Other than the poop posted in the last poop picture series which was 11am he only had maybe a 1/4 worth of runny liquid. Same color as the 11am poop.

I came home and offered him ice cubes because he loves those. He wouldn't have them. So I put 1/4 cup of kibble in his bowl and water. He went to town eagerly. I did this over a period of an hour until he ate his usual dinner of 2 cups. Donate just now as I type this he is drinking plain water from his bowl. My bf said he was having mild muscle spasm like convulsions in his sleep. I saw them too. He was shuttering almost. Prob from the electrolyte imbalance from throwing up and having the runs. He is acting a lot better now than when I got home 3 hours ago. I'm still on poop patrol though. But I'm not likely to give him chicken again. Not after all this. Its not worth trying to transition over if it is going to always make him sick like this. Do you think its just chicken? Or just the leg bones upsetting his stomach because you mentioned they were harder to digest. When I did a raw meal in the morning amd kibble 10 hours later for dinner he was okay. Same for when I mixed just meat in the kibble. And even for a whole day on just chicken. I'm confused about what happened today after eating breakfast.

"Do you think its just chicken? "


I don't think it's just the chicken, not that I would continue it. I'd keep a very close eye on him (including setting the alarm during the night to get up and check).

I would want to see formed poop, zero vomiting, good hydration, and no muscle spasms to keep me from getting him to the vet first thing in the morning. And still, I'd call the vet in the morning and make an appointment, as well as describing these events.

We didn't mean leg bones upset the stomach ..... more like maybe not fully dissolving and maybe creating a possible partial blockage. But you've seen formed poops since the last leg bones, and also the dog is larger than I assumed from the first post, so I have even less reason to think this is a switch-to-raw upset. (Also, he has had bouts of liquid poop prior to the switch.)

None of this sounds like a simple "switching to raw" upset to me. (And I want to add here that there should actually never be a "switching to raw" upset ..... just so other folks reading this don't think anything like this is normal. It's not.)

Anyway, I'm confused too, and that's why I'm saying that I'd be keeping a really good eye on him. I'd want to see formed poop ten hours or so after that kibble you gave, besides everything else mentioned.

I'm not a health professional. All JMO.

Please keep us posted. If there's any change for the worse, if he vomits or has liquid diarrhea, I wouldn't wait for morning to get him to a vet. JMO -- not at all to frighten you, but just to say that this isn't some "normal" raw-switch reaction.

"He is acting a lot better now than when I got home 3 hours ago." You want this to continue, or take him to the eVet. JMO!

Of course. I am a RN and used to work at the evet here when I was in nursing school so ill be watching him close. ive already been in contact with my vet this evening.

And he did not have any upset or loose stools before the switch. It started after the switch initally and then again today at 11am continuing. It firmed up originally imo bc I backed off and went a more gradual approach with it. Still confusing though. He only had one full day of chicken and then breakfast today before this happened. It has turned me off to feeding raw. I was so excited to do this for him. Now I'm just afraid if I continue it won't resolve. Do you think this should be the end of the road for raw for him?

Edit: he has not had a complete solid stool since breakfast. The 645am poop was before breakfast. Breakfast was immediate after he pooped. Them the next stool was the last in the poop thread. A little chunk of solid with very liquid. And the only other poop this evening 1/4cup all liquids.

" I was so excited to do this for him. Now I'm just afraid if I continue it won't resolve. Do you think this should be the end of the road for raw for him?"

Good, I'm relieved that you're an RN. :-)

I honestly doubt that this is a simple raw-switch thing.

However, you don't want to continue the switch now under these circumstances. You want him back to a history of perfect poops, and a diagnosis about what caused this.

I betcha you are going to one day feed raw very successfully ..... just not right now. Even if you start with THK (easily and cheaply shipped even if it's not local; it's lightweight) with RMBs added and switch gradually to full-on raw ..... Or maybe a peeled-backs start with a careful step-by-step move to a full raw diet.

" .... he did not have any upset or loose stools before the switch."



I meant the runny poops on fish oil at normal dose.

"So pre-raw start he got 1/4 of a 1000mg Fish Oil cap breakfast and 1/4 a fish oil cap on dinner. Any more than that was a GI upset."

Oh yes. Of course the oil. Silly me.

I wouldn't dream of continuing as is. I absolutely want to know he is better.

I don't know much about feeding THK w meaty bones. Or the peel back method. Do you have any threads to direct me to? I like to do lots of reading before I do anything new.

By peeled backs, I'd guess she means peeling the skin off of chicken backs.

This has more info on feeding THK with adding other meats.
http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/products/learn/how-to-feed/

Well, THK has instructions on the package for how much add-in you can use without upsetting the calcium-phosphorus ratio, and the add-in can be RMBs if you like, making it a good bridge to raw.

About backs: chicken backs have easily-digested cartilage-y bones that are especially great for a new-to-raw pup, and they are also not a slidy-down-whole item like necks are to some dogs. When the pup has some GI quirks (or even if not), then we usually recommend that the first few days are peeled backs (the fatty skin removed), and the skin gradually left on as you watch the poops.

Yes, I can definitely dig up some good threads for you. Possibly tonight .... more likely tomorrow.

You'll be happy to hear that this is an extremely knowledgeable raw-feeding board with lots of long-experienced folks.

And I'm relieved that you're an RN. I hope everything resolves tonight. Let us know!

Thank you for all your help and kind words. I will certainly keep you posted on him.

One last question for whenever you post again. Out of the offered THK kinds, would you recommend one over the other for large breed puppies? I haven't looked through it enough yet and maybe can answer my own question when I have mote time to dive into reading. But as knowledge as you are I figured you would have an answer

"Out of the offered THK kinds, would you recommend one over the other for large breed puppies?"



Embark, Thrive, and Love are all formulated to meet puppy calcium needs.

Embark and Love are grain-free, and Thrive is low-carb (and the carb is a very good one, quinoa).

Embark is a very popular puppy formula, but I have no problem with any of the them.