[Cheryl Pepper Millie Sophie]

Hi everyone,
This is a question for Dori or anyone who feeds commercial raw.
Is it o.k. to just go from one protein source to another without a transition period when feeding commercial raw. I am almost finished with my bag of Primal rabbit -can I just say tomorrow give my gals Vital Essentials fish alone or do I have to add a small piece of fish patty with the rabbit?
Thanks so much ,so sorry if this question seems like a no brainer to most of you!

Dori
How are you haven’t seen you posting, hope all is well with you

[theBCnut]

The first time I switch to a new raw food, I do half and half, but after I know mine tolerate it well, I just switch.

[Dori]

Hi Cheryl. A lot going on right now. My husband had surgery for cancer two years ago so I’ve been busy sitting around waiting rooms while he goes through a battery of tests. We should be getting results sometime next week. My brain has been a bit scattered and I’ve been on pins & needles. Thx for thinking of me.

Now, on to your question. I don’t transition my girls from one food to the other anymore but I’ve been feeding them this way for a long time. What I would suggest to you for a couple of months or so is every time you’re going to introduce a new food add some of the new to the old for a couple of days or so. If you see there are no issues then you can just make the switch. Do that with new proteins for a bit until you have fed a few different foods that you can rotate with. Once you see that all is well with no gastro issues you can just switch whenever you want. Dogs fed raw don’t appear to have the same transitional issues that dogs fed exclusively kibble do. Introducing the different proteins slowly will also let you see whether Millie or Pep are going to have a sensitivity issue with a food. Unless you’re one of the lucky ones who has dogs with no food intolerances. If you are, I’m quite jealous. I’m at the point where I never feed the girls the same food in a day. Actually I keep a number of foods for them in the freezer and just switch their menus around constantly. It keeps their meal times a little more exciting for them I think. As for fruits and veggies, it’s just whatever I have in the fridge or bowl on counter. I don’t go out and buy special fruits or veggies just for the dogs.

[Cheryl Pepper Millie Sophie]

Dori Dear,
I am so sorry to hear this about your Husband, I will keep him in my thoughts and prayers that his tests all come out with good results.
Dori, this is the weirdest thing, we have so much in common, my 1st husband lost his battle with cancer, this Sept. it will be 20 yrs that he is gone he was 54, I was 39. I do know what you are going through, believe me- it was a 10 year battle that we both fought. After the last diagnosis he just gave up.
I had a STRONG FEELING when I hadn’t seen you post that something was amiss.
Please stay strong and I am sending you both all my positive energy for a VERY POSITIVE OUTCOME!!
Forget my stupid questions and just let me know please how you are!!
Hugs to you both!

[Dori]

Thank you Cheryl for your kind words and for sending positive energy our way. It helps a great deal, as I’m sure you know having gone through it yourself with your late husband, that the care and concern and loving words of others help to not feel quite so alone. I’m sorry for the horror that cancer brings to all concerned.

Cheryl, your questions are not stupid and I’m happy to help wherever I can. It keeps my mind from going into that dark space that’s so easily done in these situations.
Hugs back to you.

[Cheryl Pepper Millie Sophie]

Dori,
Please know you are not alone,if you want to email me off DFA just to vent, my email is [email protected]
Anytime really, I have been where you are now so many, many times.

I understand that getting your mind off the current situation is good, I just felt awful asking my questions after knowing what is going on right now with you.

Please keep in touch.

[Cheryl Pepper Millie Sophie]

Hi Dori,
I was thinking about you ,saw you were posting.
Hope all is going well with you and your husband.
Just wanted to let you know the girls are now trying the natures variety instinct duck , they seem to like it. We are going for it !! Pepper is doing well on it. She is still eating the honest kitchen , but I will not be feeding her the base mixes, too much of the same going in & out.

Millie is still in heat-going on week 3 had to cut out her lunch she weighs almost 16lbs. -too much she is not happy with me at all-i feel bad ,but I am not sure if she will continue to grow or this is about it,if that is the case she weighs too much,all she want sot do is eat, I say she has bad PMS.
You take care

[Dori]

Hi Cheryl,
Bad PMS??? That’s funny. Poor Millie, poor you too!

So glad the girls have taken well to raw and rotational feeding. It’s so much healthier for them. Once you’ve finished with the base mixes then just do the dinners if you’re going to keep THK in your rotation.

Thanks for reaching out. All is well here with all of us I’m thrilled to be able to say.

