Make sure that the breast do not have any solution injected or added to them.

An easy way to tell is the nutrition info. Look for the sodium content. If it is really high, then they have solution added.

I don't think this is it, but check anyway. Not all dogs have a problem with "injected" chicken, but the ones that doo, doo.

I'm thinking go ahead and take a stool sample in one more time.

Just wanted to add some encouragement before logging(heh heh, snort:crazyoff.

The small amount of stool, diarrhea or not, still sounds promising.

Obviously we don't want diarrhea, but at least it sounds like more is staying in than is coming out.

I think everybody is on to something with this just being a "new raw feeder" thang.

Hydrate the pup. And make sure everything is normal around the house. The possibility of pano stresses you both. The new diet could be stressing you both. Stress is another one of those sure fire diarrhea triggers.

Teething?

There are so many things.

Take a breather tomorrow or at least tomorrow morn, and jump back in it. No worries.

What do you think about the amount going in compared to the amount coming out on raw vs. kibble? Just to give us an idea if this is heading into the + at least a little.

Also, if you need to get him to drink, simmer some water with a little meat or something. I think they call it 'baiting the water'.

Yes he's starting to teeth. Everything is normal around the house - the usual stuff nothing new in things or routine.

I think the amount going in is far less than the amount going out.

Much to my surprise this morning when I took him out he had a nearly normal bowel movement! So, I have him a little extra food - I happened to find 2 chicken necks in the bag with backs so I gave him a back and both necks - chucked in 2 tablespoons of yogurt this time and poured 1/2 cup lukewarm water on top of it all.

When he finished i took the other dog out. Came back in and what did I see? TWO set of surprised eyes staring back at me as soon as I walked in the kitchen. My wife and the little one got caught! She was feeding him those chocolate chip dog cookies from petco. Apparently she's been feeding him about 4 - 6 per day since I started the raw food diet because she felt he wasn't getting enough to eat because I cut his portion in half.

This may have contributed to this whole thing. And would coincide with his near normal poop this morning - we were both out a t a business dinner until late last night and when we got home I took Kaiser out and she took our lab out. She didn't get a chance to give him any "treats" last night!

I'm thinking the continued input of grain was adding to the issue and not knowing that it was going on made this more perplexing. Do you folks think this may have been the issue?

I haven't had a chance to read the whole thread but when switching diet or having a digestive issue it can never hurt to back up to a bland diet or a fast.

The white rice /chicken combo that Connie mentioned is always good.

dogs with pano or other issues may run a fever or have a little non-specific loose stool too.

In my experience, it's always best to back up to a bland diet and keep the dog on it while everything settles. I think all of us get in a big hurry to change things up and there is no reason to hurry.

And as Connie said earlier, even a growing pup can fast for a day. the worst thing that will happen is he'll look a little thin but fasting is nature's way of resting the gut.

Thanks, Cindy! A very-puppy-experienced raw expert's opinion was wanted.

Oh, Peter, I can picture the four guilty eyes looking at you, hands in the cookie jar.

I would get some excellent marker rewards (tiny, meat-based) and dump those grain treats anyway. Then if temptation is unbearable, the right stuff is handy. (Better yet, with a pup in transition, would be a baggy of diced white cooked chicken breast; cooked makes it aromatic as well as easily handled.)

And reminder: a tiny bit.

Perhaps you could ask your wife to read about how the short fast helps to soothe the gut, though.

I do understand! We all do.

Thanks Cindy!

She does understand now. I explained what I knew and she admitted she didn't know and that she would let the process take place.

I do have little marker rewards and will be making the home made cooked variety this weekend.

I will see how it goes when I get home today and if all is like it was this morning I will continue slowly increasing the amount until he is where he needs to be in terms of volume of food. If not, he'll fast for a meal and then go bland for a day and then back to raw?

So, the consensus is that the "hidden" doggie treats were most likely contributing to the strangeness of the transition?

Oh, and yes, absolutely, I would take a fecal to the vet. One "clear" does not always a parasite-free dog make.

Maybe they were, Peter. I would be very hesitant to give grains to a dog in transition, and 4-6 dog cookies a day is a hefty chunk of grain. That's an extra meal, made of grain.

And your plan sounds excellent.

 Quote: peter marek

Apparently she's been feeding him about 4 - 6 per day since I started the raw food diet because she felt he wasn't getting enough to eat because I cut his portion in half.

This means 8 - 12 in "busted spousal speak".