Raw Feeding Day Eight

[GatorRay]

I noticed that Gypsy looked like she was losing weight. Don't get me wrong, she probably could have stood to lose a few but I am not comfortable with that so I decided to up her food to 3% instead of 2% of her projected adult weight. I just added a chicken leg since she kind of needed the bone anyway to help with her sloppy poos.

I also decided that it would be ok to go ahead and start liver. I gave them each a sliver with their dinner and they seemed to like it just fine. I started with chicken liver because that is what I had and for the fact that they are eating chicken already and it might be easier on them having it from the same animal. I don't know if that is true or not, but hey, I am giving it a go! Gator pooped a few hours after dinner and it seemed ok. I will not add the liver tomorrow and then add again the next day to try to ease them into it. After a few days of tiny pieces, I will up it a bit to try to get closer to the 5% of their daily food intake. Then on to organs when their poo regulates. If I can get the liver up to the amount they will need, then I will move on to another protein. I decided to do liver before the new protein as I really want them to get more in the way of varied nutrition. Gypsy needs it because I need to support her while she is fighting the demodex mange. Gypsy had nice poops last night and this morning. Firm and a bit darker than the yellow chicken poops. One question I do have is about the liver and if I will have to slowly introduce liver from each protein source or if it is ok to go all in with another type of liver after they get used to the chicken liver?

Gator went to the vet today for hives (not food related, he was stung by something and I found the site of the sting) and he did not gain weight or lose on this adventure so he and Lucy will continue to get 2%. I am hoping to see Lucy lose a bit because she is overweight by a bit...not roly poly or anything just a little "fluffy" lol.

I am just amazed to see how much less water they are drinking. It almost seems nothing at all compared to the gallons they were drinking before. I know this is normal because of all of the moisture in their food. They are sill urinating normally and it looks clear so I think it is just fine. I only fill their bowl once a day now instead of three or four times.

I have noticed that Gator's gas was a bit better today. I hope that means he is getting used to this way of feeding!

 

[izstigspunks]

Stig's daycare owner told me to just introduce everything to Stig cold turkey because, from her experience, a lot of dogs tend to handle it well. So I did. He did really well. Except during the very beginning when we fed him ground and didn't control the bone content. lol.

 

[GatorRay]

Thanks! I actually started doing that last night. I will update the blog later .

 

[Sherry]

I had a new freezer delivered today. I want to start with the raw diet and now hubby is flip flopping on me. I know it shouldn't matter, but the last thing I want to do is be the sole care taker of all these beautiful bullies. And I certainly don't want to fight all the time with hubs. So I'm going to work on him again. He was on board for like a day. Jeesh

 

[VoicesInMyHead]

Thank you for taking the time to document all of this info... and in an addicting way! I read straight through from the beginning, and hit the next link not even realizing this was the last post! LOL!

Question: I noticed that you held Gator's quite a few times. Is there a reason not to cut it in half or 1/3'rds for him? Just wondering.
-Voices

 

[cowsmom]

this is so great of you to document this for others who may want to feed raw to there pets. I dont think i can as my bf takes care of her like 3 days a week when I am at my house so i dont think he would do it. I have trouble just getting him to feed the kibble right lol. May have to at some point for sarahs yeast issue. Thanks for the infomation.

 

[GatorRay]

[MENTION=2793]VoicesInMyHead[/MENTION] I hold Gator's if it is small. As you know, EBs have HUGE mouths and if he can get the whole thing in his mouth, he does not chew it well enough. If it is very large, he can handle it on his own. If it fits in his mouth, I have been holding it so that he cannot try to swallow it whole. On my next trip to get chicken, I will buy him WHOLE chickens and give him the whole thing, therefore forcing him to chew it. We did have a choking incident on a piece that was too small. I could cut it into chunks but it has a bone in it .