[RJD2]

Hello everyone,

I've been reading the posts thoroughly here for a couple of weeks now and I appreciate all of the information you've provided. I have a fairly long story in regard to raw feeding and my dog, but I'll just get to the bottom line for starters.

This is Augie's second time going on a raw diet (yes, second because I got frustrated the first time) and she has decided she doesn't like chicken leg quarters. Can you tell me the next best thing to feed her to start things back up? It doesn't seem like she minds the 'work' of eating, she just won't eat the leg quarters now. I could take a chance on turkey, but my gut reaction is that they (chicken and turkey) are too similar and maybe I should go with venison or pork. Any input would be appreciated.

She's currently moving back into raw slowly by eating the not-so-popular-with-anyone-including-me ground chicken patties. I'm figuring that she's at least getting acclimated to raw while I try to find something she will eat again.

Thanks!

 

[Jem]

I believe that people create picky eaters (not saying you have). But if you only offer what you want her to eat, eventually she should eat it. When she stopped eating the quarters, did you give her something else to eat right away? If you offer something and she doesn't eat it right away, take it away and don't offer anything else. At the next mealtime, offer that same "whatever" she refused earlier. Keep doing that until she eats it. Eventually, she will get hungry enough and eat it. If you keep offering other/new foods, she will become picky and only eat what she loves.

If she really truly won't eat quarters (which I doubt will be the case), I would maybe try chicken backs if you can get them? I wouldn't go to pork or venison, or even turkey yet. Those are all different, richer meats that could cause stomach upset. If you are really going to do raw, and stick with it then it normally takes a couple months at least for them to acclimate to it, before you can start adding in many new meat sources.

Try chicken, backs or quarters and keep feeding that for at least two weeks with solid stools and then you can start adding in turkey. If you stick with it, she should do just fine on it. Good luck!! Raw would be really great for a dog with diabetes!

 

[CorgiPaws]

This is Augie's second time going on a raw diet (yes, second because I got frustrated the first time) and she has decided she doesn't like chicken leg quarters.

Just stick with it. Picky eaters are created. Keep in mind she will not starve herself, and when she is hungry enough, she will eat whatever you give her. Chicken is the best thing to start raw on, and you don't want to get off on the wrong foot by offering someone too rich at firs that will cause digestive upset. Just remember to only offer the food for about 20 minutes, and then take it away, and put it in the fridge. no snacks or treats all day, and offer it again that night. Eventually, she will realize it's chicken or nothing, and when she's hungry enough, the chicken will be eaten in no time.

I could take a chance on turkey, but my gut reaction is that they (chicken and turkey) are too similar and maybe I should go with venison or pork. Any input would be appreciated.

I strongly suggest starting off on chicken, or maybe turkey, but you don't want to rush into the richer meats all at once.

She's currently moving back into raw slowly by eating the not-so-popular-with-anyone-including-me ground chicken patties. I'm figuring that she's at least getting acclimated to raw while I try to find something she will eat again.

Thanks!

I wouldn't waste time and money on those. They're very overpriced, and contain a lot of unnecessary ingredients. Use up what you have, and play tough love with the chicken quarters.


ETA: Raw is the best thing for any and every dog, but I feel it's totally and entirely the only diet even remotely acceptable for a diabetic dog. Cut those carbs!!

 

[JayJayisme]

I have nothing to add other than to echo what Jem and Linsey said because I think they are spot-on. But I do want to give props to you for giving raw another chance. Once Augie gets acclimated, a proper diet of raw meat, bones, and organs will change her life. Sadly, there is little in kibble that is actually good for a diabetic dog, and the decent ingredients are often overshadowed by the bad ones.

Don't give in to her picky eating habits. Once she gets over it, she will thank you in the end for getting her health back on track.

Jay

 

[RJD2]

Thanks for the feedback. I've been offering Augie the leg quarters for the past couple of days but she hasn't given in yet. I have been feeding her less canned food (Innova and Innova EVO 95% meat) and less food roll (from PetSmart) and more of the ground raw patties that I bought. This is now her 3rd day eating nothing except raw (just the patties though) and I'm starting to notice a change. She seems more alert again, is drinking less water and might be moving better too. Just this little bit of evidence of improved health is incredibly uplifting for me. She's my first dog and she's going to be 11 this summer. Her sudden decline in health a month ago was incredibly stressful to me, especially since it occurred once I took her off raw and put her back on kibble. I was really beating myself up over that. I thought it was the end for her and couldn't get over the fact that I screwed up the one thing that had been helping her (eating raw).

