# New to Raw and Loving it - but - my dog is losing weight. Help?



## Sapphyre (Apr 11, 2011)

Hey all!

This is my first post here, but I need some help and am hoping for some advice. I have a 2.5 year old female Greyhound named Miley. We've had her for 6 months, and she's a doll! However, she came to us riddled with hookworms, which did a number on her GI tract. She has been ultrasounded and the diagnosis is Inflammatory Bowel Disease.  We think that we've got the wormed licked, but she continued to have loose and runny stools. Didn't matter which kibble we tried, it was the same thing. So, we decided to take the plunge and feed a raw diet 2 weeks ago. The results were immediate and amazing! Solid poops!!! We are delighted!

However, Miley has been losing weight on this diet, and I'm very worried about that. Right now she is getting about 1.5 pounds of bison meat/bones/organ and 1 cup of yams per day. I know she shouldn't need the yams, but my vet wanted to get her some extra fibre and so that's what we chose. 

In any case, Miley is currently 52 pounds and I would say she's about 5-6 pounds underweight. Any suggestions on how to add pounds without breaking the bank!? 

Is it normal for a dog to lose weight when feeding a raw diet for the first time?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks!


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## Lisa_j (Apr 7, 2011)

I am new to raw as well. I just wonder if some enzymes would help? Also, how much are you feeding her? Maybe add an additional meal/day?


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Its not really normal for dogs to lose weight after the transition, usually if they do lose weight it just means that you need to increase the amount of food she's getting everyday. Do this gradually though because it can cause digestive upset if you add too much in too fast. Maybe add in an extra 1/4 pound a day at first and then go from there. Stay at 1 3/4 pounds per day for a couple of weeks and then see if she needs more or not. 

Are you planning on adding more proteins in at some point?


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## Montana (Apr 10, 2011)

Having so much variety so soon might not be the best idea either. Ideally, transitioning to a raw diet, your dog should just be on a chicken diet for the first 6 - 8 weeks! Some are able to introduce new proteins sooner, but know thy dog and watch what's coming out. Chicken helps their stomachs adapt. Having too much variety off the bat (especially organs!) will cause a very upset tummy, and the nutrient intake could partially be lost because of diarrhea.
I would try without the yams as well. Adding fiber again can cause things to move too quickly through the digestive system, and could be the reason for weight loss. Stick with bone in chicken meals until you start seeing those poops harden up.


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