assume the show strains rather than working though but I may be wrong as ever.


Ah ok thought you'd bought it all 

I'm not trying to put you off if he could do with abit extra weight, but it's best to be cautious!

I'm not sure with cockers which is more susceptible TBH.


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## bluegirl (May 7, 2012)

Cockers are a breed that can be prone to pancreatitis and I don't think it matters whether they are working or not, I think the only reason why you may see it less in workers is because a lot will not be pampered pets they'll be working dogs, but a worker as a pet on a pet diet, will be as prone as a show type imhm.

The reason why these satin balls may increase risk is the cereal content and the oil content, both of which can increase the likelihood of an onset. That said I do have cockers and do use cereals and oils in their raw diet and mine have so far been fine (eldest 10 yrs).

I've never used satin ball or heard of them for that matter. 

Fats and oils do help increase a dogs weight so I'd say go slowly. Slippery elm can be used for sloppy poops to firm them up and will help counter act upset tummies. The other thing you may wish to try is fenugreek seeds. If they are soaked overnight in water and the dog is given around a teaspoon in its food per day it will help fatten them up but its not a quick fix. They will also give off a mild curry smell when they have ingested them.


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## montys-mama (Dec 8, 2009)

I am actually having exactly the same problem with my springer at the moment, and agree that although I would rather see a thin dog than a fat dog he could definitely do with putting abit of extra weight on!
We've also tried upping his food but he gets to the sloppy poo stage before the weight gain stage!

After what feels like endless googling these satin balls have come up time and time again, so I would also be interested on the advice your vet gives you! All we get is 'Hes in brilliant condition and really lean but I agree he could do with abit of extra weight' which whilst reassuring is not particularly helpful!


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## Goblin (Jun 21, 2011)

pogo said:


> To much fat and fillers all at once can be hard on some dogs systems, it has also been known to cause pancreatitis in sensitive dogs. I just don't see the point in them just up the food or more meals. But each to their own


Looked into Satin Balls when we first had Cooper as we needed to put weight on him . Also came across the idea that they can cause pancreatitis and came across several people in various forums that claimed they ran into this. Due to this, they are not something I would treat lightly. Would be interested in the views of people in rescues and what they use.

We ended up with an extra meal of green tripe to avoid the runny poop issue. We did get a tube of something from the vet, supposed to help put on weight but that was worthless.


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## srt9969 (Dec 9, 2013)

Did the tripe do the trick? I thought we shouldn't feed raw and kibble, due to different digestion required? 
Slightly confused now. Of course, there's a rather high chance that I'm over-thinking this...

ETA: OK, I'm an idiot. Just seen your signature...


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## Goblin (Jun 21, 2011)

srt9969 said:


> Did the tripe do the trick? I thought we shouldn't feed raw and kibble, due to different digestion required?
> Slightly confused now. Of course, there's a rather high chance that I'm over-thinking this...


The idea of raw and kibble is that kibble slows the digestion thereby increasing the amount of time bacteria have to multiply in the stomach. That's the theory and I understand the logic behind it. Saying that I have not heard of anyone experiencing problems even when mixing and many do. I am talking about a separate meal, not mixing directly and so any potential risks are reduced.

You can potentially use any food not just green tripe as a separate meal. An extra meal simply allows more food to be processed without necessarily causing a runny result.


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