Feeding raw while on chemo

So Cookie is starting chemo soon (this week or next) and I just wondered if continuing to feed him raw is okay.
I can continue with the raw or attempt to provide a home cooked meal (although will need help to balance this out).

Bit of background
Lots of allergies to cannot have any dog food (except for really processed allergy food that I refuse to feed him)
Dodgy tummy caused by some foods (intolerances) and stress (like at the moment because I'm upset and stressed so he picks up on it and acts that way too)
Has 1/2 teaspoon of slippery elm 30 mins before meal (as advised by vet will increase this to 1 teaspoon during chemo treatment).

Also if there is anything else you would like to add that maybe helpful to know for during chemo please let me know
Thanks

I am sorry that I cannot help you with regard to Cookie's diet, but I have everything crossed for his chemo and hope it goes well. (((hugs)))

Thanks Malka, we are very hopeful that all will be well and in 3 months we will be back to normal, not that anything with Cookie is ever normal haha

Good luck Sarah. I think whatever makes you feel you are 'doing your best' for him re his diet will be the best thing. You at least won't be so stressed. You obviously ARE doing your best. And I suppose it's the same with dogs as with humans with you having to wear gloves to handle or clean them up? Chemo consists of some very toxic stuff.

Yes, for 48 hours after chemo I had to wear rubber gloves and wash down where my dog wee'd and poo'd. No problems with upset tummy at all - or any other reaction come to that.

What does you vet say about the raw feeding?

A friend of mine went to a seminar a couple of weeks ago , and part of that was about diet, the specialist who was giving that talk commented on raw feeding his views are "its not good" as raw meat contains Salmonella , given your dogs compromised immune system i would need to know if feeding raw was safe.

Why not cook the meat first and this way you are still feeding unprocessed food.... I would also make sure the slippery elm is safe for him..

Hope he responds well to the chemo,

The "specialist" was talking a load of tommy rot then! Dogs can cope with far higher levels of salmonella than we can ... their digestive tract is equipped with all the necessary tools to cope with very high levels of a load of nasties. Otherwise, dogs would not exist because their wolf ancestors would have died out as they have a very strong propensity for burying surplus raw meat, bones etc. to 1) allow it to decompose, thus making it more tasty/easier to digest and 2) to save up for a rainy day.

Dogs mimic their wild ancestors by burying bones in our gardens, sometimes for months, to triumphantly return to excavate them and eat with gusto ... raw feeders feed their dogs on raw chicken carcases, meat and chicken wings, doubtless covered in salmonella, but dogs eat these and digest them perfectly safely without subjecting to the horrors of food poisoning.

I'm sorry to be so rude, but this person is talking through his rear end.

PS to my reply:

Cooking Cookie's food (no pun intended!) should be perfectly OK as long as ... especially with chicken ... it is thoroughly cooked. Otherwise you will be just incubating stuff like salmonella and you could make Cookie very ill indeed.

Personally, I would not change anything ... I would think the last thing you would want to do with a dog on chemo is to change something so vitally important as the diet, but certainly thoroughly cooking the meat should not be a problem if you feel more comfortable.

Big hugs to you and Cookie, and best of luck with the treatment. x Gnasher

OK........ obviously you know better,

but this is NOT the thread to discuss who knows best, I put the info up to inform the poster, its up to her to speak to her vet and decide whats best for her dog at this sad time.

People who are on chemo have compromised immune systems - so advice given for average or healthy dogs might not always apply to them.

The same as you always see warnings about stuff that will probably not harm a healthy adult human but could be quite dodgy for anyone very young, very old, or ill or infirm.