# I Switched to Raw From Kibble



## Dawg (Jun 21, 2014)

She had always gotten a mix of cooked chicken and kibble, we started with Applaws and after trying a few, ended up staying with Acana. The kibble itself is great, so if any of you are undecided on it, I definitely recommend it. Yesterday, I decided to switch to raw, our working hours are long and the breaks we can get to squeeze in a visit or two home to take care of the dogs are quite short. So lately it had been really tricky to keep cooked meat at hand and I felt bad. I had already read up on raw diets, still, I double checked the safety of it, according to multiple websites I checked out as long as the bone is not cooked it is safe. So far she has been well, except for this morning when she puked a piece of bone and it freaked me a bit.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

There might be some icky poop(as you add organs--can be to rich for some dogs) and vomit. 

What kind of bone are you giving?


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## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

Good for you!!!!! AND so good for your dog! :happyboogie:

Just make sure that the % of muscle meat, organs, and bones are correct to provide a well balanced diet.

Moms


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## Dawg (Jun 21, 2014)

llombardo said:


> There might be some icky poop(as you add organs--can be to rich for some dogs) and vomit.
> 
> What kind of bone are you giving?


It's chicken, either chicken legs or wings.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

"So far she has been well, except for this morning when she puked a piece of bone and it freaked me a bit."

what is your bone ? 

it is not unusual for a dog transitioning from kibble to raw to a have a few initial issues with digesting bone.

the pH , hydrochloric acid , of the stomach has to adjust --- adding digestive enzymes will help 

hope raw works for you --- you'll get lots of support from experienced forum members.


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## Dawg (Jun 21, 2014)

carmspack said:


> "So far she has been well, except for this morning when she puked a piece of bone and it freaked me a bit."
> 
> what is your bone ?
> 
> ...


Chicken legs/wings.


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## CatChandler (Jul 25, 2016)

Dawg said:


> Chicken legs/wings.


I don't feed raw, but I did read up on it before and I think you are feeding too-small pieces to your dog. Larger dogs should have larger bones to reduce risk of choking etc. (I just double checked on rawfed.com)


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## Dawg (Jun 21, 2014)

CatChandler said:


> I don't feed raw, but I did read up on it before and I think you are feeding too-small pieces to your dog. Larger dogs should have larger bones to reduce risk of choking etc. (I just double checked on rawfed.com)


It could be, but I decided not to go big and far from her diet, so I could gradually introduce other types.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

CatChandler said:


> I don't feed raw, but I did read up on it before and I think you are feeding too-small pieces to your dog. Larger dogs should have larger bones to reduce risk of choking etc. (I just double checked on rawfed.com)


no they shouldn't.

We are not talking about weight bearing bones from mature animals.

My 8 week old puppies devour chicken legs - but they are prepared for the diet as this is the diet of their maternal ancestors for generations. They are endowed with the right gut flora from birth.

Others might need a bit of a preparation.

They are supposed to consume the bone. No recreational bones that chip teeth. '

My adult guys think a whole sheep head is a treat . It disappears -- never a problem .


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## CatChandler (Jul 25, 2016)

carmspack said:


> no they shouldn't.
> 
> We are not talking about weight bearing bones from mature animals.
> [...]
> They are supposed to consume the bone. No recreational bones that chip teeth. '


Plenty of resources support that large dogs shouldn't have chicken wings, the body part to which I was referring.

"Chicken leg quarters are typically recommended for larger dogs, while wings or necks would be better suited for smaller dogs. Larger dogs have a greater chance of trying to gulp smaller things like wings or necks, which can be a choking hazard." -A Simple Guide to Switching to Homemade Raw, from therawfeedingcommunity.com

"Yes, problems can occur with raw bones, just as problems can occur with feeding the "safer" kibble (bloat, choking, telescoping bowel, aspirated kibble leading to pneumonia, etc.). These problems typically occur in dogs that gulp their food or are fed small things like chicken wings and necks (the prime suspects of choking incidences on raw)." -Myths About Raw Bones, rawfed.com

"For very small dogs (toy breeds) and cats, raw chicken necks and chicken wings do a great job. The concern with feeding large breed dogs and puppies small bones like chicken necks is that they could swallow them whole, so it is recommended that you supervise while your pet is eating these.." - Feeding Raw Bones to Your Cat or Dog, vetwest.com

*shrug*


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

dogs WOLF down their food. 
A GSD should have no trouble .


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## Dawg (Jun 21, 2014)

So far so good, hopefully it continues.


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## nanu (Mar 5, 2009)

posting because I am on this today and only today
I greatly appreciate those who feed raw for its concept of improved health and nutrition, please know that there are the difficulties with a raw diet too.
1. bones are just that and not a well digested item to feed - someone somewhere, sometime will get impacted or injured gut. 
2. really balancing the diet with vitamins and minerals is difficult unless a supplement is used to fill in any potential gaps.

some years ago, Columbia U did a random study on raw feeders and were not able to find any that were able to provide a true daily balanced diet. So, think through, get some advice from an animal nutritionist who also has a passion for feeding healthful foods. 

Cheers
Nancy Rhynard


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