Any Dogs That Can't Tolerate Human Food?

[Guest greyers]

We are in the process of possibly adopting a 9 year old greyhound as a new companion for Prudence. We meet him next week but I think he will be a good fit. Apparently part of the reason he was recently returned to the adoption center was because of vomitting. But apparently that vomitting happened after feeding rawhides and people food. His current foster family tried a carrot with him and apparently he threw that up as well.

 

I have never owned a greyhound who didn't do well on people food. And in fact all of my previous Greys did better on human food mix ins with their kibble than they do on ANY canned food mixed in with kibble. When prudence wouldn't eat when we first got her and was literally starving herself I use to crockpot all sorts of stews and meats for her. Her favorite was crock potted lamb and apples that had been braised first! As a special treat especially after vet visits or long car rides we always drive thru some place and get the dogs a burger. Looks like those days may be over if this new boy works out!

 

So my question is, "do any of you have a greyhound who can't tolerate any people food? If so, are there ANY people foods (boiled hamburger, etc) that your grey does OK on?"

 

I don't feed rawhides so I am not concerned about that, but I do not want to deny prudence her people food unless totally necessary, so looking for possible options to maybe try with him in small amounts.

[Cynthia]

Any vomiting, especially in an older dog, deserves thorough medical evaluation, which I expect your adoption group has already taken care of on return? Sounds to me like the first adopters may have been looking for reasons to return this dog....

 

Greys can have sensitive stomachs, but any dog who eats nothing but kibble and carb cookies and is then introduced to real food (I can't bring myself to call it 'people food' as I don't think natural food is species specific ) may not handle it well at first. I'm not a fan of rawhides for lots of reasons. As for raw carrots - dogs can't break down the cells of veggies so they do need to be cooked or pureed before feeding. If the carrot was a treat it would normally go through the digestive system ok but not provide any nutrients if it was served raw. So. Baring medical issues greys can and do eat real food and do well on it. Just take it slow. It's wonderful that you are considering a 9 year old returned dog. Returned dogs are the best! I have 4 greys 6,8,9,11 and they all can and do eat anything I offer. I'm not talking junk food of course and they've never seen a Milkbone because I don't do many carbs with them.

[Guest greyers]

Thank you for the info Cynthia!

 

I agree that the previous owners might have been looking for an excuse, though I think him eating some of their carpet (likely do to an upset tummy), was the biggest reason for them to return him.

 

Sounds like he has been checked out by the vet after finding his way to a foster home for the tummy issues and his arthritis and nothing is wrong medically. He has done really well with no throw up experiences in the foster home on a all dog food diet. Just the carrot came up when they tried to introduce that. I don't typically feed carrots as I have never owned a grey who liked them in any form, so that won't be an issue.

 

I typically rotate through several no grain kibbles as I have had allergy dogs and arthritis dogs in the past who do better sans grain. Also our treats are typically things like salmon or chicken jerky again with no grain. Your info gives me hope that I can probably find him something with time he does well on that is non-dog food! So maybe once I have him established on kibble and on an all dog food diet for a few weeks I can try a little boiled hamburger or something and see how he tolerates it.

 

And I don't know how you do it with 4 Greys! 2 is enough in a condo with 2 cats for me! The senior doggies always are the most rewarding IMO. It kills me to see an older dog that has known What it's like to live with a family suddenly homeless. I think the youngest I have ever adopted was Prudence who was 5 1/2 at the time. Most were around age 7 and this will be my oldest adoptee yet. All of mine have been multiple rehomed dogs with issues who are generally unadoptable because of temperament or "issues" including sometimes health issues. This boy doesn't have anything behavioral, he is just older and has arthritis pain. Senior doggies are the BEST. Such love and appreciation to give back to their owners. I can't wait to meet him.

 

Thanks again for the info!

[Batmom]

If he ate some carpet and he has had some vomiting incidents since then, I would strongly recommend an x-ray. Better safe than sorry.

 

Hope things work out -- he sounds like a sweet pup!

[GeorgeofNE]

I wouldn't worry about it.

 

There's nothing that says you have to change Prudence's diet to match his.

 

My old dog ate 10 pounds of carrots a week when he was young--yes, I said 10 pounds. And yes, he pooped out a LOT of carrots! But he loved them! He would attack unsuspecting snow persons and steal their carrot noses. No lie!

 

Anyway, as he got older, he started to vomit them up, so that was the end of his carrots.