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Thread: Random Turds

  1. #1
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    Random Turds

    You know how, when feeding raw and you are feeding chicken and they had a lot of bone, how the turds are really small, hard, dry, and yellowish? Sometimes Sam, who is a power chewer, poops and it starts coming out before he has a chance to squat and then it kinda shoots out. Sometimes it is crumbly. He does not strain when it is like this.

    About two months ago there was a small random turd ball like this near the dog bed where Sam likes to sleep. I thought he brought it in from the yard as used to be a poop eater back before raw. Today there was one on my sofa where Sam has been sneaking to nap during the day. And, I got to thinking about it and if he brings turds in the house to eat (like they were in his mouth when I called him inside) they would be eaten. So that does not make sense.

    Also, he farts a LOT. It's better than when he was on kibble and it does not stink. It is loud. He mostly farts when he is engaging his abdominal muscles. For example, when he has to sit on a slippery surface (tile, hardwood) and he's engaging his muscles so he doesn't slide, he will almost always fart. So, I wonder if, when he is getting up from laying down and using his abdominal muscles, if he's not farting and these poop balls are coming out?

    Such a charming dog...

    When his poop gets like this I will decrease the bone and add liver, so it's never this way for long. He gets this way especially when he's been given his weekend knuckle bone, which he does not stop chewing until I take it away. He would lay outside 24/7 and eat bones (or anything edible, really) if I allowed it.

    Part of me is concerned. But part of me thinks this might not be uncommon. Has this happened to anyone else?

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    Sounds to me like the bone amount may be too high & causing it to stay in his stomach too long; thus increasing gassy potential. Not too mention discomfort.

    My big guy Rivers actually can't have much bone at all; even with TONS of vegetables, he will actually get blocked VERY easy. Trust me you do NOT want that, watching him having gone through that was horrible; only warning was his poops had gotten very dry, hard & tiny, within the time frame of the next afternoon he was shootin blood along with the tiny compact stool.

    Are you doing vegetables? Sounds like your boy needs help moving things along in a *smoother* way....the one and only warning my vet ever gave me about raw, was to make sure the dogs get a LOT of fiber and that that is one thing many raw feeders forget.

    Some dogs need fiber, others not so much. But it sounds to me like your boy has a lot of bone sitting in his intestinal tract that's not moving along in a consistent manner.

    What other proteins, ingredients is he getting in his diet?

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    Senior Dog arentspowell's Avatar
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    Sometimes when we dog sit my MILs dog he will poop himself in his sleep. The poop is small, dry, and crumbly. We've always chalked it up to stress. He isn't raw fed.

    It's happened to Lily a few times too. When it's happened to Lily it's because she didn't poop before bed. The poop is small, dry, and crumbly and that's what leads me to believe it happens involuntarily since her poops don't normally look like that. Kinda looks like a raw fed poop even though she also is not raw fed.

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    Senior Dog shellbell's Avatar
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    How much bone are you feeding, and how often? I’d maybe cut back. I found that the longer mine were on raw, the less bone they needed. After about a year or so I had to re-evaluate how often they were getting it. I think their digestive system adjusts the longer they are on raw, to where they can go longer without it and poops remain solid. And to where if they are getting too much, it gives them those crumbly poops. Mine will also poop a lot more frequently after a large bone-in meal. It’s kind of like if we had extra fiber in a meal is what I equate it too. But mine have never pooped in the house, or randomly without meaning to.

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    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    I forgot to mention that Sam is 4 1/2 and healthy. He's not a stressed out dog, worrier, etc.

    Woofie, you might be right. He is such a power chewer and does not pace himself very well. I feed them a half a knuckle bone on most weekends, but not all, and it doesn't take him long to get through it. I was feeding veggies, but stopped. I don't really have the freezer space to store veggie mash, plus Linus won't eat it unless it's hidden in ground meat. But, I think I'll throw some green beans into his bowl and then other veggies in the summer. Hopefully that will help. Thanks!

