We switched our 2 boys to raw from kibble about 6 months ago. The switch came because we were simply exhausted from walking them 3 times a day because they had loose stool (we don't have fenced in yard, so we need to walk them to go to the bathroom). Our vet recommended more fiber in their diet to help with loose stool. This intuitively just didn't resonate with us. Basenji are one of the most ancient breeds of dog… why on earth would more fiber be a solution to their problem (I know the theoretical why, but logically it was counter-intuitive)? We read many sources or literature on the raw diet and thought this would be a good switch for them. Again, they are an ancient breed so moving toward raw foods seemed appropriate and logical. It took that about a month for them to get really accustomed to eating raw chicken quarters, rabbit halves or pork shoulders but now they have no problem gulping their meal right down, bone and all (for those of you who don't feed raw, gulping is a normal behavior and bone is an essential part of the diet). Their digestion issues have vanished and we've even seen marked improvement in their destructive behavior. Two super happy boys now, two super happy Basenji owners!!
Raw feeding and "older" basenjis?
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Yes, OK for older dogs and never to late to change..,. and really a Basenji is not considered old till 10 to 12 earlist…. IMO....
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high protein does not cause kidney problems. and dogs with (non fanconi) kidney disease need diets that have lowered phosphorous. however, protein and phos tend to go hand in hand. I do not feed raw, but my dog in renal failure is on a home cooked diet.
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I feed raw to my puppy and was told that no kibble with the raw diet(even before he had finished his bag of orijen he had no desire for the kibble compared to the dance of its dinner time with raw) , as to digest the bones they need as part of their raw diet the ph in their stomachs has to be high and kibble lowers the ph, so if you feed both the dog will probably get an upset stomach, so we do only raw and natural treats. I am sure there are other reasons as well and there are people on the forum that feed raw and some that feed raw and kibble so hopefully they step in to give more advice as I am quite new to raw feeding but love it and know how much my dog and cats enjoy it. Good luck.
Jolanda and Kaiser
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I feed raw and kibble all the time. Typically separate meals but not always.
I know a number or breeders that feed raw with considerably older dogs, 12-18. So 7, no problem. Just do what works for your dog.
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There are only 2 situations where I would not consider raw optimal – with a dog with autoimmune issues (Arwen) and one who does not handle raw and always gets diarrhea (Cara) no matter the meat source or how small. I consider both cases to be issues with the dogs, not the diet. I fed raw to my seniors til they died, no problems. It takes (sorry but this was from some article and I won't try to verify lol) about 15,000 YEARS for animals to change on a molecular basis. Dogs ate raw from the beginning of time, it is natural. Dogs like Cara and Arwen would have died off, not because the raw diet was bad but because they simply are not normal.
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Thanks for the replies - Oh I agree… and my husband, who is an Evolutionary Biologist - agrees 100%. He also contends that dogs are carnivores, not omnivores - based on their teeth/jaw. I know there's some controversy about that as well. I will probably feed mostly raw with some kibble - mainly for our convenience when we have to travel, it will just be easier to feed him kibble if we are out of town and staying with family, or staying in a hotel and don't have access to a fridge or whatever. It wouldn't be that often but I still like the idea of it being an option without upsetting his stomach.
Since the meat I will be buying will be from the grocery store - do I need to worry about salmonella and other bacteria? I never worried about it before ( i fed raw for almost a year before Tayda was diagnosed w/ Fanconi) and never had an issue, but now that I'm re-researching, it's worth asking what other people do. I've heard some people will rinse the meat in vinegar (and then rinse the vinegar of with water) to kill off some of the bacteria. Does anyone do that?
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When I feed raw meat, I don't worry about salmonella and have never rinse the meat with vinegar…
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This thread leads into my question about kidney function in older dogs. Ziggy is 14 and has been on a raw diet for over a year. I include scant bits of veggies in the food but essentially, he eats just protein.
He's showing signs of a weak bladder–needs to go out to pee more frequently, often pees during the night. His intake of water and food have not changed, and he's in very good health. Would you say that this is probably normal for an older, male dog or something that I should have checked out?
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having a a dog in renal failure (nonFanconi), i'd say get that checked out soon. peeing more often was the first sign of Digital's renal failure. Actually, the first time i took him in, we just did a urinalysis, and he had a bladder infection. looking back on it, i think he was starting the renal failure then, but i don't think we did enough tests to show that. if Zig is fine, i'd have him rechecked in 6 months. There is a yahoo canine kidney list that is an excellent resource if you need it. if it's renal failure, you'll probably have to change how you feed him a bit - no bones is a biggie.
I also have a 15 year old dog who does have to go out a little more often, but not a LOT more often like my kidney dog.
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I agree with agilebasenji… yes he needs checked.
But, I also need to ask if you are reading up and following raw diet protocols or JUST feeding meat. Dogs need more than meat. It is possible you are doing damage by not having that diet balanced since you say almost entirely protein.
