Switching to raw - Page 2

myret

I am giving some kibble because just beef and eggs are not enough. I am feeding 18 dogs and want to learn what all I need to give them in a time frame I can handle.

paul

yes I understand that is not much variation

zobelhund, if you are only giving him 2 days on raw and then switching back to kibble because of the diarrhea, that may be part of the problem.  some dogs take 1-2 weeks to adjust well, and some take 3-6 weeks.  that extra time may be what he needs for his body to make the adjustment, so the flip flopping (if that's what's going on) may be PART of the problem. 

he could be having diarrhea from:

- the skin on the chicken legs
- the liver and other organ bits left in the chicken backs

or it could just be something strange...it happens.

how long do you try him on raw before switching back to kibble or home cooking?

also, have you ever tried chicken necks or skinless bone-in chicken breast?


paul garrison, feeding raw is much simpler than you may think but beef and eggs is a great start.  the most common way to feed is 80/10/10...which means 80% meat, 10% bone, and 10% organs (of that organ amount, half is liver).  and you can vary from those numbers, they are just a guide.  for example, instead of feeding kibble (if you want to go 100% raw), you can feed chicken or turkey necks, and some organs.  cases of poultry usually come in 40 lbs, so you can feed all your dogs about 2 meals with one case.  and necks are fairly inexpensive, usually cheaper than kibble.  cost, etc, also depends on how much space you have to store food, and what kind of resources you have in your area.  hope this helps.  please let me know if you have any other questions or need any help.

My posts I think are getting a bit confusing.
My boy whom is now 14 months hasnt had raw (switched over, just pieces here and there) for about 3 months. When I FIRST started to switch him over around 6 months he got the diarrhea badly.. and its been happening ever since.
LAST time I tried to switch him over he was bout 11 month-12 months. He got diarrhea which lasted a little over a week. We ended getting flagyl for him because it was lasting longer than I'd hoped.
We havent even began to add in organ as like I said, Never made the complete switch over yet.
We've been feeding kibble with some raw/homecooked food for about 6 months now. He does great on it. So I disagree a bit about raw/kibble feeding.
I have tried plain chicken breast skinless he does great on it. Its just when I try to add any bone... turkey necks, backs, leg quarters, rib bones, etc.

Thanks everyone!

thank you for the clarification.  yes, that is really strange.  i'm sorry i can't offer anything helpful :(

i do have a question though...you said clean bill of health including bloodwork.  was his phosphorus high at all?  or was it pretty much in the middle of the range?

good luck with your dog.  maybe the next time around will be a smoother transition.  please keep us updated.  i would like to know how everything works out for you guys.

uvw

Liver is real high in iron and too much iron can cause to dog to run hot. Some of my dogs run a lot and in the summer a overheated dog can die pretty quick. What is you opinion on this?
Any suggestions on where to look for chicken necks and cheap parts. We have no chicken processors around here. I use beef because it is cheap or free. (downers) Thank you for your help.

Any ideas on how to grind beef bones?

uvw " if your dog has liquid poo first, and then some semi-formed stool..." What happens when its the other way around? Firm stools then semi, then creamy, and finally all the way runny ( sorry for being so graphic) I remember my dog doing this when he was in kibble.

All levels were within normal limits on bloodwork. This boy has everyone stumped. I was thinking about taking him to a holistic raw studied knowledgable vet. Maybe he can be some help?

I use a grinder for bone. I bought it from amazon. The company guarantee it will grind bones made for barf feeders. It works WONDERS, but it is VERY loud. SX force is the brand. I paid $130 for it!!!

paul garrison, if you're going by the 80/10/10 "rule of thumb", the dog would be getting a fairly small amount of liver.  in my opinion, not enough to have any effect on overheating a dog.  even feeding a larger amount of liver, i have personallly never had any issues with overheating.  if you are worried about that, you can always feed the liver in small amounts nightly rather than during the morning/day or 2-3 times per week.  whatever works best for you and your dogs in that respect.  also, where are you located?  and why are you looking to grind beef bones?

martinusta1980, it could be the other way around as well, i was just giving an example.  however, i can't give you an honest answer about this happening while on kibble because it's such a big difference.  it could be just about anything....the dog could have picked something up or eaten something that he normally doesn't, the kibble could have gone rancid, it could have been too much kibble, or just a strange upset tummy.  there are too many variables when feeding kibble (and i'm not just saying that to start a fight on here or anything).  when you feed just meat, organs, and bones, you know what poop is supposed to look like because there are no fillers, and you know exactly when something is wrong with your dog because you're aware of what the previous meal was.  poop comes out black; too much organs.  chalky; too much bone.  etc....

zobelhund, yes, definitely a holistic, raw-knowledgable vet could offer some advice!  but just like bad conventional vets, there are also bad holistic vets.  just make sure you do some research before wasting more money on someone who will tell you, "hmmm, yeah, i'm not sure, but we could try my own name brand diets that are only $7/lb."