[Cheryl Pepper Millie Sophie]

HI Dori,
So glad to hear from you and overjoyed all is well with your husband. Couldn’t ask for better news.
Well here at schnauzerville we are dealing with something that worries me and I am reaching out to all.
My pepper the almost 12 y.o. is going into a semi-heat if that is possible -no bleeding but (excuse me all for being so descriptive) her vagina looks swollen I am so fearful of pyometra, what are the signs ,how do i know, should I take her to the vet?? Eating, drinking ,walking aok.
Millie has stopped her bleeding after 3 weeks ,she is still swollen . My first foray with females -Pepper was never spayed her horrible original guardians treated her badly, never took her to a vet, at her advanced age spaying is not an option with her other health issues.
Any advice Dori
i am so worried about my angel Pepper
as for THK yes we are keeping it in and even with the grain free protein inclusive line I still notice pieces of undigested veggies, emailed them they never replied.
We are about to finish the natures variety instinct raw duck a bit hit with pepper and Millie,
Next I think I will try either the primal turkey and sardine or the OCraw-we really are becoming the adventurous schnauzers here at schnauzerville.
Take care & Dori so happy again to hear the good news!! Celebrate

We are on diets here lunch is various cooked veggies Millies face is a riot but she is way too heavy at 16 lbs

• This reply was modified 9 years, 9 months ago by Cheryl Pepper Millie Sophie.

[Dori]

Hi Cheryl,
When I feed THK nothing comes out looking as it came in. There are no little bits of anything in their stools. Maybe because they’ve been eating raw for so long that their digestive system is healthier? I don’t really know the reason but it is that way with all three of our girls.

As to Pepper, you say that her vagina is a little swollen. Is it also a little red or more pink than normal? If so, it could be vaginitis. I would at least call the vet and let them know. If it is vaginitis she’ll probably need a round of antibiotics. I’m not in favor of antibiotics in general but there are occasions when they are necessary.

Post back and let me know what they say. Vaginitis can’t be diagnosed by urine tests, they have to physically check out her vagina and possibly get a swab. It’s not bacteria in the bladder or kidneys. Lola had it a number of years ago. They checked her urine and said no infection or bacteria and once they did a thorough exam and checked her vagina they immediately said she had vaginitis. A round of antibiotic and it cleared up immediately and never came back. Some times these smaller dogs are susceptible because their vaginas touch the ground almost every time they pee. Anyway, call the vet. I would.

[Cheryl Pepper Millie Sophie]

Thanks so much Dori,
I am going to call the vet, I did see a bit of blood and i think Millie being in her cycle may have made pepper have the start of a cycle. But you are correct it could be vaginitis, and pep does touch the ground. Will post back. Many many thanks as always.
I am so worried ,I do not want her to get pyometria if it is indeed a cycle she is having .

[Dori]

I’ll keep my fingers crossed. You didn’t mention any signs of puss or anything like that? Well if it is pyometria than all the more reason to get Pepper to the vet. You may be catching it in a very early stage. All my dogs have always been spayed so have I have no first hand experience with un spayed dogs.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 9 months ago by Dori.

[Cheryl Pepper Millie Sophie]

Well Dori,
Miss Pepper does indeed have her period .
I have been reading and the pyometra comes weeks after the heat cycle. I will have to call LSU at speak to Pepper’s dr.
I know that it is too late in her life to be spayed. Believe me Dori if she was say 8 and in better health it would be done.
Can you believe this? I am shocked.

[Dori]

Cheryl,
I am seriously shocked. As I said I’m a big advocate of spaying and neutering so have no experience with un spayed dogs but I had no idea that at the age of 12 she could still be getting her period. As you mentioned, I guess she synced with Millie but still, wow. I would agree with you at this point about not having Pepper spayed but not so much her age as her health issues. And NO I cannot believe it! I’m equally as shocked. That’s just crazy. I wonder if this is going to happen with Millie goes in to heat again? Or is this just some kind of crazy fluke?!? Hammy.

Well the good news, at least, is that she’s not sick.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 9 months ago by Dori.

[Dina H]

I am a ‘raw convert’ in the past 6 weeks. Initially, I was feeding the Honest Kitchen base mix called Kindly, but after speaking with others, they said no need for base mix, just feed the raw. As someone said above, when you add a base mix, you go from those dried-up nuggets of poo to the same steaming piles of poop…no thank you.

As far as transitioning (my own two are 12) from lamb to beef to chicken to whatever..I think that dogs in the wild will just catch whatever they can and do not eat the same protein source every day, so I have been doing the same with good results.

The skin issues on my 12 year old male have self-resolved as well as yeasty ears. I also do rescue and put 3 other dogs with skin issues on raw just this week to see how they would do. So far, so good. I think we have all been there with the dry when a transition would have you anxiously waiting for what’s gonna happen now….I’ve been there and done that one. But have not found the issue with raw.

[Author]

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