Allergic to Poultry & Beef - can I feed RAW?

[momtomav]

Per, processes of elimination, not actual testing, Maverick is allergic to poultry & beef, kibble. He has a very long history (since we've had him, which he just turned 1 yr in April) of poor absorption, severe weight loss and diarrhea. After too many meds, tears and feeling as though we have hit a brick wall, I feel it's time to start feeding raw.
I do have neighbors that feed raw, mostly meet and bones. I have read "Give Your Dog a Bone" and have spoken to many about the difference and benefits of going with the pre-made patties vs the BARF vs just meat and bones.
These "raw" diets are primarily poultry or beef! Right now, we are on fish kibble and treats ONLY. Even though, he still has diarrhea, the weight loss is under better control... however he is still 10lbs under weight. From what I understand, you should only feed raw fish for 2-3 meals/week?
I'm nervous to begin with, given his VERY sensitive stomach... but I want to be prepared and know what options I have to provide a comprehensive meal plan that will not only put on some healthy weight (even though, I'll take anything!) but maybe get some solid stool.

 

[Jan]

Yes, you can feed raw. It's going to be a bit more difficult, since you can't feed beef or chicken. There are lots of other choices out there. Turkey, fish, bison, deer, elk, pork, and duck, just to name a few. Turkey and pork would be the cheapest options, so they might be good ones to start with, along with fish.

Good luck!

 

[RebD]

I have read on here that even though your dog may be allergic to chicken in kibble they may not be allergic to it raw. But you could for sure use other protiens such as lamb, pork, turkey, fish or rabbit to feed raw.

 

[momtomav]

more questions...

Thanx for the replies...
I have heard that the binding agents can be the primary source of allergens and that I may be able to feed raw poultry. The problem I'm seeing is that poultry includes ANY bird animal that has feathers... so turkey, duck, eggs, pheasant are all out. My vet (who is not pro raw, but is willing to try anything to help us increase Maverick's weight) feels that meats such as bison, deer, and elk can be too similar to cow proteins and that I may run into the same issue.
With that said, do you think that I can include bison, deer, and elk? Or is the risk too high?
If I'm not able to feed any poultry or and beef or beef similar products will I be able to offer enough variety to feed a comprehensive diet? Also, without the ability to feed bones from poultry, what other RMB can I feed him??

 

[prittiegirl]

The anti-raw vet

I hope this works for you, as I love the RAW diet. I thought she might be allergic to chicken, but does not seem to be in a RAW form. She is also just over 1 year old.

I am happy to hear that you may be able to get a bit of support from your vet, even if this is not their primary feeding choice. Bison bones are a possibility for you - worth a try if you think they vary enough from beef...

Good luck and keep us updated!

 

[BetsyB]

In all likely hood, your pup will be able to tolerate raw poultry and beef just fine! The proteins are changed so much during the kibble making process that they scarcely resemble natural raw proteins. It is also highly unusual for a dog who may be allergic to one protein, such as chicken, to be allergic to all common family groupings, such as poultry. Without actual determinate allergy screenings, it is nearly impossible to isolate exactly what the trigger is when feeding kibble, because there are SO many ingredients. It may in fact be an additive, preservative, filler or starch that is actually causing his digestive upset and malabsorbtion issues.
What are his symptoms that lead you to believe he is allergic? Has he been tested for Colitis? Pancreatitis? Chlostridium? Other digestive issues?
First, go ahead and give raw chicken quarters or a bone in chicken breast a try. Remove the skin and any big pieces of fat. Give it a couple of days to see how he reacts.
Take it one step at a time. Don't automatically discount the ability to feed a raw diet, or that you can feed poultry or beef. Comparing kibble to raw whole food is like comparing stones to carrots.

 

[Jan]

I agree that cooked chicken and beef are way different that raw, but personally, I wouldn't start with them, You may well be able to add them back in at some point. Since you know that fish is okay, start with that. It won't hurt to feed fish for 3 weeks or so and then try adding something else like pork. Eventually, you may be able to add back in chicken or beef. You just need to add one thing at a time and do it for a few weeks before adding something new.

Good luck!

 

[momtomav]

We have tested him for everything under the sun. Stool samples to blood panels all came back "normal ", however once we stopped all poultry, within 1 week, he gained 3lbs! This was after months of steady weight loss and more medication than I ever could imagine. However, he still has loose stool and is under weight. Our vet wants to do a biopsy but I wanted to see if raw would do the trick. We almost lost him once, I doing think I can take him going under for surgery, until I know we have tried everything.
So, I took off work the second week of june and we are getting our freezer and stocking up on rabbit and fish. I'm hoping 1 week will be enough time for him to detox and start to see some good effects of the raw diet. I am nervous that he will lose too much weight that he can't afford during the transitioning process. We decided to go cold turkey and just make the switch vs. the gradual route.
Ill keep you posted on how we do!

 

[Kaybie's Mom]

I'll chime in here also. My Kaybie is very allergic to any kibble with chicken in it....but she can eat raw chicken with no problems at all. In fact, chicken is the main staple when they eat raw. Everything I've read said the molecular structure of the protein is changed when cooked/kibble form and that it's different when it's in raw form. My Kaybie has proven this true

 

[prittiegirl]

Curious...

I know that you don't get your freezer until the second week of June (which is very soon!), but have you tried any RAW yet? If so, how is it going for you so far???