Raw Advice- Zander Says I'm Starving Him

[RobinM]

Zander came to me last week. He had been eating prescription WD. 4-6 cups. He could stand to lose 3 pounds. Nothing crazy. He weighs 78 and probably would look better at 75.

 

I am feeding him13 oz 2 x a day and he is acting like I'm literally starving him to death. I have never had a hound act like this before. This weekend, I ground up a bag of carrots and a cup of ground turkey to add as a very low cal filler food. So in addition to the 13 oz, I am giving him a dollop of the carrot mix. He is still acting like he's starving. There is definitely enough meat in the raw...

 

Any other fill in low calorie foods I could try?

[greyhead]

How about something good to chew on, something that takes a while and will keep him busy? I'm thinking those dental chews the vets sell for teeth, a nice beef bone from the butcher, or a turkey neck.

[RobinM]

He gets a duck neck at 9 pm as well as the others and remember I have 5 other dogs. I can't give Beau any chews or raw because of his ibd.

Edited December 10, 2012 by RobinM

[greyhead]

Yeah, I only have two, so I can give Shane a chew, make sure he eats it, and have Spencer on another floor somewhere where he doesn't know whats going on, lol!

 

What's Zander's issue that he was on the W/D for? Assuming it's a glucose-related problem, perhaps something like sweet potato would be a good carb to chew on (though I don't know what it's like raw) because it's one of the slow-to-digest ones that doesn't cause blood sugar spikes.

[JAJ2010]

Green Beans... I used them when Sunshine was having extreme munchies from starting a new anxiety med

[RobinM]

Nope, won't eat them. That's why I blended/ ground carrots with turkey. Carrots re ok, green beans no one will eat. He isn't like smelt fish either and the others eat it. His mother ate like a hippo.

 

Yeah, I only have two, so I can give Shane a chew, make sure he eats it, and have Spencer on another floor somewhere where he doesn't know whats going on, lol!What's Zander's issue that he was on the W/D for? Assuming it's a glucose-related problem, perhaps something like sweet potato would be a good carb to chew on (though I don't know what it's like raw) because it's one of the slow-to-digest ones that doesn't cause blood sugar spikes.

Hat was my question. The answer, no reason, the vet suggested it. Don't ask.

 

[Guest IrskasMom]

I have no Advice on what to feed ,but.................

 

 

 

I surely would like to see some more Pictures of this Handsome 78 lb. Boy

[RedHead]

Teague is around that same weight (78lbs) and I have noticed he eats a LOT of meat compared to other breeds I have had that are the same weight. I don't weigh my food but I am pretty sure he eats closer to 2lbs on many days. I tried less and he acts starving and also gets too thin. I have started giving him a bit of kibble in between sometimes because otherwise he would eat me out of house and home! I don't have any suggestions for low cal fillers, especially if he won't eat things like green beans. Maybe you could give him a couple of eggs, or stuff some peanut butter in a kong?? He could also just be showing his enthusiasm over his new found food and begs more. Many of my pups have done that in the past when they were first switched from kibble to raw. I would monitor his weight, that is usually the best indication.

[BootsyCollins]

Bootsy is convinced he's dying of starvation. He's not. Some dogs are just food obsessed.

[seeh2o]

How about giving the necks frozen? More jaw action and it takes longer.

[Guest grey_dreams]

Maybe add in some oatmeal. I "cook" the Quaker Old Fashioned Oats by pouring boiling water over it. Let it cool and then pour it into the food and mix. I usually use something like 3-4 teaspoons of dry oats per dog per meal, but you could use more than that too. Oatmeal is really good for them and it's filling too.

[Batmom]

If he was eating 6 cups W/D per day and your raw is chicken WITH skin, then he's probably getting only @ 65% of the calories he was getting before. That's a big decrease, especially for a dog undergoing extra energy needs re travel, new home, etc. I'd up his rations until he's settled in and you know whether he's gaining, losing, or staying the same. 3 lbs. isn't much -- I wouldn't worry about that at all.

[RobinM]

Batmom with raw it's not calorie based when you figure out how much to feed them. You base it in their weight And multiply based on gain lose or maintain.

 

In his mothers tribute I said it was a miracle that she wasn't a hippo the way she liked to eat. Like

Mother like son.

 

I asked his old owner why he fed so much. Answer: He was hungry.

[Batmom]

Calories are what satisfy energy needs. If his aren't being satisfied, he's going to be hungry. Raw, kibble, homecooked -- it's all based on calories in the end.

