# After BLOAT - What to Feed???



## AniasGSDs (Oct 18, 2004)

As many of you know Gretchen bloated Thursday night..........

She'll be coming home soon, thank DOG!!!

The vet told me to feed her cooked chicken and rice. Ok, but that can't be very nutritious for very long. *Can I add anything to that so that she doesn't get malnourished?*

Also, the vet told me that when they opened Gretchen up her stomach was full of *huge bone chunks*. That night (7pm-ish) I fed her 1 chicken drum stick, beef heart, liver, and some re-hydrated carrots with water. On our walk she ate some grass and that was there too. 

I'm thinking that maybe the grass somehow interacted with the food and caused the bloat????????? But I've seen her eat grass before and she was fine. I don't know, I guess I could be guessing forever.........

So, now I'm *so nervous about what to feed her *once she is off the cooked chicken and rice. She is a gulper. She always eats very fast and she doesn't chew. <span style="color: #FF0000">*Please help me!!!!*</span>


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

How old is she? An adult dog can deal with a poor diet for a short time. Her digestive system needs a chance to recover so a bland diet would be what I would feed also (though I would probably avoid the rice). 

Can you feed her larger RMB and chunks of MM so she must chew?


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## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

I am no vet, but here is what I would do:

Begin with the cooked chicken and rice. Boiling is second best option, pressure-cooking is best as it keeps more nutrients and vitamins and minerals bio-available... but to use a pressure cooker, you need experience or someone with experience to guide you. Boiling will be fine. Add nothing to her chicken and rice (small, frequent meals, did the vet suggest?) for quite a few days.. just a gentle, nice, boring diet for now. Then, after she has been on just this for a few days, gradually add a slight handful from a can of peas and carrots. Think-- frequent, SMALL meals right now. The vet probably mentioned this?

When you do transition her to raw, keep with your plan of chicken for bones. They are softer and easier than turkey, etc. Instead of the dehydrated carrots with water added.. maybe very finely grate (just a small amount) fresh carrot *very finely* into her meal-- this is what I do with Grimm. "Grating finely" means it's kind of a gross glop as it oozes out of the teeny-tiny holes of the metal grater... so, absorbed a bit better than a chunk of raw carrot. 

Ania, you fed her a GREAT diet. Try not to worry so much. Other raw feeders will have much better ideas than I have. I just wanted to let you know that you and Gretchen are in my prayers!


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## WiscTiger (Sep 25, 2002)

Ania, this is very critical to not over tax you dog's digestive system. Chicken and rice (you need to cook with double the water) has more nutritiona value than many people thing. While it mayno be the most balanced she will be fine on it. 

Home cooked and 3 - 5 small meals a day. With my dog I talked about earlier, he went into the Vet weighing 130 lbs easy, when he came out he was under 100 lbs. For the first few days he could only have 1/4 cup of food per meal. So he got 5 - 6 melas a day until I could increase his food, which was done a tablespoon at a time. When you have her up to a good amount of food you can start adding things.

IMHO this is very critical that you are careful with the food. Yep the tummy nees to start digesting food, but the worse thing you can do is to over tax the system. In this situation, slow and steady wins the race.

Val


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Don't worry about nutrition. A dog can eat chicken and rice for quite a while and be just fine. Sweet potatoes are also nourishing and healing to the intestines. It's important to baby the digestive track and feed multiple small meals. After Chama bloated I made a kind of stew with with super cooked brown rice and pureed chicken and sweet potatoes. That worked really well for her.


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## AniasGSDs (Oct 18, 2004)

Oh, thanks so much. 

I'm cooking the chicken right now is a crock pot (I don't have a pressure cooker). I'll cook this all day. Once the chicken is cooked I'll remove the bones and discard. I'll add more water and brown rice and cook this until the rice becomes a mush. I'll cool it and feed it to her in very small meals though out the day.

Ania


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## AniasGSDs (Oct 18, 2004)

> Originally Posted By: lhczthHow old is she?


She's 5 y/o


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

After Ginger bloated, once she was done with the special diet I started her on Honest Kitchen which is a dehydrated food (you add water.)


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## AniasGSDs (Oct 18, 2004)

She's HOME!!!!!

Now WHAT?????? 

The vet told me to feed her 4 times a day, very small portions, cooked chicken & rice. 

