[Ember]

i've been giving my boys one or two raw evening meals a week and we've been doing really well.
just that small amount has really put a gloss on both dog's coats and they've taken to raw really well.
i gave them both a chicken wing each and half a raw chicken liver last night but at four this morning, Diefie woke me up making little whimpers. his tummy was gurgling away and he vomitted up four pieces of bone shards, all about one centimeter in length and quite sharp.
he was obviously happier after he'd been sick and went back to sleep.
he's eating and drinking well today and seems fine now but does this happen to any of your raw fed dogs?
is this just nature's way of getting rid of bone pieces he couldn't digest or is this something to worry about?

 

[Brodysmom]

Yes. I've never seen Brody vomit any bone bits, but I have certainly heard of it. I would guess that the liver irritated his stomach and caused the gurgling. I go really slow and small on organs. Just a teensy bit, like fingernail sized, to begin with.

Did you give a whole chicken wing? The three parts joined? If so, you may have overfed just a bit too and that contributed. Wings are very bone heavy and a chicken wing in it's entirety is a very large gorge meal. I split them up into 3 pieces and just give one piece at a time.

 

[woodard2009]

Just watch him closely & I'd wait on feeding him anymore bones-then once he seems to be o.k. you can try again. I would hold the chicken wing for him while feeding.

 

[Ember]

sorry, it didn't read too clearly.
they had half a chicken liver between them both, about a thumbnail sized piece each.
the chicken wing was the tip and first joint not the entire three parts.
they've both had chicken liver before, raw and cooked, with no ill effects.

i know it's bone heavy but Stottie has stomach issues and anal gland problems and since giving him a two joint wing twice a week, we've had no trouble with loose stools or impacted glands. i've also not had to give him any of his vet prescribed, hideously expensive fibre and probiotic mix.

i tried Diefie on the bone lighter chicken thigh but strangely, it made him so constipated whereas the wings didn't.
Dief's tummy stopped gurgling as soon as he'd been sick.
he's also a piggy eater with kibble, usually i have to give him a piece at a time, else it's gone in seconds. it takes him around half an hour to eat a chicken wing and i'm sat with them while they eat keeping watch so they don't get in to trouble swallowing too big a piece.

 

[18453]

Daisy randomly throws uo bits of bone once in a while but it's normally got my hair entangled in it so I put it down to the hair!! I know it's gross but hold it for him or smash the bone up a bit!

 

[Ember]

i think i will give the wings a good bashing before i feed next time.

i daren't give smaller than two joint wing pieces as i'm sure both dogs would just swallow them down whole!

 

[MChis]

Honestly, I don't think the bone piece size is a concern. I've had my pups digest some ridiculous sized bone pieces in the past w/o any ill effects (including a whole intact chicken neck & this was before they were acclimated to digesting raw period). Some people even find bone shards in poo & that is also normal. I think it sounds to me like something he ate upset his tummy & he just had to get rid of it. Happens to everyone on occassion. Did you by chance mix kibble & raw? That has really upset Maribelles tummy before. Also, over feeding definitely upsets their tummy. Doesn't sound like he ate anything he hasn't tolerated ok before so I wouldn't think there would be a big concern. I hope he is back to his old self now though & doesn't have any other issues!

 

[Brodysmom]

I agree with Heather and think it's just probably one of those things .... something didin't agree with him and he got rid of it. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Unless it becomes routine or you see signs of illness.

You are doing everything right by just feeding bits of organ and not a whole wing! Sorry I misunderstood that.

 

[Ember]

i guess you're right, Dief probably snaffled something he shouldn't have as he's been perfectly fine since he was sick. i was just concerned as the vomit was just mucusy froth and those bits of bone, nothing else.

Heather - don't worry, i always make sure that there is at least a twelve hour gap between feeding kibble and raw. i've been reading up on raw feeding and scouring this forum for a long time

Tracy - no worries, i should have read through my first post but i was a little distracted at the time.

thank you for everyone's input, it's much appreciated by my boys and me!

 

[MChis]

So glad he's bee ok since!