# Feeding organs



## Dejavu (Nov 11, 2010)

I'm just going to start adding organs to my dogs dinner tonight, chicken liver.
Well, except for my pup who is still on a bland boiled diet.

I'm going to add just a tiny bit (fingernail size) to each of their meals, hopefully they'll like it!

How often should I give it at the beginning? A tiny bit everyday or every other day?


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## Dejavu (Nov 11, 2010)

And just for the record, they all loved it! For a moment there I thought they were going to just sniff it and leave it aside. I'm glad that wasn't the case.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

You can give a bit at every meal as long as they are tolerating it. My dogs will eat it frozen vs thawed(same for fish) as the texture of thawed isn't what they like.

When I feed, I'd rather give a proportioned RMB/MM/OM meal so I know the poops are consistant. Now and then I don't have OM but try to give it every day.


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## Dejavu (Nov 11, 2010)

Thank you, Jane! So then once you start adding organs you continue doing it everyday in every meal, right?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

yep, like I wrote, I like to do the balance per meal, but many who feed raw will do it as a daily thing am~ RMB, pm~ MM/OM or whatever. 
Try to get as much variety as far as OM goes, too much of one type animal isn't good over a long stretch.


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## Dejavu (Nov 11, 2010)

I think I'll prefer doing it RMB/MM/OM every meal. Looks like it's easier to not mess up that way.

I'll keep that in mind and add other proteins and different kinds of OM eventually, thanks again!


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## Dejavu (Nov 11, 2010)

I added the same tiny bit of chicken liver to each of their meals this morning, and Lobo had semi-loose stools. I just gave everyone a tablespoon of pumpkin just in case!


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

I feed organ meat every day. It makes up 5% of the dogs daily intake.

Mainly liver (beef, deer and pork) but also kidneys and brains.


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## Dejavu (Nov 11, 2010)

Thanks, Lauri!! Your site is most helpful too, it helped me get a lot of info to get started on raw. 
Best of luck with the site upgrade!


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## atravis (Sep 24, 2008)

For the record, OM does not need to be given daily. 

Balance over time is the key here, not necessarily meal per meal (or even day per day). I only give organs once a week, in the correct proportion required for his weight on a weekly basis. Its MUCH easier this way for me. Measuring out each and ever meal would be a major hassle.

You do whatever works best for your and your dog. Mine have always done perfectly fine on one larger dose of OM per week.


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

atravis said:


> I only give organs once a week, in the correct proportion required for his weight on a weekly basis. Its MUCH easier this way for me. Measuring out each and ever meal would be a major hassle.


Since I have to measure out how much RMB and MM they get each day it's not that much more of a 'hassle' to spend another few seconds measuring out the 1 ounce of OM Mauser gets (or the .5 oz for Sasha or the .25 ozs for the little guys).


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## atravis (Sep 24, 2008)

And if that's what you do, and that works for you, that's fine.

Its a hassle to me to measure _anything_ every day. I measure out a week's portion, and just feed that out over the week. Meals are not EXACTLY the same weight every meal. Some days he gets he gets 1.5 lbs, some days he only gets one lb, then others maybe he gets a full 2 lbs. 

Again, balance over time is key.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I'd rather give a daily balance vs a weekly one. Dogs need balanced nutrition daily for proper nourishment and to keep the digestive tract working normally.
I know some do the no bones in meals, and then a meal of just RMB's...this does not help the digestive system~I'd rather keep the consisitancy per meal for smoother absorbtion and overall health.
I don't weigh out anything, just eyeball portions and try to keep the ratio's balanced.


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## atravis (Sep 24, 2008)

If the whole argument is that a raw diet comes as close to a "natural" diet as possible, then it is not "natural" for any animal to eat the exact same portions day in and day out, everyday, always.

Any sources you care to cite that says dogs _require_ a daily balance on raw in order to maintain optimal health? Other than the kibble-funded ones, of course, which I pay no mind too.

I can understand if your dog already has digestion issues. But for one that does not, I do not see this argument holding much ground. 

Besides, feeding whole prey, its hard to feed animals of the EXACT same weight every meal :thumbup:


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I don't care about exact weights, it is more about the balance of bone, meat & organ that is important to me. Dogs are not wolves, I don't let my dogs gorge then fast them either....I just want a consistancy as far as meals=poops. If the dog gets sick, the first thing that happens is barf or runny poops. 
As far as " citing sources" for my opinion, I don't have any that I can just link, it is over researching and what I feel is the best for my dogs. 

When new people reading these threads decide to feed raw, I hope they also will do their research so they can do the best by theirs too!


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

I'm not into the 'balance each day' but I can't see feeding Mauser 14 ounces of liver all at once and NOT having an exploding GSD to clean up after. 

And since I am feeding a large pack it would be more difficult to do things weekly. When I buy my food in bulk I bag it up into daily portions - about 3 pounds of RMBs and 3 pounds of MM. Organ meat I package into bi-weekly amounts and just keep the leftovers in the fridge until I'm ready to defrost another container.


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## atravis (Sep 24, 2008)

And I agree- there is no one way to do anything, and finding what works best for you and your dog is the most important thing.

Gorge/fast is not something I do personally, but know others that do with good results. I know Mulder would likely start bile vomiting if he missed more than one day of food, so I don't risk it. However, his poops/etc have always been very good on the non-rigid/non-daily feeding schedule I do.

ETA-
Half of the organ my dogs get come from the whole prey, which is already perfectly balanced and in need of no additional MM/bone supplementation.

However, I do always feed his non-prey OM meals with a bone-in cut of meat. He can handle without, but I like to keep the odds in my favor


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