Ok, how small is small??? Between 1/2 cup and 1 cup???? And the ratio of rice to chicken 3 to 1??? Is this right???? That much rice to so little chicken?????

Please verify!!!!!!


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## WiscTiger (Sep 25, 2002)

Small for a day or two is about 1/2 cup, IMHO 1 cup is too much for the first new days.

Don't sweat the details of how much chicken and how much rice. The important part is that she eats small meals and is able to digest what she is eating. I do about a 50 - 50 mixture, but if it one may or the other I don't worry about it.

Momma just relax, breath in and out. I know this is all frightening and new but just about any mixture will be fine. The amount per feeding is more important right now, you don't want to over do..

Val


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

I agree with Val. One half cup at a time to start. If she's starving you can always add another small meal. 

ETA: So glad she's home!


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## AniasGSDs (Oct 18, 2004)

Okie dokie! ;-)


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## AniasGSDs (Oct 18, 2004)

*X-Ray of Her Stomach - After BLOAT - What to Feed?*

Look what was in her stomach!!!!! 

This is terrible!!!! I knew she ate fast, but I had no idea that she just swallowed the bones whole!!!! I never saw any whole bones in her poop!!!!










Her stomach was so huge! She looked really, really pregnant. This picture just makes it more real!


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

*Re: X-Ray of Her Stomach - After BLOAT - What to Feed?*

You are very concientious about food. If you need to, you can get some of Evanger's canned chicken. All that is in it is organic chicken and well water. It is easily mixed with rice. It costs about $1.19 for a full sized can. 

I used it when Arwen had her teeth done. 

It is cooked in the can, so vaccume packed and no preservatives. 

I am so happy she is home. 

edited to add that the thighs have bones in it and I did NOT use those. Just the plain chicken.


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## AniasGSDs (Oct 18, 2004)

*Re: X-Ray of Her Stomach - After BLOAT - What to Feed?*

Alright, Gretchen has been eating 1/2 cup 4 x a day of the cooked chicken & rice, 50/50 mixture for 3 days now. 

She looks soooooooo skinny!

When can I start increasing the amount????

Thanks!


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## 3K9Mom (Jun 12, 2006)

*Re: X-Ray of Her Stomach - After BLOAT - What to Feed?*

I love Evangers. But you have to be really careful which food you buy. They have a chicken dinner. And they have a "chicken drummet dinner," which has pieces of intact bones. And as Sue points out, they also have the chicken thighs, where the bones are completely whole. Granted, the bones can be mashed down with a fork and not too much effort. But with a very delicate stomach, I would avoid bone entirely. 

The regular Chicken Dinner has veggies. Right now, I'd even avoid those. Keep the Evangers chicken dinner in mind for later. It's a great food. But let's start slowly.

For my dog with a super sensitive system (she had pancreatitis), I started with boiled chicken, rice, and boiled sweet potato, as Ruth suggests. It's been a month and we still do 3 (sometimes 4) smaller meals a day. 

Once healing looks like it's underway, you may be able to add some organic baby food (no salt, sugars or preservatives) to enhance nutrition. My girl still has a delicate GI system, and won't eat breakfast, so I feed her the chicken, rice, sweet potato (and now quinoa) for that meal. I add in a bit of veggies and fruits from baby food. These are highly palatable as well as having more nutrients left in them than if I cooked them up myself. 

As you can see, a lot of us have been through similar situations. We'll be here for you.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

*Re: X-Ray of Her Stomach - After BLOAT - What to Feed?*

I use the Evanger's plain organic chicken. It has no bone. It has no nothing else either -- cooked in the can. Comes out of the can really nice -- no bone at all. 

Then I go for the organic turkey meal with organic carrots and potatos, but that is for later.


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## AniasGSDs (Oct 18, 2004)

*How Much to Feed After BLOAT?*

Thanks for the info on the Evanger's chicken. I'll look into it.

What I need to know now is when can I *increase her food intake* from 1/2 cup 4 times a day. Today is day 4 post surgery.

She's looking really skinny and she's ravenous!!!!

She’s pooping and peeping and <u>she even got her ball</u> out of her toy box last night and started playing with it a little bit. 

*She’s a miracle!!!!!!!*








Thanks!


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

*Re: How Much to Feed After BLOAT?*

I think that the other thread had info from people who've been through bloating, which I have not. 

