# zuzu-sudden aversion to raw???



## lucymom (Jan 2, 2009)

Zuzu has been on raw since Thanksgiving, and she wholeheartedly adopted the switch from Wellness grain free, never leaves a drop of anything behind. Started with all chicken, then worked in turkey, beef heart, had some elk from a friend, occasional ground beef or other beef on sale.

Last night, she and Aik ate their dinner...chicken quarters and ground beef I had just purchased. She was her active, fun self. Then at bedtime, she refused a snack of the ground beef--I was hiding some of Aik's pills in it and offered her some. She was not remotely interested. 

What she happily ate were some Iam's biscuits as a snack. 

This morning, I gave them the same thing--chicken, ground beef, with the usual veggies, yogurt and fish oil ( I think I had dry cereal!!) She ignored her food but acted fine, went to play with the pup next door. Upon her return, I put her in her crate with her food, she backed away.

I came home at lunch, offered her the food again, she had no interest. Then I put a bowl of kibble down for her, not even her Wellness, but some Canidae left over from Aik. She gobbled it down and then had some biscuits. I gave her just a couple of handfuls.

Tonight...she ignores her dinner. She seems particularly put off by the beef and finally chewed a bit on a chicken quarter, but didn't finish it. Aik ate his and was very happy with it and was looking hopefully over at Zuzu's food in case I offered it to him.

I've been checking for any indications in her...output...that she is sick, but I haven't found any deposits, and she sometimes likes the privacy of the woods. It's so dark here by five that poop hunting may be a lost cause. I have not seen her poop when we go out for a walk.

Any thoughts? Aik is eating the same thing and is fine. She is not vomiting, not asking to go out for extra trips, and is active, she just seems disinterested, almost put off by the raw.

Help!!

Thank you.


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## Zoeys mom (Jan 23, 2010)

Sometimes they just want something different. Maybe mix a little raw in her kibble and gradually increase back to full raw?


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## lucymom (Jan 2, 2009)

Hey Danielle, I wish I could read her fuzzy little mind! I have heard that kibble and raw should not be mixed in one meal, as they digest at different rates. The kibble slows down the digestion of the raw, which increases potential problems with the raw....it sits in their tummies and any salmonella or such can become a problem. Or something of that ilk, I'm not that educated about it. I'd love some input!


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## Zoeys mom (Jan 23, 2010)

I don't do raw personally, but if it were mostly kibble with very little raw (3 tablespoons to start) increased each week while decreasing kibble maybe...Extra exercise to increase metabolism? At my old vet clinic owners experienced this regularily and we just told them to give the kibble and gradually go back if raw was the diet of the owners choice. I would think the digestion of raw meat is slower anyway being proteins aren't fully digested in the stomach taking longer than carbs. I'm no raw expert at all though


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## lucymom (Jan 2, 2009)

I will give that a try, I'm not sure if she's suddenly tired of it or is not feeling that great. Thanks for the info.


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## BJDimock (Sep 14, 2008)

Jen, is she spayed yet?
Has she gone into heat yet?


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## lucymom (Jan 2, 2009)

Not spayed, she is nine months old and I'm keeping an eye out for the first heat. Do you think this could be a factor? Does she have...*gulp*....puppy PMS???


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## BJDimock (Sep 14, 2008)

She could.
My girls start decreasing or missing meals before their heat cycle. (up to a month before hand.)
If she is acting normally, I wouldn't get too concerned. If she chooses to walk away from breakfast, just put it in the fridge and offer it for lunch or dinner.


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## LadyHawk (Jan 19, 2005)

> Originally Posted By: JenniferDNot spayed, she is nine months old and I'm keeping an eye out for the first heat. Do you think this could be a factor? Does she have...*gulp*....puppy PMS???



WOAH yeah- that can do it! 
Puppy PMS








that would make her a bitchybitch.







a moody broodie








a dram dam!









Oooh ooh I cracked myself up!


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## lucymom (Jan 2, 2009)

This is a huge relief! Makes sense! I wish I lost my appetite during my heat!


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## BJDimock (Sep 14, 2008)

No kidding.....








My body goes into starvation mode......


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## lucymom (Jan 2, 2009)

Oh Dear Kate.....you are the queen of hormonal alliteration! Well done! 

Well, this has been very stressful and I've been worried about her, so I think I'll feed what I know will be lapped right up....some Ben and Jerrys.

FOR ME, not her, I'm not totally nuts.

Jess, I envy your appetite-loss during "that special time." I usually want to eat a moose, but only after I bitch it out and wrestle it to the ground myself.....


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

Yeah me too, put some tabasco sauce and cheese on that moose. Before or after I take it down, doesn't matter either way!


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

I just had a thread on Stark about not eating his meals - he is 9 months too.

Could be a age/growth thing?

Lately (the past 2 weeks) he has been a eating machine, so he must be growing/filling out now because he is licking his bowl clean!

Definitely making up for his not eating. That last a good month or so.


