# How to Add Protien to a Raw Fed Dog?



## Ivy (Mar 16, 2011)

The title pretty much sums it up. :smile:


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## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

Do you mean how do you add different proteins?


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## Felix (Oct 9, 2012)

…feed a different protein in small amounts first then increasing as they get used to it watching poops carefully?
Or do you mean how do you increase the protein amount? Not sure about the answer to this question.


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## Ivy (Mar 16, 2011)

Opps soory. Yes I meant how do you increase the overall protein percentage in the diet.


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## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

You could increase the amount fed, or introduce new proteins and feed more than one protein at a time.


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## Kassandra (Jun 6, 2012)

I don't think there is a way to increase overall protein percentage.. Maybe just feed more of it. 

Why are you looking to up the protein percentage anyways?


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## Ivy (Mar 16, 2011)

Dallas has lost weight and seems pretty boney in his back end. It was suggested to me to up his protien intake and do some exercises to help build some muscle, he's very lean. Blood work came back normal.


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## BearMurphy (Feb 29, 2012)

Ivy said:


> Dallas has lost weight and seems pretty boney in his back end. It was suggested to me to up his protien intake and do some exercises to help build some muscle, he's very lean. Blood work came back normal.


I agree, I don't think you can up the protein like a kibble feeder who can choose between protein percentages of different food. You can feed more and increase fat. how much are you feeding right now? some dogs require more than 2.5% to maintain. murphy gets 3-3.5% of his body weight because he got really skinny.

Also, what kind of exercise does your dog get right now?


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## Chocx2 (Nov 16, 2009)

Some heart muscle is higher in protein than others pork heart is very high in protein. Beef is good for fat and good protein that would be how I might increase protein. But dog use fat differently than people do, so maybe the fat content of the diet needs to be raised? Just throwing my 2 cents in


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## Ivy (Mar 16, 2011)

BearMurphy said:


> I agree, I don't think you can up the protein like a kibble feeder who can choose between protein percentages of different food. You can feed more and increase fat. how much are you feeding right now? some dogs require more than 2.5% to maintain. murphy gets 3-3.5% of his body weight because he got really skinny.
> 
> Also, what kind of exercise does your dog get right now?


Dallas gets 4lbs per day. Dallas gets fats every meal, both morning and evening and I leave whatever fat is on the meat and bones. 

Most of his exersice is running off leash and playing with the other dogs outside. I don't like doing road walks during the winter since I live in a rural area and people tend to drive pretty fast. Mix that with snowy or icy roads and I get a little nervous. During the warmer months; spring, summer (if not too hot) and fall we also do road walks about 3 time per week.

Has it ever happened that over time a dog will need an increase in food? He was at a nice weight before and recently I noticed he's gotten a little too thin.



Chocx2 said:


> Some heart muscle is higher in protein than others pork heart is very high in protein. Beef is good for fat and good protein that would be how I might increase protein. But dog use fat differently than people do, so maybe the fat content of the diet needs to be raised? Just throwing my 2 cents in


Unfortunately Dallas can't have beef or chicken. He does get pork heart often, it's the staple meat for him.

Maybe i'm still giving too little fat. What would happen if I gave too much though? He's 170lbs.


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## Sheltielover25 (Jan 18, 2011)

It might help adding in coconut oil. It has a high (good) fat content! Just a thought.


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## Gally (Jan 28, 2012)

I would just up his food intake a bit and see how he does. At 170lbs 2.5% would be 4.25lbs I believe so I'd start there and see how his weight does after a couple weeks. Some dogs need 3-3.5% to maintain their weight so he may need more.


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## Kassandra (Jun 6, 2012)

If you gave too much fat, he would have a bit of an upset stomach for a little while. Not much would happen. 

When I was feeding raw, Charlie had to get 5% of her body weight in food or not she would lose so much weight. Even at 5% she was on the thin side. I upped it to 7% for a while, no difference was made weight wise so I put her back on 5% where she maintained a stable weight. I think she is just one of those dogs who will always be a little on the thin side. Vet says she is perfectly healthy and blood work is normal, we just can't get her weight up. She needs a lot of fat to maintain her current weight. If I forget it for a day or two, or run out, you can notice the difference. She needs extra fat in her diet, not just what is already on the meat. Even though you may seem like you are feeding more than enough fat, you may not be. Dogs use it as energy so they need LOTS of it.

