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Switching Deedee's food

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DeeSpark

PostPosted: Thu Oct 20, 2011 3:37 am


Ok so at the moment Deedee has been constipated for about 2 days. I would take her to the vet, but my parents don't think it is necessary, and they are probably right. Her stomach is less tense, she has a good appetite (Not feeding her much solid food now however, as I am worried about to much going into her), she MAY have done a poop when we weren't watching. But there was a small one in the yard, I don't think it was Sparkys, she is just as happy as always. I've given her mushy sardines and olive oil, lots of it, and ginger powder (heard canned pumkin was good, can't find it). Following my brothers gf advice, mum went out today and got a really crappy wet food, apparently it's meant to help, and this one has pumkin in it. Tomorrow, she will get 50 grams of that. If there is no improvement by 3 in the afternoon, she goes to the vet.

Aside from that, she developed a reverse sneezing habit, which the vet said there is nothing wrong with. She has also been properly sneezing, again, apparently no big deal, and mum suspects that this might be from the flu shot she got, as it developed just after it. I think she has vomited maybe... 2 or 3 times since being on raw. She has rarely vomited before raw, despite the fact we were chopping and changing her crappy diet.

To be honest, I just don't think raw is working well for her unfortunately. She just doesn't seem to do well on it. Sparky does great on it and he will be staying on it. I am going to switch Deedee to Canidae, the only grainless brand we can get in Australia, and trial her on that for a few months. If she does well on that, then she will stay on it, and get a raw meaty bone at least once a week, probably twice, along with raw eggs, and fish when they get it.
Being her weight, and age, she should only need 50 grams per day (plus extra training treats she is likely to get from me, though that isn't much). An $80 dollar bag should last me about 4 months.... although if I end up being able to afford more, then it may last a little less. I love the size of canidae, perfect size for training treats and they have a good taste for dogs (My dogs had a sample mixed in with their old crap food sometime last year, they loved it).
Raw has done a lot of good things for Deedee. She has kept weight off better, been a bit more energetic, and has seemed happier. But I think the same can be achieved with a good grainless food, with raw as a treat.

And like I said, Sparky has done great on raw, so will be staying on it. I love how healthy he has been, and it seems to give him just the right amount of energy. I will just need to start feeding Deedee inside, while Sparky eats his outside. Otherwise I can see her leaving the kibble because lets face it, raw meat smells way better and probably tastes better, standing there awkwardly waiting for a piece of meat to land in front of her, and then Sparky finishing his meal, walking over to Deedees bowl, and thinking he has a dessert!
Really hope she does better on this, otherwise it means that her health is declining in her old age, or that she does better on crap food. And I have a fear of crap food sweatdrop
PostPosted: Thu Oct 20, 2011 8:24 pm


Is she really constipated or just producing fewer and smaller stools? Because that seems to be one of the biggest concerns when people switch to raw. It is quite normal that they pass stools less frequently, and that they be hard and brittle.

I would only be concerned if she seems uncomfortable, strains in the litter or produces stools with blood or if she's producing stools less than once a day, although I'm not too sure what a normal number is for a cat. And I shouldn't say this over the internet, but, constipation is not a vet emergency. Now a urinary blockage absolutely IS but constipation can be treated at home. For one, I would check the bone meal ratio in the diet. Maybe add more moisture. Feed smaller amounts more often. Yes pumpkin is very good, you could even try vaseline for now. Not long term, but to help with the buildup. One of the best things is actually exercise. If you can get your cat moving in any way try to.

Just be sure that it's actually constipation and not a urinary blockage, cause if she's straining in the litter box it could be a blockage and that needs vet ASAP

Gabrielle_AnimalLuver
Crew


DeeSpark

PostPosted: Thu Oct 20, 2011 9:01 pm


deedee is a dog xd

My parents put the dogs out in the morning before I wake up so I can't stalk them as much, but I think a small poo that is a bit different in color to their normal poo may be hers, as we have been feeding her different food to try and get it out of her. She seems very comfortable and happy, and her stomach is looser so she should hopefully be ok without the vet, but I am keeping her in close check
PostPosted: Thu Oct 20, 2011 10:05 pm


Be careful with Canidae - I've been hearing a lot of horror stories about it recently on account of a formula change.

