Issues With Raw?

[Guest jbbuzby]

In the past, I used to feed my hounds up to 5 meals per week of raw, usually in the evening. I'd use turkey necks, all parts of chicken (even entire Cornish hens if they were on sale), and beef. Neither pup ever had any problems. I then moved across country and started living in an apartment without the convenience of a back yard to just toss the meat, let them out (one at a time!) and watch them eat from the window. I recently though I'd try again in fear of their teeth getting bad. Now I have to leash each dog individually with me in the kitchen and make them eat over the kitchen floor, which I then mop up when we're done.

 

They were just getting the hang of this system, but very surprisingly to me, their tummies aren't...AT ALL! I've fed chicken thighs and quarters twice now from the grocery store brand, both thawed frozen chicken and fresh at each trial. All would be considered consumable by humans (I was hoping to use some of the frozens in a crock pot dish) but each time, both dogs have ended up with EXPLOSIVE diarrhea.

 

Has any one else ever had this issue? Since moving, they have had raw chicken fillets (a more expensive grass-fed happy chicken brand where a few fillets happily fell on the floor for them), and a few raw beef marrow bones...neither had any upset with these things. I've also fed small amounts of organ meat as treats when they're on sale, and again, I didn't see any issues with this. Could it possibly be the store brand, or the hormones that are causing them upset? I'd like to try again, but will have to do so over a weekend where I have no other plans so I can make sure they get out if needed...

 

I certainly don't want to give up on the concept...I feel like the benefits to their teeth are worth it, but certainly not putting them through the discomfort of upset bellies . I'd love to hear if anyone else had a hound that needed the organic happy-slaughtered animal brand of meat.

 

[RedHead]

My guys get grocery store and "natural" meats, and I don't notice a difference at all. The only thing I can think of is your meat might be enhanced or flavoured. Check the label to see if there is salt or other flavouring added (very common!). I mistakenly bought 2 huge pork roasts that were on sale and my dogs (both with strong tummies) had the runs for a few days. Then I realized it was enhanced with salt/flavouring even though it looked plain. Considering your pups did fine with the one chicken and not with the other, that would be my only guess.

[Guest Giselle]

Have you ever seen industrial meat processing? It is ... uh.... hmm... how shall I put this... It is quite messy. Entrails splitting open, fecal matter splashing onto the animal's skin, blood, and guts and yummy stuff (literally) in way too close proximity. This is why salmonella, e. coli, and other foodborne diseases are so common. This is how you get fecal-oral diseases - the animal's own feces is being transported to the skin surface during meat processing.

 

By "grocery brand", I'm guessing that this is a chicken processed by a large industrial processing facility. If so, I would first consider the very likely possibility that fecal-oral disease-causing bacteria are on the chicken skin, and these are causing gastrointestinal upset. If you are committed to feeding raw, I'd consider finding a different source for your chickens. I'm not sure if local farmers MUST send their chickens to an industrial processing facility (I've been told they MUST send their animals to USDA regulated, large industrial slaughterhouses). But, if local farmers can have loopholes around the processing aspect, then, I'd suggest finding one and using his/her chickens. Tip: Rinsing the bird's skin w/ water after slaughter and processing does not wash off bad bacteria.

[Wonder]

Probably enhanced- check the bags.

[Guest grey_dreams]

Yeah, probably the additives (=enhanced). Best to get organic meat if possible.

[Guest jbbuzby]

Thanks everyone! Urg, scary to think what we then consume if even the hardcore dog stomachs can't handle it . We'll give the organic a try and will give an update with results! Fingers crossed!

[Guest Giselle]

As I understand it, the primary issue with raw meat is the risk of fecal-oral diseases spread by the method I mentioned above. We can handle it just fine by cooking. The external surface of industrially processed meat is extremely contaminated with bacteria that can cause gastroenteritis.

 

If your dogs were exposed to bacteria on the dead chicken's skin, they'll likely have diarrhea/vomiting for 2-3 days, but it'll likely resolve itself within a few days. I'd personally put the dogs on a bland cooked diet until then and, of course, ensure access to fresh water (maybe even Pedialyte).