Trying Raw....some questions. :-)

Deestar

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I'm giving Raw Feeding a try after going from one brand of kibble to the next trying to find the right one, with no luck I might add. I've been giving her chicken for the last 3 days. I started reading up on the subject of Raw Feeding a few months ago so I knew to start there. So far, so good. First of all, she absolutely LOVES it and I guess the kibble is now out of her system because this morning's stool was very small and firm.

She's 16 months old and weighs 40 pounds. I've been giving her 8 ounces per feeding, two feedings per day. Does this sound right?

I've been removing the skin and extra fat for now. When I introduce the skin and fat later should I count them as part of the 8 ounces? Or do I give 8 ounces of muscle meat and bone with the skin and fat being extra? I know this sounds like I'm being too precise but Lucy gets a serious case of the squitters if I over feed her even just a little. Later I'll be able to do away with the weighing but for now I want to be pretty exact.

As far as freezing goes.....if I buy a bunch of meat on sale and then freeze it, is it ok to defrost it, portion it out, and then refreeze it? I've heard that meat is not supposed to be refrozen once it's thawed out. Is that only when it comes to humans?

Thanks!!!
 

Sandy

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I'm doing raw with Harper but using beef. It comes frozen in rolls like hamburger meat. Once I thaw one out, I was told to use it within 3 days (and throw away what I don't use) and never refreeze it. I also mix in chopped veggies with his food. My 14 year old dog started eating the raw meat too - they both love it, and just sit patiently while I fix their bowls in the evening.
 

RiiSi

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I'd count the skin and fat in to the 8 ounces and yes, you can refreeze it. You don't have to thaw it completely only so much that you can portion it.
 

izstigspunks

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Include everything in the total, skin, bones, organs, meat, etc. So yes, the fat counts.

Thawing then refreezing is perfectly ok. I do it all the time if the meat comes in large portions. Human tummies can't handle it, but our pups' can. Some dogs even hide their meals in the backyard and dig them up days later with no upsets.
 

anatess

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Include everything in the total, skin, bones, organs, meat, etc. So yes, the fat counts.

Thawing then refreezing is perfectly ok. I do it all the time if the meat comes in large portions. Human tummies can't handle it, but our pups' can. Some dogs even hide their meals in the backyard and dig them up days later with no upsets.


I do it with the human food but only once right after I buy it. I sometimes get meat from the wholesale store which comes in giant packages. I would let it sit in the sink just until it is thawed enough to break apart and then I put it in ziploc bags - one bag per meal - then put it in the freezer.
 

ame16

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Include everything in the total, skin, bones, organs, meat, etc. So yes, the fat counts.

Thawing then refreezing is perfectly ok. I do it all the time if the meat comes in large portions. Human tummies can't handle it, but our pups' can. Some dogs even hide their meals in the backyard and dig them up days later with no upsets.

There's really no health risks to humans in freezing/refreezing. The only issues are that it creates an unpleasant texture and may alter taste.
 
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anatess

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There's really no health risks to humans in freezing/refreezing. The only issues are that it creates an unpleasant texture and may alter taste.

This is true for cooked food - not that I know of anyone who eats their meat raw besides our furry friends. LOL - but there are some people who like to cook their beef on the rare side.
 

izstigspunks

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There's really no health risks to humans in freezing/refreezing. The only issues are that it creates an unpleasant texture and may alter taste.

Really? I thought bacteria would grow on it. Can't remember where I've read it, but definitely a lot of people have mentioned it.
 
OP
Deestar

Deestar

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Ugh, diarreah today. She's had 8 ounces, twice a day, no treats, skin and fat removed. Chicken backs and drumsticks. I've read that it's normal to expect this to happen but when it does.....yuck! How long can I expect this to last, roughly?
 

anatess

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Really? I thought bacteria would grow on it. Can't remember where I've read it, but definitely a lot of people have mentioned it.

Yes, but that's why you cook human food.
 

anatess

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Ugh, diarreah today. She's had 8 ounces, twice a day, no treats, skin and fat removed. Chicken backs and drumsticks. I've read that it's normal to expect this to happen but when it does.....yuck! How long can I expect this to last, roughly?

A dog's digestive system is much simpler than humans. Food gets processed relatively quickly. Kibbles sit in the gut a lot longer than raw food. So pretty much, you feed the dog a chicken leg, the waste is ready to come out the other end in a matter of a few hours. He eats something else and the poop could change right then. So, if your dog has small wastes (raw animal gets digested pretty good so only a little bit goes to waste) it could sit in the colon for a day or two before the dog feels the urge to poop it out. So, you can possibly have fed your dog something else before he poops - so, say you fed the dog bones in the AM, then fed him organs in the PM, then he poops the next morning - you can possibly see half the poop is white, the other half is dark.

So, in the case of the diarrhea - you can possibly get loose stool now and firm stool tomorrow... depending on how your dog is reacting to the food.
 

izstigspunks

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Ugh, diarreah today. She's had 8 ounces, twice a day, no treats, skin and fat removed. Chicken backs and drumsticks. I've read that it's normal to expect this to happen but when it does.....yuck! How long can I expect this to last, roughly?

Would you be able to tell if the chicken's enhanced? In the beginning I fed Stiggy chicken frames because I know he has a sensitive stomach. It's about 40% bone, which is way above the recommended, but since he was just starting, I wanted to control his poop first then make the necessary adjustments later. He absolutely did fine.
 
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Deestar

Deestar

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Isn't the diarreah something that is expected when first starting Raw Feeding and then goes away once they adjust?
 

Scueva

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I did not experience loose stools when I first started raw. The only time I experienced loose stools was wyn I was feeding too much. You can try adding about a tablespoon of pumpkin to each meal. This will help to make stool firm.
 

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