 Barked: Mon Jul 23, '12 9:50am PST |
 | |  | | You need to find out exactly what the problem is, or make a choice on whether you're up for adopting a dog with known but unspecified digestive problems. If "trouble digesting fat" means that in the few weeks he's spent a shelter he's had diarrhea on food that isn't 80% fiber, then you're probably in the clear. If it means he has chronic live problems with pancreatitis, then you will always have to keep him on a special diet.
That being said, there's no reason that you can't create your own low-fat diet. Once you've researched what is fatty or lean, the biggest obstacle is keeping it affordable, as lean meats are often significantly more expensive. Homecooking can come in handy here, since you can buy fattier meats and boil or broil a good bit of the fat away.
Many dogs with chronic digestive problems do end up unable to eat raw, since a dog's ability to safely process the bones and bacteria in raw meat hinges on a well-functioning digestive tract. However, if your dog's system is that screwed up, do you really want to be feeding kibble? In such cases, homecooking or a good canned diet is preferable. Some dogs need a homecooked diet for a while, then stabilize and can eat raw. It's all about the individual.
ETA: FWIW, my guess is the kibble he's on isn't so much "low fat" as it is "high fiber." It's an important distinction. See what you can find out. He may need both low fat and high fiber, so be prepared to put together an alternative raw diet with lots of veggies even if you DO choose to go raw.Edited by author Mon Jul 23, '12 9:52am PST
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