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## lucymom (Jan 2, 2009)

Funny you should mention that Elizabeth, I took just a few minutes to scroll through some old posts and found your comment about Stark being bored with his food and taking a liking to expensive lamb!! I would expect a gentleman of his quality to have highbrow tastes, but for your budget's sake, I hope he's come back down to earth!

Thank you for the input, she may be having a teenage phase.


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## BJDimock (Sep 14, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: JenniferDOh Dear Kate.....you are the queen of hormonal alliteration! Well done!
> 
> Well, this has been very stressful and I've been worried about her, so I think I'll feed what I know will be lapped right up....some Ben and Jerrys.
> 
> ...


Oh No....... By Starvation Mode, I mean that my body suddenly assumes that I will never feed it again past whatever food is presently in front of it.
I have gained more than 5 pounds during this soo "special" time......


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## natalie559 (Feb 4, 2005)

> Originally Posted By: JenniferDchicken quarters and ground beef I had just purchased


My first thought since the change was so sudden was that maybe she knows something about that food that you don't? Different batch, different supplier. . .


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## lucymom (Jan 2, 2009)

I was wondering if the ground beef was off, but Aik gobbled it down. I am leaning towards the "in heat" theory as I took her out at lunch and local female dog friend was suddenly very aggressive towards her, I wonder if she's giving off the scent.

Jess. Sorry to misunderstand. Maybe the New England Contingent should have monthly "get togethers" at the old Country Buffet!


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## rjvamp (Aug 23, 2008)

Cotton did that last night too - she wouldn't eat her chicken wings. Angeles and Louis had no problem with the chicken. She ate some Orijen kibble that I put out early that morning - see my "as an FYI below" - just a few minutes later.

As an FYI - in the AM meal I tried to feed some chicken and didn't smell it too good...no one would eat it, so I picked it up (I had been in a hurry earlier) and smelled. It was going bad. So I threw it out and got fresh that night. Do you think she could have still smelled that "bad" smell and thought "I'm not eating bad chicken!"?


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## GrandJan (Aug 11, 2006)

Dogs go through trash cans that have stuff left in them for weeks. I never throw out meat - even if it is past it's smell-test time.

It could be whatever your chicken was packed in. Some packages have water added that a lot of the time is brined some way. Try rinsing your chicken first, or even adding a touch of garlic powder or parmesan cheese to give it a different flavor.

Different shipments of the same product does not guarantee the meat was raised and/or packed the same way.


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

> Originally Posted By: JenniferDI was wondering if the ground beef was off, but Aik gobbled it down.


One dogs gourmet item is another dogs No-Thank-You!

Sasha LOVES fish - any kind, fresh or ripe - doesn't matter.

Mauser will not eat fish - even very fresh fish. He takes the pieces out of his bowl, goes into the other room and then lays there with it and guards it from the other dogs. HE doesn't want it but doesn't want to give it up.


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## lucymom (Jan 2, 2009)

By the way, I do indeed need a new supplier. my mean man is a perv. He has made it clear that he will keep my dogs in chicken breasts and thighs if I return the favor....EEEWWWWW!!!!!!!!

I wonder if I can talk the dogs in to going vegan????


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## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

I'll have supplier info tomorrow, Jen. I spoke with them today, will know more on pricing tomorrow morning. They're checking market price for quarters. I'm thinking, Quarters & turkey hearts. I'll let you know tomorrow!

What color sassy-pants britches ya gonna get for Zuzu?


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## Amaruq (Aug 29, 2001)

She could very well not like the particular batch of one or the other. Poor Rayne is my ONLY finicky eater. She seems to have become "intolerant of fish" (yes, I sat her down and had the whole politically correct discussion with her- jk). She used to do fine and LOVE canned fish- sardines, mackerel or salmon. I splurged and bought them some canned salmon last week. Less than 15 minutes after eating it she puked it up....outside.....on the ice.... would NOT come back in and I had my slippers on.... tried to get out and nearly went down........<sigh>. Apparently she can handle twice eaten salmon just fine.
















Then last weekend I was able to get them some ground rabbit, ALL AMERICAN rabbits, for a really reasonable rate..... ground so that was a plus for the seniors. Keyzah thought she was in paradise with ground Bugsy AND her fav duck hearts in the very same bowl! Rayne scarfed her her duck hearts but I tell you she looked worse than me eating vegetables when she started on the duck. It was a struggle and she ate MOST of it but not all of it. The only time I remember her ever leaving food behind. Keyzah was happy to be called in for clean up duty. Rayne had eaten rabbit before. Not usually overly enthusiastic about it but nothing like the curling lips and twisted nose, spitting it out (yes spitting it out) then picking it back up, spit, pick it up, spit.... the whole time it looked like she was having facial spams with her tongue and nose moving in ways I have never before witnessed and prancing around in circles.....

While my girls never went off their feed before going into heat it is a very likely scenario.


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## rjvamp (Aug 23, 2008)

Ahhh okay - I will make sure it is washed good. She is back to eating her chicken wings again. Maybe she just wanted something different too! LOL


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