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Changing stool - confusing time!

M & M

Well-Known Member
You guys/gals type too fast & I did not look at location..... AGAIN live & learn....... Your in good paw hands with who is helping.... I love them, they will figure it out, one way or another for ya...... They did for me.... <3
 

ruthcatrin

Well-Known Member
I don't mind parcooking the meat before giving it to him - will that be effective as well? Do you think that could work for him? Does that take away nutritional values?

Cooking changes the nutritional value, even partially cooking it. Whether that would work for him though I don't know, you'd have to try it.
 

NeSaxena

Well-Known Member
So everything I've been reading about the raw diet states that the start is always chicken. I have some in the freezer right now. Should I thaw out a piece, sear it and give it to him? Maybe skip the afternoon rice+pumpkin+yogurt and give him just the chicken? Or will that be wayyyyyyyyyyyyy too much for him to take? Most posts I've read stated that they did a complete switch to raw (rather than the kibble slow twist).

My friend has a chicken farm so I can speak to her about the poultry. This way, I'll be a little more sure about the meat.
 

ruthcatrin

Well-Known Member
Where his digestion is so screwed I'm going to say all or nothing on the raw to be honest. But if you're willing to cook up a boneless piece for him to add to the yogurt and rice that would be better than no meat at all.
 

NeSaxena

Well-Known Member
I got both :)

So I thought for the afternoon meal - rice+yogurt+pumpkin+ 1 chicken drumstick (that's about 8 ounces) with bone?
 

ruthcatrin

Well-Known Member
If you're going to cook it then no bone.

If you want to try it raw then go ahead and leave teh bone in, but my concern is that many dogs don't tolerate switching back and forth between raw and kibble well, and many don't tolerate raw and kibble mixed either, and since his digestion is so screwy already.....
 

NeSaxena

Well-Known Member
If the chicken works for him, I'm going to switch him completely.

Frank question - If I am okay eating the meat, should he be okay as well? Of course, I cook it really well (my hubby is obsessed with meat falling off the bone), but I've made medium steaks for myself at home and have been fine the next day (or after that). Beef is the only other meat I can get other than chicken which I trust (because of the medium steak thing). Goat as well, but it's very expensive here :( Whats your opinion?
 

NeSaxena

Well-Known Member
Organs for chicken, beef and goat, all available really easy. In fact, sometimes easier than the meat itself! lolz!
 

NeSaxena

Well-Known Member
about 125 to 135 pounds is the average - but it looks he'll be a tad smaller (dogs don't seem to get really huge in India lolz!)
 

M & M

Well-Known Member
Welp honestly & ya all know I am....... I have at certain times didn't have meat couldn't afford it & did veggies whole wheat pasta (its's what I eat) canned tomatooo's, yammers & chick peas, red beans chicken livers & these two have never lost weight...... Yes Yes Yes the gas was gastastic LOL... I don't know sweety, it all depends on what your Mastawonderful can eat..... I had shit hitting the kitchen wall from their food allergies.....
 

NeSaxena

Well-Known Member
Welp honestly & ya all know I am....... I have at certain times didn't have meat couldn't afford it & did veggies whole wheat pasta (its's what I eat) canned tomatooo's, yammers & chick peas, red beans chicken livers & these two have never lost weight...... Yes Yes Yes the gas was gastastic LOL... I don't know sweety, it all depends on what your Mastawonderful can eat..... I had shit hitting the kitchen wall from their food allergies.....
ROFL! I love reading your posts!

I don't think Boone is allergic to anything so far - I've tried different things with his diet, but his loosies don't seem to be related to anything. I'd once thought it could be rice, BUT his stool firms up after a whole day of only rice, yogurt and pumpkin.

I'm at a point now where I'm willing to try anything! Grain free food for dogs is not available here, and India apparently does not allow international food imports of big quantities. All my orders for things like TOTW, Acana etc have been cancelled or declined.
 

ruthcatrin

Well-Known Member
about 125 to 135 pounds is the average - but it looks he'll be a tad smaller (dogs don't seem to get really huge in India lolz!)

