Question

[sferrini]

Just wondering, I have been feeding my baby (will be 1 on July 7th) a homemade diet I purchased from balanceit. He has been eating it for about two weeks now and LOVES it. I know that their poop changes when you put them on homemade diets but my baby is pooping out the rice, it's like he is not digesting it, is this normal?

[Wylie's Mom]

Are you using white rice or brown? White would be a more simple carb for them to digest, but even with white, it may go through the system undigested. You can try cooking it longer, as more cooking can break down some of the chains...but this isn't really reliable in terms of predicting whether the dog will be able to break it down.

Dogs digestive systems are more efficient (than ours) at dealing with protein, than with carbs. Also, while humans release enzymes in their mouth as soon as a carb hits their mouth, dogs do not...so the digestion process of carbs, for dogs, is different in many ways.

You could try adding digestive enzymes, but this also isn't a guarantee of digestion. Also, you could try other carbs.

[Ellie May]

If you are using white rice and cooking it for a long time, then you can email balanceit and one of their nutritioists might be able to tell you what it can be replaced with. They are nice there.

You will likely be able to replace it with pasta, quinoa, barley, or even peas or sweet potato.

[Ladymom]

I had the same problem with Lady. White or brown, the rice came out undigested.

I substituted oatmeal and she hasn't had any more problems.

[sferrini]

bRown Rice, and actually somebody else suggested i cook it down more and add more water than what is called for.

Thank you, I will try that and see how that works. I am wondering if I did not cook the last batch long enough because he has been on the diet for two weeks and it's only been the last couple of days that I have seend it in his poop.

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom

Are you using white rice or brown? White would be a more simple carb for them to digest, but even with white, it may go through the system undigested. You can try cooking it longer, as more cooking can break down some of the chains...but this isn't really reliable in terms of predicting whether the dog will be able to break it down.

Dogs digestive systems are more efficient (than ours) at dealing with protein, than with carbs. Also, while humans release enzymes in their mouth as soon as a carb hits their mouth, dogs do not...so the digestion process of carbs, for dogs, is different in many ways.

You could try adding digestive enzymes, but this also isn't a guarantee of digestion. Also, you could try other carbs.

[sferrini]

Originally Posted by Ellie May

If you are using white rice and cooking it for a long time, then you can email balanceit and one of their nutritioists might be able to tell you what it can be replaced with. They are nice there.

You will likely be able to replace it with pasta, quinoa, barley, or even peas or sweet potato.

ok, thank you. This is the first I have used them. I do have quinoa at home.

[sferrini]

is that ok to subsitute with? I know they say not to deter from teh ingredients in the recipe.

Thank you, though I am feeling better with everybodies responses.

Originally Posted by Ladymom

I had the same problem with Lady. White or brown, the rice came out undigested.

I substituted oatmeal and she hasn't had any more problems.