Ana, I give you all the credit for staying in tune with your dog and knowing that she was still not well. I am a bit surprised that the vet didn't see it right away, but maybe it wasn't as apparent.
It seems like the signs are all there, but the important thing is
you were your dogs best advocate!
I am so happy for you that she is getting better.

That is what I love about this forum, I learn something new every single day.

Tracy thanks for the info about the pork neck bones. I was thinking that those big ones wouldn't work.
I wish my dogs were able to consume those neck bones, but they are just way too hard for my two. Either that or they are lazy!
Seriously that grinder is the bomb though.

Got an email back from UCD Nutrition Support Services. Somehow I am not very hopeful. Their website mentions "home-cooked recipes" and commercial products but not raw. I asked them if they support raw. We'll see.

Hi Ana,

Based upon the memo from the Delta Society that came out yesterday, and their reference to UC Davis within it, I do not think you're going to get raw diet support from that source.

http://www.deltasociety.org/Page.aspx?pid=638

Sorry. Hope Connie is getting stronger every day.

Meredith

Hi Meredith, the link goes to home page that asks to login. What does the memo say?

The good thing is we know exactly what caused the MT and it wasn't any part of raw diet Connie stole a whole tray of roasted banana squash I left to cool on the stove and forgot there. She ate the whole thing - 2 large peeled and cleaned squashes cut into 1/2" cubes (+3 cloves garlic + 2 Tbs olive oil+pinch salt). Watched her try to get to the same tray in the same location many times and would have sworn she can't get to it. Won't be leaving any food there anymore.

I am mainly worried about gas - it was gas accumulated in small intestine that caused the twist. Raw diet is supposed to produce less gas so it should be fine. What about RMBs, though? Even ground bone could theoretically irritate the bowel. OTOH, Connie never had problems with bones, if the chunk is too large to digest she vomits it back. Won't be feeding her large bones. I haven't noticed any bone fragments in her poop for months now. Would the intestine be somehow damaged from MT to make digestion of bones more difficult or does it heal completely after MT?

Raw diet is very difficult to discuss with a vet. "You are risking your dog's life" is the usual answer. Most vets are not willing to help with raw so I cannot take their advice.

Before grinding was our way of life, I used to find the occasional bit of undigested bone in poop (which I never worried about.) But now, there's nothing. The product that comes out of the grinder is fine enough that it has no discenrnible bits of bone--it is a homogeneous hamburger consistency. The ground bone is, I'm sure, quickly dissolved as soon as it hits stomach acid. RMBs for us are generally chicken, turkey, duck or fish, so the bones are pretty soft anyway. I cannot imagine that this food is any harder on the bowel than soft canned dog food would be.

We still have the nice firm solid poops that all raw-fed dogs have, just never any bits of bone.

Interesting. The link is now dead.

Basically, the Delta Society (of whom Purina is the main sponsor) said that you have 30 days to get your dog off a raw protein diet or you can quit doing therapy visits on their behalf. The concern was that dogs fed a raw protein diet shed pathogens. Referred questions about what to feed to a memo from UC Davis.

Stated that any kibble diet passing AAFCO diet guidelines would be fine.

Glad I never hooked up with the Delta Socitey, myself.

Shed pathogens? How very interesting.

Haven't heard back from them yet. Anyway, Connie will have to stay on bland diet till she is off Pepcid AC. I don't think I'll be mixing cooked and raw, will just switch, no large bones, only chicken necks/backs for a while. Her teeth badly need brushing and were perfectly clean on raw.

eta: I guess I shouldn't be visiting their patients either after eating oysters, sashimi, bloody burgers and steak tartare. Do their nurses ever eat bloody burgers or is it "well done" for life?

I have only experience to offer with the teeth. I purchased the human equivalent of PetzLife. It is available at Petsmart, but I ordered mine online. I wanted to try their F'rst Defenz for myself. I've used it for a few weeks and so far like it a lot.

I wonder if the Delta Society allows therapy dogs that eat poop?

Wouldn't want to be the screener.

Although, maybe this is our moneymaking product idea: poo breathalyzer tests. Think of the marketing schemes!