# Raw feeding and constipation



## sweets (Jan 15, 2015)

Two weeks ago I put pip on natural instinct raw food. She had got fed up of kibble and was refusing it so having read about the benefits of raw I thought I'd give it a try, she absolutely loves it and I've never seen her eat with such enthusiasm! I even had to buy a slow feeding bowl. I can already see the benefits of raw food, her coat is better, she smells a lot less doggy too! Lol. 
I know their stools are supposed to smaller and less frequent but I think she is getting constipated as just doing a few tiny bits of various colours, sorry if that's too much info. 

What can I give her to go with her raw food to help, I've read that canned pumpkin is good but we can't get that in the UK, does anyone know if butternut squash would do? Thought about maybe boiling it, pureeing it and freezing in ice cube trays and adding one to her teatime meal. Any other suggestions?
Thanks


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

With raw, stools are about 1/3 the size of of poops with other foods. And very dry and not smelly. That is perfectly normal. If she is pooping regularly, I think she's fine.

I find it odd that you don't have canned pumpkin available. I found it, I'm from Canada. I used it for a while and mixed right in the most or gave it on its own. Both my dogs loved it.

If not, maybe a little prune juice mixed in the raw meat?


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

Butternut squash would be fine. Pumpkin is a squash. Anything fibrous is fine as long as it's not toxic to a dog, of course. I'd be careful if you use prune juice...just use a tiny bit. That stuff is powerful. If you add on a regular basis, say...every other day a little bit of squash or green beans, something like that, it might help. But be careful not to go over board. lol. Be sure to lightly, steam the veggies first and smash them up in a blender so they're easier on them.

I'm glad Pip is loving the food and is showing good signs. (mostly) lol. It also seems to take them some time to adjust.


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## Viking Queen (Nov 12, 2014)

My girl won't eat squash or pumpkin, funny girl, however she will eat baked sweet potato, yams, which accomplish the same result. Any good veg with lots of fiber will work. I bake several sweet potatoes, smash them up and freeze them in ice cube trays, then bag them. You can just thaw them out as needed. Easy peasy.

Best of luck...you'll find something that will work.

Viking Queen


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

I thought that Timi's stools were too small on the freeze dried raw, so I tried adding pumpkin and it did nothing, however I saw a great improvement when 
I began adding frozen organic string beans and broccoli to her meals.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Tiny Poodles said:


> I thought that Timi's stools were too small on the freeze dried raw, so I tried adding pumpkin and it did nothing, however I saw a great improvement when
> I began adding frozen organic string beans and broccoli to her meals.


It's okay that they're smaller. It just means more nutrients are absorbed, and less useless components defecated.


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## Deblakeside (Oct 2, 2015)

Organ meats are supposed to loosen up a stool, especially liver, and should make up 10% of a raw diet. Try some chicken liver. I buy a tub, throw it in the blender, and then freeze it as flat as possible in a gallon ziploc bag. Then I can break off a chunk at a time, or cut it up into 10% sized squares and throw it back into a ziploc and take it out almost daily to add to the raw meal.


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## sweets (Jan 15, 2015)

Great thanks everybody, will try the sweet potato and beans/broccoli. I didn't want to have to go back onto boring kibble


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

Dechi said:


> It's okay that they're smaller. It just means more nutrients are absorbed, and less useless components defecated.



I was concerned about her anal glands - although they did not seem enlarged, she used to do the butt drag thing quite often - now that I have added the string beans and broccoli she almost never does it anymore.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Tiny Poodles said:


> I was concerned about her anal glands - although they did not seem enlarged, she used to do the butt drag thing quite often - now that I have added the string beans and broccoli she almost never does it anymore.



That's true, Merlin rubs his but sometimes. I think it's partly because his breeder used to empty his glands, and partly because the stools are a lot smaller.


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## nifty (Aug 2, 2013)

Nature's Variety Instinct is supposed to be a nicely balanced frozen raw (with some veggies etc included) and yet I don't think it hurts at all to add a little veggie mush to her meals. I use The Honest Kitchen base mixes for this purpose and also how about a little dollop of plain greek yogurt once a day? The probiotics are helpful anyway and it would give just a little more bulk to her diet plus a few insurance nutrients.


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

nifty said:


> Nature's Variety Instinct is supposed to be a nicely balanced frozen raw (with some veggies etc included) and yet I don't think it hurts at all to add a little veggie mush to her meals. I use The Honest Kitchen base mixes for this purpose and also how about a little dollop of plain greek yogurt once a day? The probiotics are helpful anyway and it would give just a little more bulk to her diet plus a few insurance nutrients.



Honest kitchen is the one and only food on the planet that Timi won't eat! She will do cartwheels for a piece of broccoli, but she looked at me like I had lost my mind when I tried to feed her honest kitchen!


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## nifty (Aug 2, 2013)

LOL TP! Dulcie didn't know what to do with it at first either. Then I mixed it with some really noxious raw stuff (liver, fish etc) and she gobbled it up with the raw. Now she gets excited when she smells the HK being mixed up -- and it isn't the HK, it is the expectation of the raw supper, I think!


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## nifty (Aug 2, 2013)

P.S. Dogs are such individuals! For instance from earliest puppyhood, Dulcie would not touch peanut butter! I couldn't believe it because I understand it is an almost universal favorite. But no - she will even ignore a frozen kong chew if the kong has peanut butter in it. 

Ditto for pumpkin -- Dulcie eats around it.

On the other hand, I had no trouble at all getting her to try organ meats and s forth (which I understand many dogs need a little time to get used to). So go figure!


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

nifty said:


> P.S. Dogs are such individuals! For instance from earliest puppyhood, Dulcie would not touch peanut butter! I couldn't believe it because I understand it is an almost universal favorite. But no - she will even ignore a frozen kong chew if the kong has peanut butter in it.
> 
> Ditto for pumpkin -- Dulcie eats around it.
> 
> On the other hand, I had no trouble at all getting her to try organ meats and s forth (which I understand many dogs need a little time to get used to). So go figure!



You are right about that - all of my previous girls have been fussy quirky eaters, but Timi's unique trait is that she will eat anything, anytime, any place, so I was pretty surprised to find that she would not go near the HK!


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

TP.................I quit feeding HK because Molly won't eat it unless I mix some stinky canned food in it...........so why bother? I just buy stew type canned foods that have veggies already in it! She loves her raw meat though!!!


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

MollyMuiMa said:


> TP.................I quit feeding HK because Molly won't eat it unless I mix some stinky canned food in it...........so why bother? I just buy stew type canned foods that have veggies already in it! She loves her raw meat though!!!



Perhaps if so many, not picky eaters, don't want HK, we should believe them that it is not good stuff!


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## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

I need to add kibble from the bottom of the bag. Freshness does matter!


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## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

Sorry for the double post. I was still thinking about Coldbrew's thread and got distracted. I feed one meal of kibble and one raw. Constipation happens occasionally and my impression is that it usually happens when he hasn't had enough to drink. I am going to cook and freeze sweet potatoes. Such a great hint! Buck will think it's ice cream


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## sweets (Jan 15, 2015)

Yesterday I pureed up some sweet potato and butternut squash and added a couple of teaspoons to her breakfast this morning. Will see later if it has worked


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