Switched to raw - switching back to dry?

[Hormonal Filly]

So I posted about 6 weeks ago here asking which dry food was best and I decided to give a raw diet a go. The dogs have been on a mixture of DIY raw and completes, getting a variety of proteins including fish. They must of been on raw over 5 weeks now.

They love it.. although I can't see I've noticed any health benefits in all honesty?!

My spaniels teeth are way worse on raw, the plaque build up is twice as quick. I'm brushing them much more than I did on dry. He is fed raw meaty bones, but he tends to use his back teeth to chew and can only assume when picking up the meat hes using his front teeth which is causing the build up as its 'wet' food sticking to his teeth. Our lab is 7, had pearl whites but even since her raw diet she has some plaque build up.

Their body condition looks the same, coat is the same 'shinyness' as on Eden and if anything breath is worse.

They poo twice a day, instead of three times a day but the poos aren't any smaller

My spaniel still has allergies so is on his prescribed tablets

Its also costing x2 the price of Eden dry food which they were on. The lab eats within 0.2 seconds so I could give her anything and she'd still eat it, she really doesn't care what shes fed. I asked on a raw group but was pretty much told I haven't tried it long enough and I'm stupid for considering dry again!

Anyone else fed raw and switched back to dry? I might be mad considering it but with this entire raw craze I thought I'd see so many raw benefits...

 

[paisley]

Very briefly- I tried raw about three times, stuck to the introduction guides etc, and it did not suit my dog. Digestion, teeth, health signs, all of it.
Been on dry and wet mixed in for 9 years now, and its quite often commented in how well he looks.

 

[{97702}]

I fed raw for years but with 4 largish dogs the cost was prohibitive so I had to move back to feeding kibble. The dogs look great on kibble - I feed Arden Grange chicken and rice - but I have no doubt at all that they were healthier on raw and if I won the lottery they would be swapped straight back.

I agree with the raw group I’m afraid that I don’t think you’ve given it long enough to see the benefits, but if you feel it’s not for you then there is no reason not to swap back

 

[Leo Walker]

I wouldn't switch back for mine as I did see huge benefits. Coat and skin, behaviour, teeth, tiny poos, less of them, etc, etc. My oldest is 9 now and has pearly white teeth. The cat is the same age and was only changed over as a 4yr old and we saw an immediate improvement in his as well, so seems odd.

What are you feeding them? That might help to see where the issues are if you want to stick with it. If you dont want to, then change back. They are your dogs and its entirely up to you at the end of the day

 

[[59851]]

I feed raw BUT when we go away it's not practical so I use either Eden or my work places own label 60/40 I do a straight swap with no issues. So I would just switch back to Eden and carry on!!

 

[AmyMay]

I fed raw for about 10 months. Absolutely no benefits what so ever. Her teeth were awful and her anal glands were constantly blocked.

(I lie, she did stop chewing her paws).

 

[[139672]]

Teddy’s been on raw for 6 years now. I do feed Lily’s Kitchen sometimes though when we are away for a few nights and I just can’t get hold of raw. Mind you I can now buy some freeze dried raw to take on holiday. Had to change to raw, he hated all other food and kibble, other than Lily’s Kitchen kibble. His teeth not great but I use an emmipet toothbrush. You could give them raw with bones instead all the time, chicken wings and something like duck necks, to help their teeth but Teddy doesn’t like chewing the bones in chicken wings. Also they’d probably work out a bit more expensive? He does love venison ribs though. If you want to change I’d just swap back again without overlap, as you would if you swapped to raw.

 

[oldie48]

I fed Stan on raw for the first year, he was a picky eater, wouldn't eat the bought in stuff but would eat anything my neighbour shot for him. I worried constantly if he was getting enough calcium, hand fed him chicken wings because I was worried he'd choke and my fridge was constantly full of things he decided he didn't like, including rabbits ears (try explaining that to a visiting relative)In the end I got a load of different kibble in taster bags and found he liked millies wolfheart. He'll never be a dog that wolfs his food down but he looks great, his poos are small and firm and his weight stays pretty constant. Looking back I really stressed about what he was eating, now I don't give it a second thought and I don't think he does either!

 

[Cinnamontoast]

I think it doesn’t necessarily suit every dog. I’m a very big fan, but I don’t think sticking with it will persuade you. You can still feed eg chicken wings and other bits, mix ‘n’ match if you want. I don’t think mixing kibble and raw is a bad thing if it suits your dog.

 

[druid]

I feed a mix of dry, raw and wet as it suits me and the dogs.

 

[Ranyhyn]

Well you tried, admittedly not for a very long, but you tried, you found it didnt suit you - you can move on and dont worry what the raw feed evangelists say, thats their bag!

I feed my GSD raw, as he has been fed this from birth and truly I cannot fault it. However my to JRTs (12) are fed kibble and i cannot fault that for them either. Horses for courses, and all that