[2dogs]

Lol...only on raw food forums does it seem that dog poop talk is acceptable! I have two dogs one has been on raw for about 10 months the other for about 8 (I got her as a rescue). The one that has been on the longest started off great, but is recently itchy all the time! No fleas, I flea comb, bath and treat regularly (she is allergic to fleas so I am worried she is picking them up somewhere). Poor dog...she is so itchy and her skin is inflamed. I don't really want to take her to the vet who will give her a steroid shot and maybe anti-biotics. Do you think it could be food related? I haven't changed what I feed.

The other dog has never had "raw" poops. She doesn't have diarreah, just soft poop. It doesn't turn white and powdery like the other dog's. She is healthy in every other way (shiny coat, lots of energy, great muscle tone, etc.), so again I wonder if it is food related.

Generally the get turkey or chicken and I throw in beef, lamb, duck and whatever else I can get a hold of. They are supplemented with fish oil. I also feed ground veggies which I realize isn't essential, but they like them as "treats." I feed eggs and yogurt as well. For awhile, I eliminated the eggs, yogurt and veggies to see if it helped and it did not (for either dog).

Am I missing something nutritionally?

Thanks!

 

[RawFedDogs]

Are you feeding whole animal parts, bones and all? What about organs? or are you feedin pre-made patties? How much do you feed and how often? If you feed whole animal parts, are they ground or fed in their natural condition?
I would cut out the veggies and yogurt and supplemental stuff until you get both dogs straightened out.

 

[2dogs]

Yes, I am feeding whole animal parts. They get organs a few times a week (usually beef livers and hearts). I buy ground turkey and chicken (bone in) and they get marrow bones as well. They each get about 3/4 to a pound in the morning and evening (medium sized dogs both around 40#).

I will try to cut out all supplements (again) and see if that helps. Thank you for your input.

 

[rannmiller]

If I were you, I'd go back to just whole chicken parts with the bone in until you get the pups straightened out. I've had to do this with my dog and after about a month he was all good again. You definitely need to cut out the yogurt, veggies, and supplements (preferably forever but at least till you get both dogs back on track). This way you can start from the beginning and do and by process of elimination, figure out if it really is diet that's causing the itchy skin problems or if it's something else.

For the soft stool dog, cutting out those extra things should definitely help, as well as cutting back on the amount of organs being fed. My dogs only get liver or another organ meat once a week at the most. Too much more than that and my little guy doesn't handle it as well. Organ meat and heart are both extremely rich and adding too much can definitely cause problems.

Also, are you feeding 3/4 lb per dog per meal, or per dog total for the day? Because if they're getting 1 1/2 lbs each total per day, that's probably too much for them and could also contribute to runny stools. Both of my dogs get approximately one pound of meat per day and they are 25 lbs (young and very active) and 40 lbs (a little older but still active with a slower metabolism). They maintain their weight beautifully on that amount and always have rock hard stools. Whenever they get too much, their stools are always a little softer the next day.

Also, has your itchy dog been exposed to any fertilizer, new plants, new furniture, carpet, etc recently? It could be an environmental factor causing the problem there as well. I would suggest adding canned fish in addition to fish oil to help the coat out even more.

 

[RawFedDogs]

I agree with everything rannmiller said. I think volume of food is one of your big problems. My dogs are in the 125-150lb range and they only get about a pound and a half of food a day. Too much food contributes to soft stools. Ground meat doesn't contribute a lot towards solid stools and too much organs can cause soft stools. BTW: Just for your information, heart is not an organ for our purposes. It is just a big ole muscle but it's very rich in nutrients and too much can cause a problem as well as too much liver. It looks like just a little tweeking and you are fine. :smile: I would definately drip the veggies and supplements until things are straightened out.

 

[whiteleo]

I notice that when I give my dogs marrow bones their poop always comes out a little soft and slimy that day! Just a thought. Good luck.............................................

 

[2dogs]

Thanks for all the input it is very helpful! I will tweak things tomorrow and cut out the supplements. I've been basing my raw feeding on Ian Billinghurst and Richard Pitcairn, but I am discovering there are different ways to feed raw.

I do think my itchy dog may have some sort of environmental allergies. I try to minimize things at home, using natural cleaners and such, but I took her for a walk the other day and almost instantly her skin was red. I'm thinking some kind of fertilizer. She hasn't been as itchy the last few days so am hoping she is on the mend.

I am really enjoying having a place to come and talk about my dogs and raw!

 

[RawFedDogs]

I've been basing my raw feeding on Ian Billinghurst and Richard Pitcairn, but I am discovering there are different ways to feed raw.

Both Ian and Richard base their books on reverse engineering kibble. They seem to pay little attention to a dog's physiology or nutritioal needs.

I do think my itchy dog may have some sort of environmental allergies.

If that's the case, no diet in the world will cure their problem but a prey model raw diet is by far the healthiest you can feed them. :smile:

 

[2dogs]

Both Ian and Richard base their books on reverse engineering kibble. They seem to pay little attention to a dog's physiology or nutritioal needs.

You may be right on that one! I contacted a representative from Ian Billinghurst's website once and they kept trying to sell me supplements. I didn't buy them though!