It is perfectly normal for his metabolism to change. Humans metabolism changes throughout the course of their lives and so do dogs. It might be as simple as adjusting his portion sizes. (Though increasing the fat content in a meal will also help to speed the weight gain process)

I know that when some dogs get older, they start to thin out, too. How old is Dallas? (I am not familiar with your pack) Seniors thin out as carrying too much weight around is hard on their joints. My boyfriends parents have a dog that looks SO underweight like they are not feeding her. Trust me, they take great care of their pets and the vet thinks the dog is perfectly healthy, she's just getting older and some dogs tend to thin out to make it easier to get around. 

It can be pretty tough feeding a dog with allergies so I salute you for that.. When your allergy dog loses weight that is also another thing that is pretty tough to deal with (for me anyways). 

I also noticed you said it was suggested to do exercises to build muscle.. Has he actually lost any muscle? Charlie is still fit as can be, she is build like an ox as far as muscles go. She is stronger than a lot of dogs much bigger than her. I know it might be hard to tell but usually if it is just say his hip bones sticking out a little but his thighs still look like they are in great shape, then there isn't a need for muscle building exercises, just need to put a little fat on the guy. 

Good luck


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## Ivy (Mar 16, 2011)

Dallas does get coconut oil several times a week. It's a little on the expensive side so I can't feed it everyday. He also gets fish oil every morning.

Dallas just turned 3 at the end of November.

He's very lean, not much muscle.


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## kathylcsw (Jul 31, 2011)

I agree that you should just increase how much you are feeding him. Some dogs just need more to keep weight on. Both of my dogs are 9lbs but Lola needs 3% and Buster needs 5%.


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## Felix (Oct 9, 2012)

Kassandra said:


> *If you gave too much fat, he would have a bit of an upset stomach for a little while. Not much would happen.*
> 
> When I was feeding raw, Charlie had to get 5% of her body weight in food or not she would lose so much weight. Even at 5% she was on the thin side. I upped it to 7% for a while, no difference was made weight wise so I put her back on 5% where she maintained a stable weight. I think she is just one of those dogs who will always be a little on the thin side. Vet says she is perfectly healthy and blood work is normal, we just can't get her weight up. She needs a lot of fat to maintain her current weight. If I forget it for a day or two, or run out, you can notice the difference. She needs extra fat in her diet, not just what is already on the meat. Even though you may seem like you are feeding more than enough fat, you may not be. Dogs use it as energy so they need LOTS of it.
> 
> ...


Too too much fat could result in pancreatitis. However, you'd have to feed a lot if it's mixed in with a raw diet. I think he would be alright if just fed a little more. 170lbs is a big boy!


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## Kassandra (Jun 6, 2012)

Felix said:


> Too too much fat could result in pancreatitis. However, you'd have to feed a lot if it's mixed in with a raw diet. I think he would be alright if just fed a little more. 170lbs is a big boy!


Isn't that a long term thing though?? Like, if they are fed too much fat long term then they could get it? I have no experience with it so what I thought could be completely wrong.


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## Ivy (Mar 16, 2011)

If i'm giving Dallas extra fat everyday that would be considered long term. I don't want to up his fat intake if it's a risk of pancreatitis. I give a piece that's about 1"x1" both morning and evening, plus whatever fat is on the meat and bones, fish oil every morning and coconut oil several times a week.


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

If you feel he needs to gain some lbs, I'd just start by feeding him more up his food intake to 2.5% and if that doesn't work move up to 3%...


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

The only real way to increase the protein content is to decrease the moisture content.... and you don't want to do that. Kibbles achieve such a high protein level because it is a dry product. 
I find that heart is a LIFESAVER in putting and keeping weight on dogs. In general, I noticed a positive difference in my dogs when moving to a red meat heavy diet. (I used to feed a TON of chicken and now feed hardly any) Beef head meat is a staple here, too.


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## Chocx2 (Nov 16, 2009)

Sometimes lean dogs have better muscle than fat dogs? Does that make sense to you, they may be lean, but the muscle is better and healthy. Again just my two cents. My labs are lean and very active.


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