~ Aki - Fairy ~


11 Cardinal 11

PostPosted: Thu Oct 20, 2011 10:51 pm


~ Aki - Fairy ~
Be careful with Canidae - I've been hearing a lot of horror stories about it recently on account of a formula change.


This. I was a former "Canidae is awesome!" but my dog began to break out, lose fur.. Her coat went back to being dull and dry and really flaky. Food hadn't changed, but I started doing research and they were changing formulas. >
PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 12:17 am


Hmm damn. It's really hard to find a good food here, but I will keep looking. I think there may have been one brand that had one good food, but I think it was pretty pricey to. I may just trial it though and then might even trial a crap food from a supermarket (best crap food I can find of course), just to determine whether her declining health is from food or not.

I just gave her one more serve of her mushy mix I have been feeding all day. I contains a fair bit of olive oil, a couple sprinkles of ginger powder, a good amount of water, and a tiny little bit of crappy wet dog food to give it enough flavour that she licks it all up. This was after a walk and off leash run (ok so she didn't really run, but she did wander and pee on things). She just went to the back of the yard and let loose. Have never been so god damn happy to see a dog poo. I was seriously standing there as she spent a long while getting everything out of her system, with a huge grin on my face and doing a happy dance. Yep, I would be screwed if my house had hidden cameras


EDIT: Ok, so I have to pay for Deedees food if I buy a good kibble. I can get some good brands in Australia, but they are very pricey, and being a teenager I don't make much. Deedee has always done fine on crappy grainy food. Don't ask me how a dog does well on crap food filled with corn and dyes etc. and bad on raw stare And I don't think it has anything to do with how I am giving the raw. I have researched this and like I said Sparky is doing well on it.
Should I buy a bag of it and test her on it? If I get it about now, I can hopefully have her on it for a few weeks before her vet check up to, so they can check her health. I mean, is everyone on canidae having problems? And also, have there been any serious cases where the dog gets problems that are permanent?

DeeSpark


Gabrielle_AnimalLuver
Crew

PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 7:19 am


Okay, my bad. But, define not doing well on it. Besides the constipation, any other issues? Are they outdoor dogs? I know this might be a huge pain, but ideally I would keep her in for 1-2 days and only go out with you on a leash. I think you need to monitor her output for 24-48hrs. If you have a camera, go ahead and take a picture of her stools, or describe them in detail.

If the constipation is the only issue, I really don't think that's cause for concern for her diet. I think it's more a concern for her exercise.

As for Canidea, did I spell that right? I had Cowboy on that for a month or two. This was a long time ago, I was looking for a food low in fat and I didn't think to calculate the carbs. Anyway, he still did fine on it. I can't remember specifically. But the reactions these dogs are having don't sound threatening. We're not talking about a particular vitamin insufficiency it honestly sounds more like allergic reactions to whatever ingredient they may have added. Perhaps less high quality fatty acids. I'm not saying ignore their warnings, but, if it's what is available and you can afford, try it, and see how Deedee does on it. Since every dog reacts differently.

But I wouldn't give up on raw just yet. Maybe just tweek it a bit. To include more insoluble fiber. What exactly is in her diet now?
PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 2:34 pm


Gabrielle_AnimalLuver
Okay, my bad. But, define not doing well on it. Besides the constipation, any other issues? Are they outdoor dogs? I know this might be a huge pain, but ideally I would keep her in for 1-2 days and only go out with you on a leash. I think you need to monitor her output for 24-48hrs. If you have a camera, go ahead and take a picture of her stools, or describe them in detail.

If the constipation is the only issue, I really don't think that's cause for concern for her diet. I think it's more a concern for her exercise.

As for Canidea, did I spell that right? I had Cowboy on that for a month or two. This was a long time ago, I was looking for a food low in fat and I didn't think to calculate the carbs. Anyway, he still did fine on it. I can't remember specifically. But the reactions these dogs are having don't sound threatening. We're not talking about a particular vitamin insufficiency it honestly sounds more like allergic reactions to whatever ingredient they may have added. Perhaps less high quality fatty acids. I'm not saying ignore their warnings, but, if it's what is available and you can afford, try it, and see how Deedee does on it. Since every dog reacts differently.

But I wouldn't give up on raw just yet. Maybe just tweek it a bit. To include more insoluble fiber. What exactly is in her diet now?

