I recently switched my new rescue dog, Chief, to a raw diet. He's been eating chicken halves for about a week and a half. He took to it very well and his poop was soft, but solid up until a few days ago. His poop got really soft and has now turned into diarrhea. This seems to have coincided with starting him on Zuke's mini-naturals in our training sessions. He had been doing so well I was thinking about trying another meat source, either pork or beef. I'm guessing I should probably hold off and stick with the chicken for now until his poop firms up again.
Has anyone else had any issues with Zuke's? Should I stop feeding it to him? Or just monitor? How long until there is cause for concern?
Connie Sutherland Moderator Reg: 07-13-2005
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Quote: Vanessa Fullerto
... Has anyone else had any issues with Zuke's? Should I stop feeding it to him? Or just monitor? How long until there is cause for concern?
No, I never have, but yes, stop and back up. You can use bits of white-meat poultry for training treats. Cooking them will give them a special treatiness (from the aroma).
How bad is the diarrhea? Is it pudding ? Or water? That dictates the level of concern.
In fact, I'd back up even another step, to peeling off skin and fat and decreasing the meal size. I'd want to know fast if this is something else, not food-related. I'd want to see poop improvement within a day or two.
I started feeding twice a day. This morning there was still "pudding" but a few solid pieces first. Better than yesterday.
He's been eating raw for about a week and a half, purely chicken. I think I started giving him too much food at one time. He needs to gain weight; his entire rib cage is visible. I'm now giving him half a chicken twice a day. I'll see if he continues to get better today.
He's currently 70lbs. I was feeding him about 2lb. a day. The first few days was a grain free kibble with canned food twice a day.
Then I started raw feeding with one feeding of 1.5lb. of chicken plus treats throughout the day.
After 2 weeks he didn't seem to be gaining any weight so I increased to a little over 2lb. of chicken and fewer treats.
I was only doing one feeding so it may have been too much. I always left the skin and fat on. He seemed fine with it until I upped the amount of food.
I went back to twice a day feeding yesterday and today. Giving him ~1.2lb chicken halves each time. His poop had improved this morning, but still some "pudding" after the solid pieces.
I'd probably feed about 1.5 lbs TOTAL for the day at first. Maybe even a touch less.
You can increase the food every time he has a solid bowel movement. Just do it gradually and in small amounts until you reach the desired feeding amount.
After you get to the desired feeding amount you can start leaving some skin/fat on. Again, gradually and in small amounts.
Not a typo. Everything I have read says a "maintenance" diet would be 2-3% of BW each day. So that is 1.4 - 2.1lb. a day. Chief needs to gain a little so I've got him closer to 2.4lb. a day which is about 3.4% of his current BW.
Edit: I posted this response as you were writing the last 2 posts. I'll try to go back down to 1.5lb. a day.
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Diarrhea fix?
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