[Nicole V]

Hello everyone,
I’m new to the forum and new to feeding raw. I have a 20lb terrier mutt that I adopted last year. She has a pretty sensitive stomach, and for a while I was convinced that she had a chicken intolerance. I’ve come to discover that this is not the case, which is a relief. I tried to transition her to a raw diet, but had a pretty terrible experience. When I try to feed her frozen raw, she gets very sick, and at one point had to be hospitalized. 🙁 The good news is that she seems to have no problems with freeze-dried raw (right now, I’m just feeding Stella & Chewy as a treat). I really have no explanations for this, but am grateful that I have the option. At this time, I’d like some advice on transitioning her to a 50% FD raw and 50% kibble diet. Right now, she’s eating Fromm’s kibble…I rotate their 4-star line, which she LOVES. I add wild salmon oil to her kibble every night. She also gets freeze-dried green tripe treats, sardines, and fresh fruit on a regular basis. I’m looking at Vital Essentials right now (I like the limited ingredients) and would like to feed this to her in the morning, and feed the kibble with fresh toppers at night. Has anyone tried this? Does anyone see any potential issues with feeding a sensitive dog this particular combo and on this schedule? I really appreciate any feedback.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Nicole –

There’s no reason why you could not feed freeze-dried food in the morning and kibble in the evening. Just try it out and see how your dog reacts.

Sorry to hear you had such a terrible experience with frozen raw! 🙁 It can be frustrating for sure. Some dogs transition to raw with no issues, others take awhile and for a select few raw just may not be the right choice and may never work out. A regular here by the name of Cyndi had a VERY difficult time transitioning her dog to raw, but it eventually worked out and now her dog is doing very well on a raw diet. I was lucky, I transitioned all of mine to raw (cold turkey) with no problems.

[Nicole V]

Thank you HDMom! I appreciate the feedback. Yes, I wish the transition was easier, but I’m glad that she seems to be okay with, and enjoying, the freeze-dried food. I’m also happy that she’s finally eating her kibble with gusto. When I first adopted her, she was underweight, and never finished her meals…even with the fish oil. The Fromm’s seems to be very enticing to her, and although I’m sure it’s a healthy kibble, I prefer to also offer her the benefits of the raw as well. 🙂
Thanks again!

[InkedMarie]

Have you tried ground raw or premade raw?

[Nicole V]

Hi Marie,
I’ve tried Darwin’s Choice frozen raw, and Nature’s Variety frozen raw without success. Then I tried Stella and Chewy’s FD because I got some samples at a pet store, and she was fine. Since then, she’s been getting S&C regularly as a snack and Dr. Harvey’s green tripe treats. That’s as raw as we are right now. 🙂

[InkedMarie]

Oh well, thought maybe I had a good idea!

[Shasta220]

Sorry you’re having such a hard time! I’ve never been able to go raw (although I’d like to when I move out and can manage to find the money, resources, and space for keeping a freezer full of meat), so I’m little help. You’re not alone though. I know a dog who was on raw for a while. He seemed mostly fine, but he would get very red skin and other problems. When they put him back on kibble, he was completely normal again.

So keep trying, and I’m sure some people on here will be great help! 🙂

[pacer1978]

Hello HDM,

I am researching the forums trying to find some answers to my questions and found this thread.

I hope you can help me with a quick question. I have been introducing my dogs to raw a little over time. I have fed them Nature’s Variety and right now they have Primal as well. Most of their food is kibble based (Earthborn, NV, or Fromme). My first question is whether the commercial raw foods are ideal or is it best to purchase the raw (human) food from the supermarket and make it yourself? I do have three dogs (2 Weimaraners and one mix-40lbs), so to keep cost down would be helpful. IS there a cost effective way of feeding raw?

On a side note, we received bad news last week that our 40lb dog, Lucy (the mix), has lung tumors. We’ve only had her for 4 years and took her in as a stray wandering our neighborhood. I have read recently two different perspectives. One, that raw is bad for a dog that already has a lower immune system, but also read articles claiming that a raw diet, with fresh Kale and Turmeric is a good idea to feed a dog that has cancer. Any ideas which is best? Should I discontinue the raw in Lucy’s diet altogether?

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Pacer –

A balanced homemade raw diet is cheaper and better quality than commercial raw foods. However, it takes a little research to learn to formulate a balanced homemade raw diet. I always recommend those new to making raw check out “Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet” by Steve Brown. If done properly, feeding raw can be about the same cost as feeding a 5 star kibble. I keep costs low by purchasing my meat in bulk and making use of cuts that are less appealing to humans and, therefore, cost less per pound – such as heart, gizzards, green tripe, etc. For a dog with a compromised immune system, it would probably be a better idea to feed a home-cooked diet or a commercially available “raw” diet that has undergone high pressure processing (HPP) to destroy pathogenic bacteria. If you do want to feed raw to your dog with cancer I would suggest consulting with a knowledgeable holistic veterinarian first.

[Nancy C]

This is great help for me. Thank you to those who led me to this forum and to the teachers… I’m on my way to raw, I HOPE!! (The dogs get their say too.)

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