Dogs' Response to Raw Diet - Looking to Learn More

[RyanS]

@Dr. Jeff @Dr. Christina

My 2 dogs have been doing a raw meat diet for the past couple months - looking to learn more about the diet

One of them drools excessively and I think her gums are inflamed.

They both eat a lot of grass.

They gag a lot

One dog his head was shaking at times but it hasn't happened in a while, mainly since I switched to raw meat diet

 

[aruna]

@RyanS - good for you for starting the raw meat diet! Can you give more details on what exactly you are feeding and what your questions are? Did you have a chance to look at our nutrition resources - we have some great videos and a workbook. You can find them here.

 

[Dr. Christina]

Wonderful that the ears are better.
In addition to the links Aruna gave you, check out the De-Stress interactive webinar this Saturday May 14 where I will discuss feeding and you will be able to question many of us about how to live with much less stress around all animal related issues.

Https://www.holisticactions.com/de-stress-retreat

Dr. Christina

 

[RyanS]

@RyanS - good for you for starting the raw meat diet! Can you give more details on what exactly you are feeding and what your questions are? Did you have a chance to look at our nutrition resources - we have some great videos and a workbook. You can find them here.

I have 2 dogs that have been doing a raw meat diet for the past couple months and am looking to learn more about the diet. They are from the same farm, same dad and the moms are sisters, born about a year apart.

Connor - 6 years old, male, Labrador mixed with Chesapeake Bay Retriever, not neutered
Last weighed 62 pounds

Behavior is friendly, loves other dogs, only shows aggression around food or people coming onto property but does not attack. Has been more friendly to other people since changing to raw meat
Energy is low around the house. Relaxed when inside but when we go for hikes he has lots of energy and can run practically the whole time. Loves to explore
Appetite, When he was on dry food diet he would eat slowly and sometimes not finish and then lick the floor (not around the bowl, a different part of the room). Now with raw meat he loves to eat and no longer licks the floor. He likes to eat grass sometimes but not usually.
Mood is happy overall. He can sometimes have fear around new people but never new dogs. Always loves other dogs.

Diet is he eats in the morning around 6 and around 5 in the evening. I usually feed pork, ground hamburg (recently switched to organic), and chicken thighs boneless. I buy them in bulk at Costco. Lately I have been giving sweet potato daily to help with fiber. I also sometimes but not part of the usual diet feed salmon, put some yogurt in the food, eggs, and lately have been giving milk thistle. I give around 1.5 -2 pounds per day

Rabies 09/27/20
Lyme 09/23/19
Leptospirosis 09/23/19
DA2PP 09/17/18
Bordetella 09/08/16

His head used to shake randomly. He didn't seem bothered by it. I searched the web and saw videos and it looked like idiopathic head tremors though I'm not sure. Would happen randomly, sometimes several times in a week, sometimes only once a month. This hasn't happened since I started raw meat diet.
He used to gag a lot but does not as often since raw meat diet has started
No other treatment or diagnostic work other than last vet check up 3 years ago.

Callie - 5 years old, female, Labrador mixed with Chesapeake Bay Retriever, neutered 11/17/17
Last weighed 50 pounds

Behavior is friendly, loves other people, though scared of other dogs. She can show aggression towards other dogs but doesn't attack.
Energy is low around the house. Relaxed when inside but when we go for hikes he has lots of energy and can run practically the whole time.
Appetite, When she was on dry food diet she would eat slowly and sometimes not finish and sometimes not eat at all, just looked at it and walked away. Now with raw meat she loves to eat. She always eats grass when we are outside.
Mood is happy overall. She usually has fear around most other dogs but loves to cuddle with people.
Diet is she eats in the morning around 6 and around 5 in the evening. I usually feed pork, ground hamburg (recently switched to organic), and chicken thighs boneless. I buy them in bulk at Costco. Lately I have been giving sweet potato daily to help with fiber. I also sometimes but not part of the usual diet feed salmon, put some yogurt in the food, eggs, and lately have been giving milk thistle. I give around 1 -1.5 pounds per day

Rabies 06/19/21
Lyme 09-23/19
Leptospirosis 09/23/19
DA2PP 09/17/18
I believe Bordetella 08/19/17 though I can't find records

She lately appears to drool excessively. There will literally be small puddles underneath her mouth on the floor. She has chattered her teeth several times though this is not constant. Her teeth are brown and I think her gums might be inflamed.
She eats a lot of grass. She also gags a lot which I'm guessing is from eating grass.
She also chews her abdomen on both sides, right between the rib cage and her hind legs.
All this started since I started raw meat diet except for her brown teeth which she has had for a while.
No other treatment or diagnostic work other than last vet check up 3 years ago.