Raw Feeders: How Do I:

[Red Fox]

Kei has just had his first major tummy upset and therefore has been put on a bland diet to recover.

I originally had him on boiled chicken and rice as per the vets instructions, then after a few days of all going seemingly well I started to re-introduce some other foods. First plain natural yogurt which was handled well, then sardines, then an egg -all without a problem. Then I started to re-introduce raw meat again. Now somewhere around here things went awry and he ended up with the runs again ;)

I think part and parcel of it was the rice as Kei rarely eats any form of grain and this was a real overload of it.

He's now off the rice and eating boiled chicken with raw pureed carrot and a little plain yogurt and is handling this well (as off last night we actually have solid poop again )

But what I'd like to know is how do I go about re-introducing his normal food again? When do I start? And what do I start with?

How do other raw feeders (BARF & Prey diet) go about this?

Thanks

[Sandra777]

When you reintroduced raw meat, was it quite fatty? I've always found that lean meat doesn't cause a problem but fatty does - remembering that marrow is very fatty so a chicken thigh can be quite fatty even if you take off the skin and visible fat.

The next thing I'd be thinking about is a sensitivity to a certain type of meat...

[megan_]

Have you tried one of the prescription diets from Hills or Eukaneuba? They reeeally help the dog recover from gastro etc. I used this with my boy and then slowly (after a month or so on the rescrited diet) introduced a chicken wing, then back to the prescription diet to check that all was settled, another chicken wing etc.

[Red Fox]

When you reintroduced raw meat, was it quite fatty? I've always found that lean meat doesn't cause a problem but fatty does - remembering that marrow is very fatty so a chicken thigh can be quite fatty even if you take off the skin and visible fat.

The next thing I'd be thinking about is a sensitivity to a certain type of meat...

Not particularly fatty. I started him on some raw chicken breast, then a couple of very small necks (which are fatty I guess) at the following meal and when he handled that alright I gave him some roo mince mixed in with the chicken/rice meal. The following moring he was off his food and that night he ended up with the runs again.

Being that we've never done this before I might have moved a little too quickly??

I don't think it's a sensitivity to any type of meat (well I hope not anyway) as he's been on the same diet for quite some time now with no probs...

Have you tried one of the prescription diets from Hills or Eukaneuba? They reeeally help the dog recover from gastro etc. I used this with my boy and then slowly (after a month or so on the rescrited diet) introduced a chicken wing, then back to the prescription diet to check that all was settled, another chicken wing etc.

Haven't tried these but that will be the next option if we can't get things settled.

[Sandra777]

Not particularly fatty. I started him on some raw chicken breast, then a couple of very small necks (which are fatty I guess)

Yep, very and can be hard for a dog to digest if their gut flora has been disturbed.

at the following meal and when he handled that alright I gave him some roo mince mixed in with the chicken/rice meal. The following moring he was off his food and that night he ended up with the runs again.

Being that we've never done this before I might have moved a little too quickly??

I'd say yes at a guess. Keep him on plain meat for a week, honestly it won't kill him. Some dogs find roo very difficult to digest (I've got one with an issue with beef).

Have you given any pro-biotics? My first stop after any gut upset.

I don't think it's a sensitivity to any type of meat (well I hope not anyway) as he's been on the same diet for quite some time now with no probs...

I hope not, but just because it's been fine for a while doesn't mean it's fine now, so if things don't get back to normal soon I would still consider this as an option.

[Red Fox]

I know it wont kill him - but tell the dog that!

No probiotics as such but I have been giving him yogurt with probiotics in it (Jalna Bio-dynamic Organic).

I have a feeling that the necks might have been the problem ....or even too much roo meat at once.

I also stopped the scourban on the day that he was ill again and he ate a lot of rough grass which seems to irritate his tummy too. So maybe a combo of a lot of things.

I was planning on keeping him on the carrot/boiled chicken mix for a couple more days then slowly adding some raw meat back in. Possible 50g at a time increasing with each meal? (for a dog that eats approx 1kg of food per day) The last lot of meat I gave him was around 200g so might have been a bit rich for him He had had 200g of raw chicken breast with his morning meal that day too and a small neck.

I've been splitting his meals into 3 now over the past few days too which seems to be helping. Poor boy gets very hungry on a bland diet and 3 small meals are easier to digest.

When I do give him bones though what should I start with? I was thinking necks as they are so small... but didn't consider the fat content. he has a lot of roo bones usually (spine/tail) which are low fat but they are obviously much bigger..

[Sandra777]

When I do give him bones though what should I start with? I was thinking necks as they are so small... but didn't consider the fat content. he has a lot of roo bones usually (spine/tail) which are low fat but they are obviously much bigger..

I'd do something like a chicken thigh, skin & fat removed and the rest of the meal made up of raw meat. Mind you, if he's back to normal it would probably only take a meal or two for him to be able to cope with anything, usually does here

[twodoggies2001]

I know it wont kill him - but tell the dog that!

No probiotics as such but I have been giving him yogurt with probiotics in it (Jalna Bio-dynamic Organic).

I have a feeling that the necks might have been the problem ....or even too much roo meat at once.

I also stopped the scourban on the day that he was ill again and he ate a lot of rough grass which seems to irritate his tummy too. So maybe a combo of a lot of things.

I was planning on keeping him on the carrot/boiled chicken mix for a couple more days then slowly adding some raw meat back in. Possible 50g at a time increasing with each meal? (for a dog that eats approx 1kg of food per day) The last lot of meat I gave him was around 200g so might have been a bit rich for him He had had 200g of raw chicken breast with his morning meal that day too and a small neck.

I've been splitting his meals into 3 now over the past few days too which seems to be helping. Poor boy gets very hungry on a bland diet and 3 small meals are easier to digest.

When I do give him bones though what should I start with? I was thinking necks as they are so small... but didn't consider the fat content. he has a lot of roo bones usually (spine/tail) which are low fat but they are obviously much bigger..

Are you feeding the necks with skin on. If so, I would remove the skin off all chicken until his tummy settles down. Sometimes it takes a while for the tummy to settle down with raw. Roo meat should be fine, because it is so lean, but each dog is different.