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    Quote Originally Posted by shellbell View Post
    How much bone are you feeding, and how often? I’d maybe cut back. I found that the longer mine were on raw, the less bone they needed. After about a year or so I had to re-evaluate how often they were getting it. I think their digestive system adjusts the longer they are on raw, to where they can go longer without it and poops remain solid. And to where if they are getting too much, it gives them those crumbly poops. Mine will also poop a lot more frequently after a large bone-in meal. It’s kind of like if we had extra fiber in a meal is what I equate it too. But mine have never pooped in the house, or randomly without meaning to.
    To be honest, I don't really keep track, but base what they need on their poop and weight. If their poop needs more or less bone, I take bone in or bone out food from the freezer. It's interesting that you say that over time they needed less bone. I think this is what I am seeing, too, in both dogs. I changed them over last July.

  7. #7
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    What else are you feeding?

    You're not feeding *just* meat are you?

    I know some feeders believe veggies are not required, if that's your feeling too, it's your choice....BUT, do add say a bit of canned pumpkin, sweet potato, these are excellent fiber additions.

    I taught both dogs at very young ages to like everything; they'll eat everything except lettuce; so I don't have to hide anything - thank goodness. But sweet potatoes won't take up freezer space, so that can help you out.

    Are you doing eggs, yogurt, apples, etc. Apple sauce is great for *slipperiness*!!!

  8. #8
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Woofie View Post
    What else are you feeding?

    You're not feeding *just* meat are you?

    I know some feeders believe veggies are not required, if that's your feeling too, it's your choice....BUT, do add say a bit of canned pumpkin, sweet potato, these are excellent fiber additions.

    I taught both dogs at very young ages to like everything; they'll eat everything except lettuce; so I don't have to hide anything - thank goodness. But sweet potatoes won't take up freezer space, so that can help you out.

    Are you doing eggs, yogurt, apples, etc. Apple sauce is great for *slipperiness*!!!
    Just meat. Prey model. They do get a lot of fresh eggs. I don't necessarily think veggies are required.

    I also have to be careful of calories as Sam is a very easy keeper. His father died at the age of ten as a result of his weight and that really keeps me on him. He's actually nearly 15 lbs lighter than he was 2 years ago and it takes a lot of work on my part to keep him there. Poor dog. If I do feed him veggies, I feed him a lower carb, lower calorie veggie. Sweet potatoes are too high in calories for him -- when he was eating kibble with this as the carb he could eat very little without gaining weight. I tend to stick to zuchinni, green beans, and similar items. They do get veggie scraps while I'm cooking on a semi-regular basis. Bites of cabbage, zuchinni, asparagus, apple cores with the seeds taken out, etc. I will add more to his bowl and see how things go.

    I've had Linus since puppyhood and he's always been a bit pickier than my other Labs. Generally he will eat whatever it is if Sam is eating it (so that Sam won't get it) but there are some things I can encourage him to eat and some things I cannot. Some things he pretends to eat but chews up and spits out. Not just veggies but a few meat items as well.

  9. #9
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    there's nothing wrong with feeding the way you do....adding extra veggie bites sounds good.

    I don't feed starch veggies here because of their inflammation properties; but I do feed lots of veggies, not because I think they're required, but because the dogs enjoy them.

    Definitely don't have weight issues here; but my 2 free-run 3-6 miles a day; I have to get them out and turn them loose or they will go stir crazy. And they play/wrestle non-stop.

  10. #10
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    When my dog has had a few bone meals I notice what I call a random poo being ejected. This is outside and appears just when I think and I think "she thinks" she has finished her poop job. It only occurs sometimes and just pops out fast and is small and projectile-like.

    I think the type of bone influences this, eg. Harder and older bones and more likely beef or lamb than the softer chicken bones.

    I'm not concerned about this and usually I have already rotated to a few days of meat and veges.
    Trudy 6/16/11
    Gracie 6 years DSH cat
    Lily Lou rescue foster 2/10/14

 



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