's'ok, gives me a starting point. Ok, assuming he doesn't totally have cannon butt from the chicken leg.....

Start with JUST CHICKEN. Light or dark doesn't matter, but just chicken with no organs (skin on is fine). Lotsa bone to start with, but eventually you want to work him down to no more than 10% of his daily intake is bone. Once you've done that then you can introduce beef (keep feeding chicken for the bone). You may have to up how much bone he gets when you do that, but reduce it back down as you can. Then intro organs (see below for amount). And then do the same with any other meat types you feel comfortable with (for example if you can find occasional goat without breaking the bank).

You may need to add fish oil (or feed fish if you can), and if you get really lean meat you may need to add some sort of fat.

Ideally I'd like to see more variety, but what you can you can.

If he's estimated to be 135 then his starting daily intake should be 3.38 lbs of food. You can adjust that if he seems really hungry, or not that hungry.

Of that 3.38lbs 10% is his bone intake (0.33lbs), and 10% is organs (also 0.33lbs), the rest is meat.

Organs: heart actually counts as meat not organ, so if you can get heart cheaply feed it for meat, but go slowly introducing it, some dogs find it really rich. Half of his organ intake should be liver, the other half as many other organs as you can get (kidney, pancreaus, brain, that sorta thing).

does that give you a starting point?
 

NeSaxena

Well-Known Member
Oh definitely! I was just copying your post (and marrowshard's and a few others) from a few different places to figure out what I can give him. This is pretty much what I came up with as well.

Which fish is okay for him? I don't get salmon here, and canned tuna/mackarel is usually in oil and cooked and salty. In terms of fresh fish, I can definitely get some, but is there a particular one I need to stay away from completely? What about fish bones? Should the fish be deboned and scales removed?

Should I throw it in completely and (full) stop rice+yogurt+pumpkin from his afternoon meal? I've read that organs should only be started after 5 to 6 weeks of raw - should I give him ONLY chicken in the afternoon?

Sorry for the tons of questions, I know it's late for you as well :)

I'll be the happiest person on earth if raw works out well for him!
 

M & M

Well-Known Member
Listen to ruthcatrin....... I get heart liver chcken organs for M&M but Midas was puking them up....... He is a sensitive muscle head but I figured out how to make it just right & he is fine.... Wow & I thought I had prob's .....
 

ruthcatrin

Well-Known Member
I don't have a problem with mixing yogurt/pumpkin/rice with the raw, and since his system is doing ok on it, I'd say you can mix for a meal or two and see how he does.

Organs, intro depends on the dog. Some take weeks to get down to 10% bone at first. Others are perfect with in days. Thats what really makes the difference, how long does it take to introduce the new stuff. In your case since you're really only going to be doing two varieties of meat, organs will be your third intro, however long in that takes.

I'm not aware of any particular fresh fish to stay away from. However you MAY want to make sure you freeze any fish solid, in case of parasites, for at least a week (some varieties of salmon thats required for example, so better safe than sorry). But if you have any concerns about a particular variety ask and I'll dig. Fish bones are fine (as long as the fish isn't cooked) but if you're more comfortable de-boning thats fine too, scales are up to you.
 

NeSaxena

Well-Known Member
Listen to ruthcatrin

Most definitely! ruthcatrin and smart family are my idols!

I don't have a problem with mixing yogurt/pumpkin/rice with the raw, and since his system is doing ok on it, I'd say you can mix for a meal or two and see how he does.

I have the biggest, silliest grin on my face right now! I'm going to cross everything I have and fall into this head first! :D Rice+yogurt+pumpkin+RAW chicken for afternoon today. I'll start him off on one drumstick, and go from there. Does that sound okay?

Thank you thank you thank you for your advice!