A Few Questions on Feeding Raw.

**Crazy-Cat-Lover** · 06-11-2007, 08:58 PM

I wasn't planning on feeding both at the same meal - just kibble in the morning , and raw at night. Or even a few RMB's a couple times a week. There is a huge possibility of going straight raw, just gotta talk to DH about it. He is pretty good when it comes to the cat and dog diet (he pays for the food). My cats are eating Innova EVO, I was actually surprised when hubby picked it up and bought it.

I too, am worried about the dangers of feeding raw and kibble - that's why I have to decide whether to feed him kibble, with some RMB's to chew on - or straight raw. It is a big decision, because we have to fit it into our budget - and find out what works for the dog.

I was thinking of putting Buddy on Innova EVO, but he needs to lose a few pounds. I took him to the park for a run today (I plan to everyday), but I would like to feed him a good diet food to speed up the process. We currently have a big bag of Purina ONE Lamb and Rice that the old owner gave us.

Does anyone know of a good diet kibble for small dogs? It needs to be premium, no by-products, fillers, corn etc.

**Kfamr** · 06-11-2007, 09:02 PM

You could still feed him Innova EVO, just reduce the amount of food and increase exercise.

If he acts hungry, add sodium free green beans.

**Crazy-Cat-Lover** · 06-11-2007, 09:11 PM

Originally Posted by Kfamr

You could still feed him Innova EVO, just reduce the amount of food and increase exercise.

If he acts hungry, add sodium free green beans.

Thanks, Kay! Like I said before, his last owner never really exercised him. He just burned off his energy around the apartment. I am going to be giving him a run each day in the park, plus DH walks him to go potty. I will be going to the pet store this week, so I will look and see what types of kibble they have.

**Giselle** · 06-12-2007, 01:10 AM

I also do kibble/raw. Honestly, I don't buy the whole "kibble digests slower than raw" thing. They all go through the same gastrointestinal tract - stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum = poop. To say that kibble digests slower than raw is a bit like saying gum takes 7 years to digest, hehe. I've spoken to many vet techs who endorse/are okay with raw and asked if they found any significant proof that kibble takes longer to digest than raw. The fact is that there is no research. What you read on the internet is entirely speculation. Additionally, nearly all high performance dogs (racing greys, Iditarod huskies, etc.) are fed a mixture of raw meat and high-protein kibble. If it works for those intense athletes, it makes sense to me.

The reason that some dogs cannot digest raw and kibble is because it's a foreign food. Drastic changes can cause stomach upsets in many dogs. I know some dogs who vomit and get the runs simply by switching from kibble to kibble. It's no different, imo. Anywho, that's my tiny rant for the day

I feed Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul, by the way. I stopped doing Evo because it was getting a tad expensive, and CSFTDLS is a very nice food for a very affordable price.