Tripe, tripe, wonderful tripe

Says Merlin

It must have been about two months ago that I started using raw 'green' tripe in his raw diet and I am delighted so far, on several counts.

I've been using Prize Choice tripe mince, 74p/400g from my local pet shop. Given the reputation that green tripe has, I was pleasantly surprised at how it looks and smells - kind of a greyish mince with no strong smell at all. If anything it's a bit like a dairy farm, or a faint whiff of fresh cow poo, and TBH having grown up in a village full of dairy farms, I have smelled (and trodden in) far, far worse!

He has half a block every day, with a couple of meaty pork spare ribs from the butcher, plus a sprinkling of Autarky kibble on top. A small amount of liver is added once a week. One whole raw egg once a week too. And a fat raw carrot for dessert every day. It doesn't sound like much but he's always been economical to run If anything he has gained a bit round the waistline but that was probably just Christmas, and the fact we had snow on the ground for two weeks so exercise was limited for a while.

Someone posted a link on Tripe, I think it was on here- but it basically contains Omegas 3 and 6 plus natural probiotics & bacterial cultures. Quite a doggy superfood in fact.

He no longer scratches and his coat is thick and truly glossy. I have had issues in the past with him scratching like mad after eating something that didn't agree with him - I can always tell when he's nicked the cat food! - and leaving tufts of scratched out hair to tumble on the carpet. Not so now.

He's also occasionally had mild colitis in the form of mucusy jelly poo, that's rare now.... one might look a bit slimy now & again, nothing bad though and in the absence of other symptoms I think that's do-able. I feel that removing chicken from his diet (cooked and raw) has also been the key to that.

Basically his diet is also now grain-free apart from the tiny amount in the kibble, or the odd occasion he has some leftover rice or pasta (or hoovers up bread dropped by the birds in the garden). This could also be a factor.

To anyone who's iffy about tripe, I'd say have a go, you have nothing to lose, and if the positive effects on your dog are anything like mine then you've gained everything.

I realise that 'green' tripe ordered from raw suppliers can be a league above with regards to appearance and smell... Well maybe that will be my next challenge when I finally get a bigger freezer...

Happy triping, all

Glad to hear from another tripe fan, i know the smell tends to put people off, but i have been feeding tripe for years and found it has sorted out a lot of problems for different dogs over the years.
when i got my Bruce he was under weight and still suffering problems with his bowels he was on two vet prescription diets {very costly} and not working for him, within three months on tripe he was a lovely weight and perfect Pooh's too what more can you ask for IMOPO

Great stuff Musky - I admit I was put off originally, as years ago I used to know some people who fed tripe to their GSDs... more than one set of owners as it happens!

They fed Very Green tripe (for want of a better phrase) from pet meat suppliers and YES it stank (I was present at feeding time) and the dogs themselves seemed to carry the scent too - they did smell Tripey! - and when they pooed that smelled tripey too. What more of a turn-off can you imagine?

So it's been a bit of an epiphany to discover that it doesn't have to be that way, and I definitely don't have a tripey-scented dog.... but he is certainly getting all of the benefits

We use the same here.....dogs love it, we have no probs with it all.
Lovely healthy coats and overal general appearance, weight fine too

That's nice to hear too, if you use the Prize Choice as well - are they also now addicted to dried tripe sticks as treats, like my lad is???

Oh! yes but poor Reah can not have them due to her small Colon....so I have to sneak them when she isn't looking (shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh)
Its only 69p here too.....maybe I should of kept that quiet

Well I gain by having an excellent butcher here who does human grade meat at dog-food prices

I have known about feeding raw for a long time.... it was the only thing that suited my sister's GSD years ago, who had numerous digestive and skin issues from a young puppy. She was on Barf (with the blitzed veg and all) and passed away just recently aged 13.5.

At the start out I didn't think it would be that easy... it seems so complicated at first doesn't it? But I've now hit on the combo that works: the tripe, pork ribs, liver once a week, egg, and canned fish too, plus a small amount of leftovers. I can also use lamb breast and lambs hearts when I get them. I'm excluding chicken but it must be even easier if you do include it.

Very daunting at the start but what great results when you get it right

I agree, my male Bruce has a sensitive tum and all he could eat was Chappie (without any fallout) now he can also eat green tripe with the same results as Chappie....so for him its been a blessing

I given Chappie to Merlin a few times in his life- his poos are always very soft after. There are a lot of dogs who can't 'do' wheat (as Chappie contains) or other grains.

Just goes to show they are all different, no two dogs the same.

yes gota admit tripe absolutly stinks lol but my dogs lurve it there on b.a.r.f diet and its the best ever exspecially for there teeth and coat