We went for a vet visit today...my vet doesn't like that I'm feeding raw, but she doesn't tell me not to do it, either...however, after getting her final round of shots today, she was weighed and came in at 37lbs right at 5 months+4 days old...the vet told me that she was underweight, could feel her ribs and spine to easily and was probably 5 lbs under where she should be...she told me to supplement with kibble!

that just didn't sit right with me, but I'll accept it if I hear it from some of you guys/gals.

I'm feeding her twice a day...she gets feed twice a day(meat is turkey or chicken (with 1 lbs of beef liver added every other week) rotated every week or every other week depending on prices at the store)5 or 6 chicken wings/necks or one/two turkey necks or chicken quarter, about 2-3 cups of grated veggies/fruits, an egg usually every other day, teaspoon of sea kelp, teaspoon of omega 3, and her Newman organic treats..plus usually a kong full of treats and peanut butter at night.

she is lean, but doesn't look thin to me...her coat is beautiful and she has boundless energy!! Both ears are up, she's cutting teeth now, and her adult coat is really coming in full now.

If you guys think she needs to put on a few more lbs. what would you feed her that wouldn't break the "no kibble" stance I've taken?

thanks

My opinion,I like my dogs thin,they work harder and longer. At 5months a puppy should look thin as its bones are growing fast. Keep her thin, sounds like you are feeding well to me but don't know much about raw portions. I don't think its good to also feed kibble as it is digested differantly.There are better people here to help you with that

Mike,

About how much are you feeding her in weight of food per day? I would be a bit concerned about her spine being felt very easily, also if you could see most of her ribs when she is just standing and not playing I would be very concerned. I would not supplement her raw food with kibble. I would just supplement more raw food.

Kimberly

Hi, Mike,

No one can judge the dog's thinness without seeing her, because the right weight is as much a matter of body type as it is height.

That said, can you SEE her ribs? Personally (and my vet agrees), I want to feel them readily but not SEE them.

I agree with you and Kimberly that I certainly would never "supplement" a good diet with junk food.

The right amount for the dog is based on the dog's metabolism, activity, etc. An adult would need roughly 2-3% of his weight every day, but puppies are much different because they are growing.

I would add more food if you see that the vet is right, and in this case I think I'd add more meat. You don't mention muscle meat in addition to the RMBs, except for the chicken quarters. Just wings and necks need a little muscle meat added, IMO; they are high in bone-to-meat. Necks and backs are great RMBs, IMO, with nice soft cartilage-y bones, but they need a little more meat. Quarters are good as is.

And MHO is that a little extra raw fat in the form of extra salmon oil is a good thing for a thin dog. Dogs use fat similarly to the way we use carbs.

ALL JMO. Good for you, that you are doing raw!

what I've been doing lately is buying whole chickens and cutting them up myself...the turkey necks and wings/necks come from a butcher not a grocery store so they're much more meaty than storebought, but I do get your point. I forgot to add that I do feed her canned whole mackeral once a week, too.

I've got 20lbs of chicken quarters in the freezer right now...she's basically been eating the last week and a half, a half a chicken plus the other stuff every day.

I did buy BARF patties for awhile but I couldn't justify the cost at the end of the day when I can feed her more for a lot less money if I'm willing and able to do some more prep work--which I am.

If I fed her based on her acting hungry, she'd weigh 300lbs now

I wish I knew a concentrated food item that was high in fat and protein...I figured the liver would be it, but maybe not, huh? I'd been warned not to overdue the organ meats...

anyway, thanks and keep the advice coming...I'm listening.

sorry Kimberly, didn't answer your question...roughly 2, 2 1/2lbs a day...that's a little more than 5% of her current body weight...anyway, thanks for your post.

Ground regular hamburger is high in fat and protien.

I've heard from a couple folks who are very pro raw that every once and a while they come across a dog who does a bit better with some grain in their diet. I know that it kind of goes against the way it should work, but this was something they had found through their own experience.

I do know a couple of "The Honest Kitchen" foods have grain in them. Maybe try supplementing with one of those for a couple weeks and see what happens?

I do the "whole prey" diet, they get organs everyday.If a dog was to kill a chicken to eat he would ea tthe ewhole thing and nt leave the organs behind.I get whole chickens and cut them up but each dogs get everyhting the bird has to offer.When I feed beef i feed the organs from beef with it. But I feed twice a day.
Tripe are good to add to your dogs diet , I don't do veggies ,I use tripe instead.Do you ever give your dog tripe?

I can't find it here without it being cleaned or SUPER expensive, Angelique...

I didn't think it was that beneficial unless I could get without being bleached? Am I right in that assessment?

I got the chicken quarters for .39 a lbs!!! yippee

So, when did everyone get a separate freezer for just their dog's food?

I know it is expensive when you have to consider the shipment
Yes you want it unbleached, green is best.
Well we have a fridge in the garage that we got for our extra stuff but the freezer we used for the kids popsicles and ice cream, but for a while now it has been taking over by all the raw meat for the dogs, I guess another freezer might be in question
I found chicken backs for $.27 a LB , how about that?