If I had to go with my gut, I would give her more small meals a day and increase the amount slowly. 

I am thinking that the stomach is now smaller, so it may be better to increase the frequency rather than the amount. 

But I have not been through this.


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## AniasGSDs (Oct 18, 2004)

*One Week After BLOAT, Can I Add RAW?*

I'm breathing a HUGE sigh of relief.................. 

Today is 7 days post surgery and Gretchen is doing wonderfully!!!!!!!!

Can I start feeding her RAW again? 

Thanks,

Ania


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

*Re: One Week After BLOAT, Can I Add RAW?*

Excellent news!


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## AniasGSDs (Oct 18, 2004)

*After BLOAT, When Can I Add RAW?*

Bumpydie bump!

How do I transition Gretchen from cooked to raw? 

She's now 10 days post surgery and is eating 1 cup 3 times a day of cooked rice and chicken. (She'll have her stiches out of Friday)

I guess, I would start her of with just MM? Do I add it to the rice and cooked chicken or feed it separately?

Please give me your in put.

Ania


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## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

*Re: After BLOAT, When Can I Add RAW?*

I would keep her on the homecooked goodies for a lil bit after she gets her stitches out, just to let her settle. Then, I would not mix the homecooked and raw in a meal, but eventually transition her to raw chicken. (stay with the same size meals for a while, too, the same amount and number of feedings per day, to start with) Start off with plane ole MM chicken, because she has had chicken. I would soon begin to use some chicken wings for the RMB. I would keep it to ONLY chicken, for a week or so. I would gradually then add some chicken OM like chicken liver. After a few weeks of successful chicken-only, I would then gradually start adding a little ground turkey in place of the chix MM, but keep the RMB a coupla chicken wings or chicken leg. Pretend you are transitioning from kibble-- go slowwwly.


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

*Re: After BLOAT, When Can I Add RAW?*

I am not an exclusive raw feeder and I use preprepared raw but I did start adding raw back into Chama's diet about a week after she bloated. In her case I mixed in the preprepared raw patties with her homemade food. She has always eaten a mix of raw and cooked without incident though.


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## AniasGSDs (Oct 18, 2004)

*Re: After BLOAT, When Can I Add RAW?*

Thanks Ladies! Will do! I'll talk to the vet about it too. 
I guess because she's acting like nothing ever happened (oh, how I wish....), I'm rushing things a little.


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## AniasGSDs (Oct 18, 2004)

*After BLOAT, 14% Body Mass Loss, Back on Raw*

Me Again.........









Full of questions, again..................









*Gretchen is going GREAT!* The staples are out and she is full of energy and her appetite is great. 

The not so good news is that *she lost 10lbs - 14% of her body mass and is skin and bones. * 

The vet told me to increase her food intake (she knows that I feed RAW, but is not very familiar with it) and to add cooked veggies to the raw meat. 

Right now I feed her *3 x a day about 8oz *(I was going 12oz. but quickly ran out of meat) of raw chicken, 1 raw egg (no shell) every other day, and a mixture of canned green bean, carrots, or spinach for about a *1 pound of food each feeding*. 

My questions:

Is this ok? Is this enough/too much???? She eats it in seconds and still seems hungry!

Before I added the veggies, her poops were fine, now they are a little loose.

What else can I add to the food? Giving her just the chicken is a P.I.T.A. (cutting the meat off the bone…… and its getting expensive….. Last night I cut up 10 pounds of chicken quarters and only got about 2.5 days worth of feedings!!!!! (Rorie will get some of the bones, but still that’s a lot!)

Can I give her some cottage cheese?

Can I give her Green Tripe?

*Help!!!*









Ania


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

*Re: After BLOAT, 14% Body Mass Loss, Back on Raw*

Yes to the tripe! And I don't understand how cooked veggies are going to do anything but make her poop more? And why cooked veggies?









Can you add an extra small meal? That's a safer way of increasing her intake.


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## AniasGSDs (Oct 18, 2004)

*Re: After BLOAT, 14% Body Mass Loss, Back on Raw*



> Originally Posted By: BowWowMeowYes to the tripe! And I don't understand how cooked veggies are going to do anything but make her poop more? And why cooked veggies?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I don't know ether..............

But is the amount per meal ok????? 12 - 16 oz seems like a lot...........


