Hi All, I have been feeding raw diet to my 11mos. old gsd for about 5 months now. She was a real picky eater until the switch to raw and now she eats great. Here is my concern now she seems really thin,when I run my hands down here side I can feel every rib, when compaired to other GSD dogs her age she seems kind of on the lite side, when we try to feed more we get really loose stools. My wife thinks we need to go back to Orijen kibble once a day. I would really appreciate some help from the "wise ones" Also we are feeding acording to Ed's 65 pound female menu and a little extra lately, she used to be 69 lbs. now she is at around 57lbs.. Please help. Thanks

Are you feeding 2X a day? Or are you trying to add more food to once-a-day feeding and getting loose stools?




P.S. I would not recommend feeding both kibble and raw. This can be resolved.

Edited by Connie Sutherland (09/25/2009 08:01 PM)
Edit reason: ps

 Quote: Frank Magnetico

... she used to be 69 lbs. now she is at around 57lbs.. Please help. Thanks

How is her general health? When did she last see the vet?

Connie, she is feed twice a day and I have been adding a little more to each feeding, she has PLENTY OF ENERGY!! When we took her to the Vet the last time they said that she had lost a little weight. I think that was due to the switch to raw, that they did not seem to be to happy about (now seeking a new vet). I really don't want to switch back. What do think I should do?

 Quote: Frank Magnetico

Connie, she is feed twice a day and I have been adding a little more to each feeding, she has PLENTY OF ENERGY!! When we took her to the Vet the last time they said that she had lost a little weight. I think that was due to the switch to raw, that they did not seem to be to happy about (now seeking a new vet). I really don't want to switch back. What do think I should do?

1. How are her poops usually? Perfect logs? 2. Then they get softer as you add food? How soft?

3. When you add more food, what is the food you are adding? More RMBs, or more muscle meat, or what?

4. When was that last vet visit? Did she have a pretty thorough physical?

Well the poops are okay sometimes first in the AM then the end turns really soft then like pudding sometimes real light and almost kind of like mucus. When we add I would add more bone since I had read that the bone would firm it up and sometimes I would add a little more chicken gizzards or what ever the meat would be for that feeding.

By "light," do you mean tan/yellowish? Or light brown, or what?

And this does not happen until you up the food amount?

I mean, how sure are you that the poop issue is really connected to the increase in food?

Has the dog ever been tested for giardia?

This would be unrelated to kibble-versus-raw, and the coincidence of giardia symptoms happening at the time of the switch could really be throwing you off.

Diarrhea is the most common symptom. Both mucus and yellowish poop can also be giardia symptoms. If the dog has had giardia protozoa for a while, it obstructs the normal digestion. Commonly, there is no decrease in appetite of the dog, but a decrease in weight maintenance.

Does the dog have gas? Is the poop especially bad-smelling?

I'm not trying to diagnose here; I'm not at all qualified. I'm just trying to point you in the approximately right direction.

So -- is that softer poop yellowish?

Connie, this am poop was okay but it seems when I up the food it turns soft and light yellow. I have not had her tested for giardia. Not bad smelling poop and has not or ever had a gas problem. I am a little reluctant to up the food quantity since I thought that was causing the loose stools. The weight loss is still a concern of ours.

Well, here is what I would do.

I would get a piece of paper and tape it up. Then on Saturday I would note what the poop was like along with the amount of food you gave (not the increased amount). I would do the same all weekend.

On Monday I would make an appointment with a new vet (because you definitely do not want one of those vets who blames everything, including a broken leg, on a raw diet).

Meanwhile, depending on the journal of feeding and output, while waiting for the appointment, I would start adding a whole 'nother small meal rather than increasing the current meals --- for example, a mid-evening snack made of normal meal-food (not treats).

I would be making that vet appointment regardless of what the journal tells you, because yellow poop is always something to have examined. It's not always giardia, but it's something. Unfortunately, giardia is tricky to diagnose, so you don't want to go into it with a vet you already don't like or trust because it might take more than one fecal exam. On the appointment day, I would be sure to have a fresh fecal to take along. I would also have that journal with me.

Foul-smelling poop and gas are not necessarily always present with giardia. However, the dog's undiminished energy is a good sign. Again, though, yellow poop needs to be checked.

I would also try not to get stressed, because now you have realized that there is something not quite right, and you can find out what it is.

I wouldn't be thinking of switching back to kibble because I would want the dog to be getting the very best food, since there is apparently a digestive issue of some kind. Also, if it turns out that the diet needs to be tweaked, fresh food is the only kind that can easily be tweaked. That's all JMO. This whole post is JMO. Except the part about always having yellow poop checked.

http://www.greatdanelady.com/articles/giardia_protozoa_diarrhea_vomiting_weight-loss..htm

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+2102&aid=739

Thanks Connie,I really appreciate all your help and I will do as you advised. I will also make the "new vet" visit a must. I just want to make sure that I understand the additional feeding. Just a smaller in between feeding of the same menu items, maybe even an extra chicken back?