# Raw Feeding Trouble Pooping



## KobraK9 (Jan 29, 2018)

Hello and sorry if this has been covered before.


I have been feeding my 4 year old German Shepherd raw meat for maybe a month now? And lately he has had trouble pooping. He tries (a little comes out) and he cry's sometimes while trying. Has me worried, but he has always been fine before.


I'm gonna try some pumpkin mixed in lots said that will help, any other recommendation's? 


Hes been having Perfectly Raw Chicken
(ground chicken bone in, cooked eggs, pork liver, pumpkin, sweet potato, carrots, alfalfa, parsley, broccoli, kelp, blueberries. NO Grain, Corn or Fillers. NO Hormones, Steroids or Preservatives}


Thanks for any help


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

If he didn't have any pooping issues before this, and you haven't changed his diet, I'd have the vet look at him. No reason for his elimination habits to change suddenly. 

Try the pumpkin first though - no harm in that, but I would think something else might be going on.


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## GandalfTheShepherd (May 1, 2017)

I'm no expert but our guy had trouble pooping when switched to raw as well, I blamed it on there not being enough fats/oil. If this is your own recipe you might not be including enough of these. As soon as I started adding a spoonful of safflower oil my guy wasn't constipated anymore.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

Are the poops dry and crumbly or soft? If the former then there is far too much bone in the mix. If the latter then often that is due to too much liver or all of the other extras that are added to the mix to provide bulk. 
@GandalfTheShepherd, you might try to find a different oil for your dog. Vegetable oils have no value for dogs.


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## GandalfTheShepherd (May 1, 2017)

lhczth said:


> Are the poops dry and crumbly or soft? If the former then there is far too much bone in the mix. If the latter then often that is due to too much liver or all of the other extras that are added to the mix to provide bulk.
> @GandalfTheShepherd, you might try to find a different oil for your dog. Vegetable oils have no value for dogs.


Our holistic vet recommended safflower for Gandalf since it's high in vitamin E and antioxidants, I would much prefer to give him fish oil but he's severely allergic. I've noticed a huge difference since starting him on it, his coat is shinier, he no longer is itchy and his poops aren't dry and crumbly anymore so I think it's working great for him :wink2:. I'd love to hear if you have any other suggestions but he can't tolerate any kind of fish.


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

What does his poop look like when it comes out? Like normal brown poop, or like dry white pellets?


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## e1701dlf (Mar 17, 2017)

By far the most likely reason for constipation on a raw diet is too much bone in the diet. My last dog could not tolerate much bone without becoming constipated. Zoey can handle more. Bone should be 10% of the diet, may 15%, but usually, no more. Too much whole chicken can do this because it is around 28-30% bone. It's also most dogs favorite food.


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