# Raw and colitis?



## pogo (Aug 28, 2011)

Hey

I feed raw to my 7 month old staff, through personal choice he has never suffered any health problems, but that's beside the point. Anyway we are in the process of hopefully adopting a rescue staffy X who apparently suffers with colitis quite badly, and they recommended feeding her Chappie which is a very bad cheap dry food over here. Obviously i won't be feeding her that, and will be wanting to feed her raw, but i have never dealt with a dog who's suffered from this before. Would a raw diet be beneficial to her and would there be any particular food that i should avoid?

Thanks!


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

Chelsy suffered from severe colitis all her life until I finally put her on a raw diet. She would have horrendous bloody diarrhea if she ate the wrong thing that sometimes led to vomiting. Almost any grains, fruits, or vegies would set her off, and almost all processed fish.

The only meat that I still avoid with her is canned fish because I know that salmon is the one meat that sets her off terribly. I haven't tried raw fish on her yet because I'm actually scared to try it! She might be fine on the raw version. It would help with your rescue pup to start him out on the raw diet slowly and just add in a single protein at a time and see how he does. Chelsy has not had a single episode of bloody colitis since she has been on raw. Hopefully your guy will be the same way. It has really worked a miracle on Chelsy!


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## pogo (Aug 28, 2011)

Thats brilliant to hear thanks! I would only introduce it to her slowly anyway but i don't want to be feeding her what she's on at the minute!


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## Angelwing (Feb 20, 2011)

One of my cats went through some testing and they eventually basically diagnosed him with IBS. Not exactly the same as colitis but when I first adopted him he had short, dull hair, diarrhea and would vomit. I switched dry foods a bunch of times and added digestive enzymes to his wet food (which definitely made it tons better but he would still throw up occasionally but his poops were always somewhat softly formed and VERY stinky, to the point where I was cleaning it out immediately after he finished pooping). He was on grain free foods which allowed his coat to grow in properly to a medium length and he was retaining vitamins/minerals etc. instead of everything just running through him. But it definitely wasn't the fix. Then I switched him to raw and he's been PURRFECT. Poops are nice and well formed, odourless and he never throws up! Plus after 2 weeks on raw his teeth have cleaned up to be almost perfect (he was going to get a dental done but now he doesn't need it). Definitely try raw, but go slow of course.


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## kady05 (Jul 29, 2011)

You can read through this: http://dogfoodchat.com/forum/raw-fe...-switching-raw-my-sensitive-stomach-girl.html if you want to know about why I switched to raw. I'm not sure I would classify what Piper had as colitis, but it was pretty similar! 

Switched to raw almost 3wks. ago and she's doing the best she ever has!


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## pogo (Aug 28, 2011)

Thanks both of you! that's great to hear, i will have a nosy through your thread kady05.


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## catahoulamom (Sep 23, 2010)

My Finnigan has suffered from colitis most of his life. On kibble, it was horrible (tried everything from Blue Buffalo to Acana). He's been on raw the past two years, first pre-made commercial stuff, and he did a little better... but still had a few bouts a month. He's been eating PMR the past year and it is rare for him to have bloody diarrhea.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

The first dog I transitioned to raw was diagnosed with colitis and then IBS and then SIBO. My Boxer was on kibble for a short period of time last year and it was a digestive train wreck. 
I can not say it enough: Raw works WONDERS for digestive issues. The more digestive issues that are present, the more reasons there are to switch to raw!
the transition can be tough on some dogs, and it's important to just move SLOWLY. If they're on nothing but bone in chicken for two months- that's OK. Don't rush, and you will be doing this pup a favor in getting him off commercial foods, and onto a species appropriate raw diet.


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## Khan (Jan 17, 2010)

When Khan was about 5 months old and suffering from what we have since found out were severe allergies/sensitivities to all kinds of food, the doctor was really leaning toward a diagnosis of colitis/IBS and was also talking about some crappy kind of prescription food. I refused to believe that a little baby would be plagued with colitis/IBS, so I did research which is how I ended up here. I can tell you that within a few weeks of switching to raw, he was a completely different puppy! He still has some allergies/sensitivities to certain foods (mostly processed/commercial treats) as well as some environmental allergies; but for the most part, those are easily controlled!
I would venture to say as all the others have before me, that once you make the switch, you will see those troubles all but disappear. Just remember to go very slow, and introduce new items in a very controlled manner. I think a key to making the switch is to be VERY vigilant about not giving anything "extra" remember if you switch the food and don't switch the treats you may still see symptoms. Just make sure you eliminate EVERYTHING other than the protein source you are starting with (chicken). By doing this, this will also highlight any issues you may have when you do add anything new. It's pretty easy to see a change after getting the baseline set.


