Hi all, I'm currently feeding Storm chicken and rice for a dodgy tummy. Her stools no longer have blood and are slightly less runny. I'm starting her back on to a new kibble as she wasn't dealing well with her last one. My questions is How much chicken and rice should I be feeding her? Worried I've been feeding her too much. I was trying to gauge roughly how much biscuits she would have been on and do it that way. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Also I worry about her energy levels. She is bouncy at times and I know puppies sleep a lot but she is just so chilled at the moment. She doesn't go crazy when she meets new people, when she sees cats, apart from a big scary duck nothing seems to faze her. I just worry she is not herself but I don't really know what herself is as she has been like that since she got here. She has a very waggy tail a lot of the time and seems happy. Thanks
You're better to feed her little and often, so cook up a batch and either freeze it or keep it in the fridge (not for long - rice doesn't keep well, so I'd only refrigerate a day's supply and freeze any extra). As she's so little, I'd probably give her a heaped table spoon every couple of hours until she's firmed up. Willow has never really been interested in cats. As a young puppy, she met a couple and they didn't do anything interesting, so she just ignored them. Now, she will have a good look when there's one around (such as this morning, we bumped into several during our walk), but she doesn't chase. So I wouldn't worry about that. She'll still be finding her feet in this big, scary world; some pups are just a little less brave than others at first.
Blood IN her stool, so that the stool is black and tarry? That could indicate internal bleeding somewhere and might be serious and is worthy of Vetting. Chicken and rice probably won't fix it. The energy concerns might be a connection but you might just have a lovely laid back puppy too. Bright red blood with stool, outside it, might mean a tear somewhere near the rectum. Not as serious but worth checking out if it continues. Chicken and rice might help with tummy upset, I gave about 50:50 and only a bit less than would normally fill the bowl and gave meals more often. When Oban had terrible diarrhoea chicken and rice did nothing for him. The rice can ferment and some VEts, mine, don't like it. Sweet Potato and turkey worked better for us, both well cooked, about 60:40 SP:turkey, and again smaller meals. For us total amount was also less than what would normally fill the bowl when fed kibble. Notice how many times I said "might" it can be hard to figure out. Good luck.
Thanks snowshoe. She has already been to the vet for it and they thought it was down to the stress of her journey home, car, plane, car (she got very car sick) or something to do with the food as she had been runny with the breeder too and they suggested I may need to change it. The blood seems to have disappeared now, I was just worried I had been feeding her too much but the suggestions sound similar to what I have been doing. Maybe a bit more frequently as I split into 4 meals. Will think about sweet potato and turkey. Feel like I'm weaning a baby again Thanks snowbunny. Hadn't thought to freeze the rice and had kept it 2 days in the fridge as I'd be happy eating 2 day old rice. Will freeze hers though and she has as a smaller tummy to me. How do you defrost? Her mum is super chilled so wonder if she may be like her. In a week or so I'll probably complains he is crazy! X
As per the rice, I go from the NHS guidelines: http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/can-reheating-rice-cause-food-poisoning.aspx?CategoryID=51 I've never frozen it myself, as I have two Labs and when one gets C&R, the other gets C&R, so I go through it quickly! I guess you could defrost in the microwave, if you have one, or in a pan with some extra boiling water.
One of Oban's recovery diet recipes for home cooked had rice in it. I made up batches, froze, thawed out in the fridge overnight when I wanted to use one.
