Raw and Poop

    • Gold Top Dog

    Raw and Poop

    I started feeding my cocker Monty raw on April 5. I'm using Stella & Chewey's or PawNaturaw (which are local companies in Wisconsin) raw patties, rotating between chicken and beef. This past week, Monty's poop has been inconsistent. It will either be perfect and firm or a little loose. I can pick it up but it's just not as firm. Also, he'll get the two-toned poop. Where either one half of a piece is dark and firm and the other is lighter and looser or one whole piece is dark and firm and the rest is lighter and looser. Is this an effect of the raw? He also still goes 3-4 times a day which is what he did on kibble, sometimes 5 times a day which seems excessive. The 3-4 times a day seems excessive also. Should I continue on the raw or add anything to clear this up? Oh, I took a sample in to the vet and it's negative for any parasite or worm issue.

     

     

     

    • Gold Top Dog

    I feed raw, with the Stella and Chewy's in my rotation.  My guy's stools are always firm, however, they do vary in color depending in what I feed.  When fed chicken, the stool is lighter than when fed beef, bison, lamb or venison---seems normal for him. 

    As far as the inconsistency and frequency of the stools, maybe you are feeding too much? 

    • Gold Top Dog

    Thanks for the reply. Monty's 22 pounds. I give him 3.5 ounces in the a.m. and 3.5 ounces in the p.m. plus some canned salmon. Maybe I should decrease the raw a little. I'll try and see if that makes a difference. 

    • Gold Top Dog

    Hopefully, that will do the trick.  For what it's worth, canned salmon gives my guy soft to runny stools---I don't feed it anymore, but he seems fine with salmon oil as a supplement.

    One of the pet stores near me has just started to carry the Pawnaturaw product--it looks good---I think I will be trying this out---always nice to have more options.

    • Gold Top Dog

    tzu_mom, Pawnaturaw is awesome. It actually looks good to me. All organic but it's a little on the pricey side. The chicken is priced okay but gets expensive wit the bison. I just went and bought a case of the chicken today. Monty really seems to like it best as far as enthusiasm before, during, and after mealtime.

    • Gold Top Dog

    Check and see whether the veggie content between the two products is comparable.  If one is substantially more, you'll want to see whether his more acceptable stools correspond to that product, or the one with less veggies. 

    I also agree with making sure you are not feeding too much of one or the other, or even both.  Since you are on a twice a day cycle, what you describe is indeed suspiciously like too much food - he'd be fine until he's "topped off", then the cycle starts over once his body has dealt with it.  It's not terribly harmful, by the way, he just will soon start porking up, too.  Big Smile