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## pogo (Aug 28, 2011)

Thanks everyone, like I said i feed raw anyway but glad to know I'm making the right decision for the new pup


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

when a dog or human gets colitis, usually it's from diet. there are some pathologic disease processes but mostly it's diet.

so if you take a dog who has been on a diet that is not species specific, then put the dog on a species appropriate food list, i think you won't be seeing colitis any more....

colitis means inflammation of the colon....and it's caused by unwanted bacteria from food, passing through the colon and irritating it.

i'm sure you'll be pleased with the results...and well done, you for starting slowly.


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## Roo (Oct 17, 2010)

I came to this forum last year because one of my dogs suffered from chronic colitis episodes for over 2 years that were very painful and I had tried all kinds of different dry foods with nothing that helped. All the members here were (and are) so kind, caring, and knowledgeable, they helped me through my fears and questions about feeding PMR and now Lola my pug beagle mix is pain free and looking better than she ever did on kibble.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

I wonder how many of us ended up here because our dogs were sick. I have a feeling that had my dogs not had any physical issues, I'd still be happily feeding dry dog food.


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## Roo (Oct 17, 2010)

Xellil, I was wondering that a few weeks when Dr. Tim mentioned he had suggested the raw diet to a few of his clients with health problems. I started wondering why raw is only suggested or considered sometimes (not always) when there is a health problem. I probably would still be feeding kibble as well if it hadn't been for Lola's health issues which is sad.


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## minnieme (Jul 6, 2011)

As a lot of people have mentioned already, with a sensitive stomach pup the key is to really move slowly. I think raw benefits those kinds of dogs the most.....you can't get much simpler than one ingredient! But because they are so sensitive..Linsey is right -- don't feel bad at all for taking 2 months to be on bone-in chicken or however long it takes. As long as you let that pup determine the pace of your transition, and don't cloud your judgment by the previously quick pace of your successfully transitioned dog, I think you'll both do fine.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

Roo said:


> Xellil, I was wondering that a few weeks when Dr. Tim mentioned he had suggested the raw diet to a few of his clients with health problems. I started wondering why raw is only suggested or considered sometimes (not always) when there is a health problem. I probably would still be feeding kibble as well if it hadn't been for Lola's health issues which is sad.


I think it's because feeding kibble is today's norm, so most people don't really question that at all until there's a reason to- usually a health issue. marketing is easy to get sucked into, and after years of watching how awesome Pedigree,Iams, Eukanuba, etc. are on commercials, it's only natural that a lot of pet owners don't think twice about what they're feeding their pets until something happens and they NEED to. I think super health conscious people are more likely to look into the ingredients in their dog's food, only because they're generally so much more aware of what they themselves eat. Most people that stumble upon raw feeding seem to do so while searching for the best or perfect kibble for their pet and soon discover that such a thing does not exist.


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## pogo (Aug 28, 2011)

Thanks everyone for the advice  Since i have already swapped one dog over (albeit he didn't have any problems) i know to go slowly, and not to worry about every little thing :wink:


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

xellil said:


> I wonder how many of us ended up here because our dogs were sick. I have a feeling that had my dogs not had any physical issues, I'd still be happily feeding dry dog food.


my dogs weren't sick, although to this day, i feel that this particular food helped my dogs not live longer.....they are all gone now...but i remember thinking that i could no longer feed that food because it did nothing for the quality of life for my dogs.

that's how i went to home cooking....and then to raw.

even in my own eating, we try to eat as naturally as we can.....no processed foods for us, so no processed foods for them.


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## monkeys23 (Dec 8, 2010)

You know, I knew that was raw was best, but I put it off because of ye olde lack of freezer space excuse.... then Lily started having hard poo issues...


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## pogo (Aug 28, 2011)

My lad has his own freezer, which is a hell of a lot fuller then ours is :wink:


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