 

Honestly, unless he's obese I'd give him some time to settle in before I worried about a couple of pounds.

[cleptogrey]

Calories are what satisfy energy needs. If his aren't being satisfied, he's going to be hungry. Raw, kibble, homecooked -- it's all based on calories in the end.

 

Honestly, unless he's obese I'd give him some time to settle in before I worried about a couple of pounds.

SLOWLY decrease his caloric intake and if you are using carrots, try feeding them whole. i managed to get 3#s off of my scottie(which is a lot for a small dog) and kept his weight down by satisfying his enormous appetitie w/ raw carrots. scotties are know for eating like horses and he used to rip open the bag of kibble (until i purchased a bin) and chow down. due to meds,he had addison's disease i had to keep his weight at a constant 24#s. when carrots are not ground and mixed into food they are bulk and that's it. his blood sugar was fine and ice cubes also helped w/ the "need to consume food"

 

(i feed kibble and manage to get 2-3#s off of my dogs with 1/4-1/3 cup less per day and more exercise in 2 weeks. and i skip the carrots, the kongs, the treats of any kind.but i do it slowly- starting w/ a minimal reduction but upping the exercise)

[RobinM]

Thanks all. I ground up some more carrots (he doesn't like them alone) with sardines and added 1/2 cup to his meals. Chloe was the same way but for her with kibble(she will not eat raw, she thinks its disgusting!!!) I add a cup of carrots to her evening meal everyday. She is satisfied and her weight remains good. I'm not a weight nazi but I keep my hounds trim and their weight is where it should be.. I get upset when I see over weight hounds. Their frames just can't handle it.

 

Bootsy is convinced he's dying of starvation. He's not. Some dogs are just food obsessed.

Yeah, I think that's wats going on and it's getting better.

[KickReturn]

Hester is just shy of 90 lbs and gets close to 3 lbs raw per day and is a slim dog. Depending on activity level you may be a bit light on total amount. On the other hand if you are wanting to take some weight off than let him be a bit hungry and watch him over the next three weeks. When he slims down to what you want just up the rations to hold his weight. His appetite will probably moderate at that point also.

[gr8kids]

Ok, with your raw are you adding organs to the mix? THAT is really important and to have some veggies. For the organs you can satisfy that need w/the treats of dehydrated or freeze dried organs from lungs to hearts to livers! Also if you have a blender blend a veggie mix with some broth and add some tomatoes and a little spice to it for flavor and add some of that to the mix. I as a treat for their food make a doggie salsa. I use chopped tomatoes, some cilantro, beef broth, some zucchini, some chopped greens, and some carrot, and some apple and blend so its not quite chunky like a salsa and they gobble it up. Also remember that raw food is more water than the kibble so he may need a little more. Also add water to the mix b/c mine don't drink as much b/c of the moisture of the food so want to help fill their bellies.

 

When in a hurry I use some baby food for their veggies. They are usually pretty cheap when on sale. If you get fruit, watch for the grape juice added into their mix.

 

Don't worry my girl who is almost 70#s acts like she never eats and she gets @ 13oz in a.m. and @ 8oz in p.m. and the healthy treats between. And this diet she has been maintaining her wt. In the summer when a little more active I may add a little to it.

 

Also for prevention add a little tumeric to the mix, it has a cancer prevention properties.

[RobinM]

Hester is just shy of 90 lbs and gets close to 3 lbs raw per day and is a slim dog. Depending on activity level you may be a bit light on total amount. On the other hand if you are wanting to take some weight off than let him be a bit hungry and watch him over the next three weeks. When he slims down to what you want just up the rations to hold his weight. His appetite will probably moderate at that point also.

Wow, my Ollie is a trim 92 pounds and gets 17 oz. 2x a day and holds his weight steady. At 3 pounds a day, he'd look like a moose!. for zander at a weight of 75 pounds, he should be getting 13 oz. and thats what he gets, and yes of course they all get organ meats! Fish too. Vegetables are totally unnecessary but I do give carrots as a fill in.

[Guest WhiteWave]

He is new to raw so it may take a while for him to get used to eating that amount. I find my dogs occasionally get hungrier than usual and I let them have a gorge day. It usually solves the constant hunger for a while.

[Guest OPointyDog]

I give Zoe a frozen kong with pureed pumpkin when she comes begging. Keeps her busy and satisfies some of the chewing and eating needs. I occasionally mix in the crumbs from the bottom of a bag of cookies or a little kibble or some peanut butter. Pumpkin is really low in calories but the bulk might help fill him up.