I plan to get some chicken backs in addition to the leg quarters and I will just keep trying. I'll write again about her progress. I haven't read any posts that specifically deal with the results of a dog going on a raw diet after being diagnosed with diabetes, so maybe this thread will document something positive. Has anyone heard of a dog with diabetes improving once they started eating raw?

Thanks again for your replies!
Ryan

 

[RJD2]

An update on Augie...

Yesterday she finally ripped into a legitimate piece of meet, a pork shoulder, and finished it off this morning. After she rejected chicken leg quarters and then turkey drumsticks for over a week, I gave in and switched to pork. I know that this is a richer meat and the advice was to start her on something like chicken, but she was only off of her raw diet for about a month (or a little less) so I decided to just give it a try thinking that maybe she's still conditioned to eat raw. She has also been eating some chicken hearts and I have seen no ill effects in her stool. From what I have read here and other places, the hearts are considered a muscle meat, not an organ. Would anyone agree? She really loves those and gobbles them up. I don't give those to her every day, just a handful here and there.

As you know I had been feeding her ground chicken and turkey patties with bone. I stopped feeding her that and I believe her hunger is what drove her to eat the pork shoulder. So thank you for the advice! I was worried that as a diabetic dog I was risking a lot by letting her get hungry enough to switch to raw. I need to do more homework on how to take care of a diabetic dog! She's also getting freeze dried liver treats now.

Things I have stopped feeding her:
- Ground, raw chicken and turkey patties with bone
- 1 can per day of Innova dog food (used as a vehicle for her supplements)
- Innova Biscuit treats

So she's on pork, chicken hearts, freeze dried liver treats and 'Vet's Best Aches & Pains for Dogs' tablets (2 per day). That's it. I plan to keep trying to work in the chicken and turkey and will eventually add chicken or pork liver in small amounts, similar to what I have read from posts in this forum.

Quick question: Do the freeze dried liver treats provide some organ food value? Should I be careful about how many of those I give her?

I know it's early, but overall, she's more alert, less bloated, and she's moving better.

Sorry for the long post! I appreciate your comments and the fact that this forum exists to provide advice. Thanks!

Ryan

 

[RawFedDogs]

From what I have read here and other places, the hearts are considered a muscle meat, not an organ. Would anyone agree?

Yes, heart is definately a muscle meat. Basically, all it is is a muscle or muscles that tighten and relax over and over again.

I was worried that as a diabetic dog I was risking a lot by letting her get hungry enough to switch to raw. I need to do more homework on how to take care of a diabetic dog! She's also getting freeze dried liver treats now.

I don't know what the ramafications are of fasting a diabetic dog.

So she's on pork, chicken hearts, freeze dried liver treats and 'Vet's Best Aches & Pains for Dogs' tablets (2 per day). That's it.

You need to figure out a way to get calcium in her. Maybe feed her a little pork along with some bone-in chicken or turkey?

Quick question: Do the freeze dried liver treats provide some organ food value?

Don't know.

Should I be careful about how many of those I give her?

Probably so.

 

[jenniferchgo]

Hi Ryan,

I have a 13 year old Lab with diabities was wondering how your dog is doing?

Jennifer

 

[RJD2]

Jennifer - Augie is regulated with her insulin, still eating raw and her health is good and stable. I'm not following the Prey Model diet because Augie was resisting it and my wife hated it. I'm feeding her ground raw chicken and turkey with bone but no vegetables. The ground turkey also contains heart and liver. I switch between the 2 types every 3 days. She also gets chicken hearts and beef liver. I scrapped the liquid glucosamine and liquid yucca extract and went with Vet's Best Aches and Pains because it has those two ingredients together. She's doing well on that. I hope to add beef kidney soon for another organ source and chicken feet as a snack for additional glucosamine. I can't imagine feeding her anything except raw. She's alert, happy and can get around the whole pond again on our walks. My sister's dog is also a lab of the same age and got diabetes about a month or 2 ago. She's eating kibble and hasn't gotten better after she started insulin. Good luck!