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## AniasGSDs (Oct 18, 2004)

*Re: After BLOAT, 14% Body Mass Loss, Back on Raw*

Can't really do more than 3 meals a day because I work during the day. She gets her morning meal around 6am, her dinner around 4pm, and her supper and 8pm. I know this isn't very evenly spaced out, but that's the best I can do right now....


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

*Re: After BLOAT, 14% Body Mass Loss, Back on Raw*

I can eat all of the green beans and spinach a day I want because their calories are considered negligible. They are nothing but filler for your dog. The carrots might add some calories. I haven't read this thread in awhile. How long do you have to feed boneless meat?


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

*Re: After BLOAT, 14% Body Mass Loss, Back on Raw*

Max had continual problems after his bloat. He dropped from about 83 pounds to 63 pounds. I was able to get him to about 68 stable, but he never regained weight until I treated with doxy. He now waivers between 74 and 78. I don't think he'll hit his high weight cuz he doesn't do well with a lot of fat, and he was getting grains at his top weight. 

For the gulping, I vote for smaller pieces, and gloppier is harder to gulp than discrete pieces. For Indy, I put her veggies and meat in the bowl, and then add water and mush it down so she has to work a bit to eat it. Otherwise she was swallowing her food whole. 

Increase in regular increments, like every 3 or 4 days. Feel her stomach and learn what her normal distension should be. 

Best of luck with this, you'll get there, you both are doing great!


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

*Re: After BLOAT, 14% Body Mass Loss, Back on Raw*

You could add a snack before bed. That's what I do. Mine get half of a raw patty each night before bed. 

And that does seem like a lot of veggies. Maybe it's just to make her feel full?


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## AniasGSDs (Oct 18, 2004)

*Re: After BLOAT, 14% Body Mass Loss, Back on Raw*



> Originally Posted By: lhczth How long do you have to feed boneless meat?


That I don't know. That's why I'm asking you guys. My vet doesn't feed RAW herself so she couldn't really tell me.......


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## AniasGSDs (Oct 18, 2004)

*Re: After BLOAT, 14% Body Mass Loss, Back on Raw*



> Originally Posted By: LisaTI was able to get him to about 68 stable, but he never regained weight until I treated with doxy.


What's "doxy?" Why was he unable to gain weight again? What is from the bloat itself or from the surgery?


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## AniasGSDs (Oct 18, 2004)

*Re: After BLOAT, 14% Body Mass Loss, Back on Raw*

*I'm still not sure <u>how much and what </u> I should be feeding her <u>in a day</u>.*

How many ounces of meat (chicken for now)? How much tripe? Or if I do veggies (which I probably won't now....) When can I add ground up bones? How many eggs a week? Cottage cheese? At what point can I add other meats? Organs?etc......

*Can someone, PLEASE give me a sample menu from which I can build on!!!!*

<u>Stats:</u>
Her normal weight is about 70lbs. She now weighs 60.6lbs. 

She is now 19 days post surgery.
She had about 20% of her stomach removed
She didn't have any other complications
She's otherwise healthy and was in good condition

Thank you so much!!!!


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## AniasGSDs (Oct 18, 2004)

*Re: After BLOAT, 14% Body Mass Loss, Back on Raw*


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

*Re: After BLOAT, 14% Body Mass Loss, Back on Raw*

Ania,

Can you get those grinds/chubs from Bravo or Primal? I've been getting the 10 pound ones from Bravo and it's only $16 for chicken. That way everything is in there already and you just have to figure out how much to feed. 

Also, what about adding something like quinoa or oatmeal for a little while to help with weight gain?


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## AniasGSDs (Oct 18, 2004)

*Re: After BLOAT, 14% Body Mass Loss, Back on Raw*

I'm actually looking into getting some pre-made RAW. 

I almost cut off my finger the other day cutting up the chicken for Gretchen................... ;-)

That dog is going to finish me....................... )))))))


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## Lynn_P (Mar 17, 2004)

*Re: After BLOAT, 14% Body Mass Loss, Back on Raw*

Ania, check out K-9 Kraving if you are going to look into pre-made raw. They are located in Baltimore City off of Bel Air Road, might be convenient. Give the owner a call and explain to him what's going on.


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## AniasGSDs (Oct 18, 2004)

*Re: After BLOAT, 14% Body Mass Loss, Back on Raw*

Already looked into it! Thanks!


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