# Raw and Diarrhea :(



## Shaina (Apr 2, 2011)

:help:

Ive been slowly switching to raw over the past month. I started out with chicken necks, chicken gizzards/hearts, eggs, and beef liver along with some fish. We seemed to be doing ok, and last week I switched to just raw. I bought chicken backs, quarters, anchovies, and I still have chicken hearts/gizzards.

Both of my dogs have had explosive diarrhea for the past week. Im not sure what I am doing wrong but I cant keep this up if I have to keep coming home to poopy kennels, not to mention Im sure my pups are tired of having liquid poo.

I need advice. What is causing this? Am I not going slow enough into backs/quarters? Please help me! Ill admit I dont have a diet planned out - I'm kind of just feeding them as I see fit. Generally they each get two chicken backs a day, or one quarter each all day, plus an egg or anchovies and liver every few days. I know livers are rich and to avoid doing those too frequently.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

How much liver? Too much OM can cause runny poo. ARe you giving digestive enzymes/probiotics? I would add in fresh(frozen) green tripe and back off the anchovies and eggs. I give my dogs hard boiled eggs instead of raw, as I've found sometimes the raw egg doesn't always agree with them(we have chickens, so eggs are supplemented often) 
The consistency of what you are feeding may be playing into it. I try to give a balance of meat~50%/bone~45% and organ~5% per meal, and it works for all three of my dogs.
If a dog digests soft food one meal, then a bony meal next it will stress the system, IMO. 

Green tripe is excellent with natural digestive enzymes so adding that during transitioning is important.


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## Shaina (Apr 2, 2011)

Wheres the best place to pick up tripe? I am having a really hard time finding meat shops that will cater to what I need, it's a bit frustrating. I had been giving them raw eggs for a few months before this and hadn't had any issues with them.

Theyve been getting a few chicken livers (two each) every couple of days.. is that too much? Also, Ive been giving the eggs/liver/hearts with the chicken backs, only the quarters are given by themselves usually because theyre so large.


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## vom Eisenherz (Feb 13, 2012)

Shaina, it may not be related if you've been switching over the past month. Also, w/Versailles' surgery, she's extra stressed, so it would be a great time for a protozoa to make itself known. I would be careful with skin/fat from the leg quarters, but if taking skin off and backing off organ doesn't fix them in a day, I'd consider another problem besides the food causing the diarrhea. I honestly have never had a dog w/explosive diarrhea from feeding raw.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

A 1/4 is a perfect meal portion if it contains the back as there is usually some organ meat attached to the back. But it is a big portion most often, so adding anything else will be too much.
I don't know what place in your area is best for tripe, but I'd try to find a source if possible. Turkey necks are what I try to go to for the RMB and add in some MM and a bit of OM. But cutting them in chunks is hard if you aren't use to doing so, you need to get in between vertibrae's and only give 1/3 to 1/2 depending on if it is a tom or a hen neck.
Try getting some turkey hearts too....many meat processors will sell such things in bulk.
And doing probi's/digestive enzymes or at least slippery elm bark 1/2 hour before feeding would be in the diet regiment. Add two opened caps to some plain yogurt to make a paste and give it to the dogs before you feed them.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Shaina said:


> Wheres the best place to pick up tripe? I am having a really hard time finding meat shops that will cater to what I need, it's a bit frustrating. I had been giving them raw eggs for a few months before this and hadn't had any issues with them.
> 
> Theyve been getting a few chicken livers (two each) every couple of days.. is that too much? Also, Ive been giving the eggs/liver/hearts with the chicken backs, only the quarters are given by themselves usually because theyre so large.


I have the same issues with tripe, I had to settle for it in a can from a doggie store that sells all natural, pre made raw, etc. I have to say that my dogs love the pre made raw and their poop is fine, but the minute I add any raw meat(chicken, liver,beef) the poop gets awful. Also mine are not very excited to get the raw. I can't find anything that all three like, this one likes this and the other two like that...Most of the time they smell it and walk the other way But they do like the pre made(mainly bison and beef), so I guess I'll stick with what works.


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## Shaina (Apr 2, 2011)

I can check out some of the natural places. Im moving back to Colorado soon so there's not a point in me stocking up in a bunch of stuff, and Ive gotta use the 20lbs of chicken backs I've got. They like it enough, and I want to continue it, I'm just not sure if this is going to work. I would agree it might just be a sensitive stomach because of the spay, but my lab has it worse than she does and both of them usually have iron stomachs when it comes to food.


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## rshkr (Feb 9, 2012)

it is impossible to find green tripe in a mom n' pops butcher shop, i was getting my tripe from a pet shop that sells it for $8+ per 2 lbs until i recently found a co-op. now i pay $1.40 per pound on tripe + .20 cents shipping per pound. a whole world of difference in price.

here's a link to the phoenix, az co-op
PhxBARF : Phoenix Bones & Raw Food Group

and this for the colorado co-op
ColoradoCARNIVORES : ColoradoCARNIVORES

hope this helps you.


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## Shaina (Apr 2, 2011)

Thank you for the links. I went ahead and took them to the vet today and got some metronidazole, along with going to Pet Club and picking up canned tripe as well as a pro-biotic. Hopefully they'll feel better soon.


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## GatorBytes (Jul 16, 2012)

Can you not get a frozen fresh from pet food stores that sell premade raw diets? I also concur w/digestive enzyme. Some (mine) are intolerant to fat - it's the hardest to digest...a pancreatin d-zyme will help hydrolize the fat and protein for better assimilation.


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