# Raw Elimination Diet????



## rapnek74 (Mar 19, 2009)

We are having a lot of issues with Trauma and allergies. I want to try a raw elimination diet with Trauma but I have no clue where to start. Any information or location of information will be greatly appreciated. I would prefer to start with a beef diet instead of chicken. I would like to try something someone on here has tried or recommends than just something I can find on the internet. 

Thanks, 
Kenny


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

An elimination diet consists of a protein and carb that your dog has never eaten and I bet that your dog has had chicken and beef by this point. You put your dog on the new foods for a period of up to 8 weeks before adding one new ingredient at a time to see if he can handle them. 

Tula is on here somewhere and I believe she wrote up what she did when she did this a while back. Hopefully someone will have a link to it.


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## mspiker03 (Dec 7, 2006)

Raw Dog Ranch - Allergies

(I think I Posted that on a different thread of yours). Since most beef bones are more recreational, you might have to use pre-made raw at first. The advantage is the ease, but it does cost more. Then as you add meats like turkey and duck you can go off the pre mades and cut down on costs. Eventually, you can add chicken back in (once the itching stops) to see if that is the cause (or one of them). When we did our elimation diet (or, as Lauri says, inclusion diet) we started with just raw chicken (no carbs) - and the only treats they were given were chicken based. Then, after we noticed a decrease in the itching (about 4 weeks) we added beef for another 2-3 weeks. No reaction...then I think we added Salmon oil at that point. But, each new ingredient we added we waited a couple of weeks to make sure everything was ok.

Good luck!

ETA: if you go with premade...make sure to find one that is just meat and bones...some of them have veggies and other goodies.


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## rapnek74 (Mar 19, 2009)

I feel Trauma may be allergic to chicken... This is due to the scratching getting worse when we changed over to TOTW that included chicken several months ago. We don't know for sure if he is. Right now we are feeding EVO Red Meat. I am hoping it's not the meat (of any kind) that is causing the itching... even with the chicken based food we were feeding.... and it's one of the fillers that all commercial dog food contains. 

I looked over the website that you suggested above. Thanks for the link. My main question is... Can I only feed him a diet of meat for a period of time with no adverse effects to his health? If that's possible, that is what I would like to try. If not then I would assume I need to add a carb? Is there a meat that would be better to start with? Thanks for the replies.


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## mspiker03 (Dec 7, 2006)

I think I would still add back chicken (down the line) into the diet to see if it really is chicken or if it was something else (if this is the route you want to go). But that is just me.

I would look at the other pages in Lauri's site that I linked to above and learn about a raw diet. I would also start skimming all the threads in this section, especially the sticky with "our dogs Menus" and the Raw links one. There are also a lot of good books on raw diets as well. I've seen lots of people recommend Dr. Billinghursts "Give your dog a bone." I really don't think that my dogs need carbs - they do just fine on an all meat diet. They do get a little carbs, but nothing significant. You could feed green tripe, but I really wouldn't recommend that as something you want to keep in the fridge - it is more of a freezer type of thing (unless you get the canned stuff). But, I think that is getting ahead of the game. 

First would be to research a raw diet. Second would be to pick one protein source and stick with that for a couple of weeks.


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## rapnek74 (Mar 19, 2009)

Thanks. I only have about a week or so of kibble food left so I better get busy.


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

kenpar74 said:


> We are having a lot of issues with Trauma and allergies. I want to try a raw elimination diet with Trauma but I have no clue where to start.


What you are going to be doing is what I call an 'inclusion' diet.

Start with one protein, give it a couple weeks then if there are no problems add in one more protein.

During the beginning of this you feed NOTHING else. No supplements, no treats (unless you cut up pieces of the meats you are feeding and use those), no nothing - just that single protein.



> I would prefer to start with a beef diet instead of chicken.


Any reason why? If it's based on reactions to chicken-based kibbles, I wouldn't worry about it. The chances of a dog being allergic to the protein source in a kibble versus the dozens of other ingredients is slim.

Chicken is the easiest to find, cheaper and easier to feed. Beef tends to be harder to find, more expensive and the RMBs are much harder.


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## rjvamp (Aug 23, 2008)

For our raw meals we use chicken quarters from wal-mart  Pilgrims pride - inexpensive and about 16 oz per chicken quarter in their 4 lb container. Target has some that are around 10 - 12 oz each. Make sure you don't cut the bone out - let your dog eat the bone and meat al together.


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## rapnek74 (Mar 19, 2009)

Thanks guys. Guess I need to get to researching prices to see where I can get the best deal. Wish I had more freezer space.


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## rapnek74 (Mar 19, 2009)

Trauma got his first raw meal this morning. We picked up some chicken quarters from Sam's Club and he ate all but maybe 10-15% of it. It took him a while to figure out what he was going to do with it. He walked around with it for a while like he was going to try to bury it so when he dropped it the last time I picked it up and got rid of it. It was covered in grass and Susie was outside so I threw it away. Next time I'll stick it in a zip-lock for later.


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## mspiker03 (Dec 7, 2006)

Make sure you buy a kitchen scale!!


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## rapnek74 (Mar 19, 2009)

I forgot to get the scale when I went to town today. So far today he has had a chicken quarter that was probably 14 or so ounces and a boneless chicken breast that may have been 6. It's going to be an ongoing process of figuring out what amount to feed him. At his present weight of 69 pounds, he eats less than one pound of EVO a day. The chicken breast didn't last anytime.


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## Vinnie (Sep 4, 2001)

Elaine said:


> Tula is on here somewhere and I believe she wrote up what she did when she did this a while back. Hopefully someone will have a link to it.


Elaine do you mean this from Tula's website?

Allergies

Go down to the area where she's talking about Food Allergies.


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## mspiker03 (Dec 7, 2006)

It will be trial and error to figure out how much to feed. The general rule is 2-3% of the adult weight (expected adult weight for pups). I would make sure to watch the poop and see how that is...too hard - add more MM; too soft - add more bone. If it is really soft, you may be over feeding. Some dogs have an adjustment period when switching to raw as well, so that can cause some loose stools. Also, make sure to feel your dogs ribs to see if he is gaining too much or if he has lost too much weight. I would definitely pick up a scale as soon as possible - this will help you figure out how to adjust if you are feeding too much/too little. Good luck!


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

Vinnie said:


> Elaine do you mean this from Tula's website?
> 
> Allergies
> 
> Go down to the area where she's talking about Food Allergies.


Yes, that's the link. Thanks for finding it for me.


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