Jody, our 3 yr. old rescued GSD, is on her 3rd month on raw food and doing great. She was underweight when she first came to us so I fed her twice a day. I would like to start feeding her once a day, at around 3 or 4 pm. Is there any special way to make this transition besides just doing it? I typically feed her at 7am/6pm. I haven't fed her this morning and plan on feeding her this afternoon. Besides pleading eyes what differences should I expect going from 1 feeding to 2? Are there any pros and cons to this?
Going from 2 meals a day to 1 question
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Just do it. Random times is good but there is nothing wrong with a scheduled time. She MIGHT not eat the whole thing the first day or two but don't worry about it. She will soon adjust.
There are pros to feeding once a day. You you can feed larger items than you can when you are feeding twice. For example, you can now probably feed whole chickens. A whole large rabbit wouldn't be too large either. I know some people who feed every other day and a few who feed 2 or 3 times a week. Of course they feed very large meals. I also know some who feed very randomly. They may feed two meals today, one tomorrow, then skip a day, then one then skip another day. Just no pattern at all. Feeding once a day means your dog can eat enough to satisfy his hunger.
There are pros to feeding once a day. You you can feed larger items than you can when you are feeding twice. For example, you can now probably feed whole chickens. A whole large rabbit wouldn't be too large either. I know some people who feed every other day and a few who feed 2 or 3 times a week. Of course they feed very large meals. I also know some who feed very randomly. They may feed two meals today, one tomorrow, then skip a day, then one then skip another day. Just no pattern at all. Feeding once a day means your dog can eat enough to satisfy his hunger.
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I would say just do it as well.
I feed Flip twice per day because if I feed once he vomits bile. He's always been like this, it's a standard poodle issue (a spoo thing!).
I feed Jack our Cavalier King Charles pretty much whenever I feel like it. Once a day, twice a day, every other day, it depends on what I have on hand.
I feed Flip twice per day because if I feed once he vomits bile. He's always been like this, it's a standard poodle issue (a spoo thing!).
I feed Jack our Cavalier King Charles pretty much whenever I feel like it. Once a day, twice a day, every other day, it depends on what I have on hand.
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I'd say just go for it.
My Boxer had a really hard time going from three to two meals per day (she's a puppy) and started vomiting after each meal, sometimes two or three times.
What I did for her when just switching seemed to not sit well with her, is I fed breakfast as usual, and then lunch and dinner i slowly fed closer and closer together until i was feeding them at the same time to get her used to the bigger sized meals. It worked like a charm.
I kind of feed at set times, if "when I get up" and "when I eat dinner" can be considered set times. lol
My Boxer had a really hard time going from three to two meals per day (she's a puppy) and started vomiting after each meal, sometimes two or three times.
What I did for her when just switching seemed to not sit well with her, is I fed breakfast as usual, and then lunch and dinner i slowly fed closer and closer together until i was feeding them at the same time to get her used to the bigger sized meals. It worked like a charm.
I kind of feed at set times, if "when I get up" and "when I eat dinner" can be considered set times. lol
Thanks for the responses and encouragement! I fed Jody only 1 meal today around 2:30. She threw up yellow liquid, I think Bile, around noon. She ate her whole meal with no problems. Is this common to have Bile throw-up when doing this?
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The bile will be common until she gets used to the 1 feeding a day, her stomach acids are telling her it is time to eat and there was no food, so hence the bile.
Thats why some people never feed their dogs on a schedule so their stomachs don't produce the bile when they aren't fed at a certain time.
Thats why some people never feed their dogs on a schedule so their stomachs don't produce the bile when they aren't fed at a certain time.
I posted my response too soon. At around 9:30 pm last night, Jody vomited up all of her food. She had no interest in re-eating it so I think is beyond just eating too fast. I offered her food this morning and she is not interested either (she has never turned food down). I hear her tummy, it sounds like hunger pangs and not gas pains. Her last stool was yesterday around 3:00pm so I don't think it could be an obstruction. The only thing I am leaning towards is that we fertilized our grass and Friday and because of the snow melting it was wet yesterday. I'll be watchful with her today.
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I would just give her a break on the food and try offering it to her later. If she's hungry, she'll eat. I might try what Corgi said though and slowly move the 2 meals closer to each other until you can combine them into one.
Is it possible that she was fed too much at one time? I would also try feeding her the same amount that you were feeding in one meal and then slowly up it.
Don't be discouraged, and good luck!!! :smile:
Is it possible that she was fed too much at one time? I would also try feeding her the same amount that you were feeding in one meal and then slowly up it.
Don't be discouraged, and good luck!!! :smile:
Jody is definitely sick. I am sure this is unrelated to feeding her 1 meal yesterday. She has no interest in food and had thrown up a couple of times.
She is drinking though and urinating fine. I'm trying not to worry but we have never been through this before. Her tummy is not bloated and her gums look fine. I am going to be watchful today.
She is drinking though and urinating fine. I'm trying not to worry but we have never been through this before. Her tummy is not bloated and her gums look fine. I am going to be watchful today.
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Yeah, that sounds like something more than just a large meal. I've always heard that pepto works. Here's an article for some reference on dosage and such:
Bismuth Subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol®, Kaopectate®)
Good luck again on this new issue...:wink:
Dogs on a food schedule
Thats why some people never feed their dogs on a schedule so their stomachs don't produce the bile when they aren't fed at a certain time.[/QUOTE]
My dogs are on a pretty consistent food schedule and I’ve heard about producing bile when they’re not fed at that cretin time but what is that doing to my dogs? Do you know how it affects them? Maybe it would be good to get them off such a routine schedule? I’ll read more about it but if anyone knows more I would appreciate any tips.
I not only get the “puppy dog eyes” when its food time I sometimes get “puppy dog wines” lol
Thats why some people never feed their dogs on a schedule so their stomachs don't produce the bile when they aren't fed at a certain time.[/QUOTE]
My dogs are on a pretty consistent food schedule and I’ve heard about producing bile when they’re not fed at that cretin time but what is that doing to my dogs? Do you know how it affects them? Maybe it would be good to get them off such a routine schedule? I’ll read more about it but if anyone knows more I would appreciate any tips.
I not only get the “puppy dog eyes” when its food time I sometimes get “puppy dog wines” lol
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Does she have diarrhea as well?
She did not have diarrhea. I believe she ingested grass fertilizer/weed preventer when she ate her raw meal from the ground. (I forgot we had treated.) I fed her all of her food at once at 2:30 and at 9:30 pm. she vomited it all up. It had not been digested. Then, she continued to vomit a few more times. By 2:30 the next day she was fine but it scared me because she had never thrown up before or refused a meal. She is fine now. I learned a lesson!
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Yikes.
Glad she is ok.
Glad she is ok.
Taking pepcid is treating the symptom, not the root cause. Pharmaceutical companies make their product seam like the answer to the issue.
I did a lot of research on Aloe Vera and will find the document and post the data here. I am not sure if Aloe Vera inner leaf gel is relevant for dogs as it is to humans. Babies should not have access to Aloe Vera plants. Chewing the outer leaf is not ideal
That makes more sense to have stomach acid & other mucus coming out of the dog. Puking because of a lack of food does not.
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