Now that I think about it it may have been lack of exercise. For the past week or so I have been sick, and for about 2 weeks it's been horrible weather and she has only gotten about 2-3 very short walks aside from the last few days when I wanted to get her bowels moving. And unlike sparky, if she doesn't get her walk every day, I can't make her play and run around, she mostly wants to sleep.

Her stools are back to normal now, and her stools have always been fine. Since raw, she has developed reverse sneezing, she has a slight snotty nose, she has gotten dandruff like stuff in her fur, and she has been sick and vomitting about 3 days over the year, where as before raw, in the entire time we have had her, she had probably only been sick and vomitted maybe... 2 or 3 times in about 7 years? Though writing it out a lot of that stuff souns like it might not have much to do with food. The dandruff isn't always there, just sometimes.

Her diet inclues daily raw meaty bones, either chicken or lamb and occasionally pig trotters, then turkey or beef mince, small amount of organ every 3-4 days (though going to start trying to do an organ based meal about twice a week instead).
They get fish once a week, natural yoghurt in kongs about twice a week, raw eggs about twice a week, and the occassional veggie. Plus treats every day but they are only small for training
I always thought they would be fine with out veggies. Should I start adding some to her diet.

Also do you think an old dog would do better with just chicken bones? The lamb bones are a bit harder but mum keeps buying them...

DeeSpark


Gabrielle_AnimalLuver
Crew

PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 3:24 pm


I like to add vegetables into my pets diets. Wether you should or not is debatable. But it's got fiber, which the average slightly active dog could use more of and vitamins.

The only reason my dog has ever regurgitated on raw was because he just wolfed his food down way too fast. Some dogs raised on kibble may even need to be hand fed at first to teach them to actually chew. I would take note of what your dog ate and how on the days that he regurgitates.

The dandruff could be diet related. With fish once a week not sure why she'd be getting dandruff though. Potentially a vitamin deficiency. Do they get a variety of organ meats?

Are her teeth in good health? How old is she? Cowboy is 6 and a half an he gets elk leg bones. He doesn't actually eat them, because they are so hard all he can do is knaw on them. And once he gets the meat off, he buries them in the yard, which my mother of course HATES but honestly it's good exercise and enrichment for him, and he's not digging huge holes all over the yard, just at the edge in the soft earth. I think her issue is more to do with him getting dirty, not like she's the one washing him
PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 7:04 pm


I will agree that the constipation isn't an issue; just means there may have been too much bone in some of the meals, or a change in exercise. In the future if you want to loosen things up just feed boiled pumpkin....it will have the same effect as canned. Pumpkin is amazing stuff and can be used to firm things up if the dog has diarrhea and to loosen things up if the dog is constipated.

Dandruff; my first thoughts would be either not enough fat in the diet or an allergy.

Reverse sneezing: Could be due to a food allergy, but also could be due to environmental factors, such as pollen. This is a very bad year for pollens.

What sort of lamb bones does your mum get?

Skeksis


DeeSpark

PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2011 3:18 pm


Forgot to mention, they weren't getting much fish until she got dandruff, then I upped the fish intake.

Deedees teeth are bad, as hard as that is to admit. When we adopted her they weren't that good, and we never knew about looking after dogs teeth, and well I was a kid so never researched iy back then. Now they get raw bones to clean the teeth, and I think her teeth may be getting a bit better. She is about 11 now, hard to know for sure.

Reverse sneezing may be from pollens actually. Not sure thougj, the vet told me not to worry about it, but I still worry a bit.

Mum gets bones from the leg I am pretty sure. Don't know exactly, will check on it.
PostPosted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 6:32 am


The bone density, I would only worry about if she had any loose teeth. Which can be hard to tell. If the tartar is really bad and the dog has ginigivitis the tooth could be rotten under all the tartar. You could stay on the safe side and stick with chicken for now. You could also go a step further and try a product like petzlife. Cowboy has been off raw for two years now and only gets it as a treat/supplement once in a while. So his teeth got bad again and I use the petzlife to get them clean again and then try to up the bones. (Not saying you should up the bones but the petzlife might really help loosen the tartar.)

Gabrielle_AnimalLuver
Crew


Ailinea

PostPosted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 2:21 pm


Ziwi Peak seems like a good raw alternative... it's basically raw in bite-size form.
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