# How much liver is too much?



## Dogless (Feb 26, 2010)

I feed raw according to the ratios of 80:10:10.

Kilo eats about 8 - 8.5kg per week and I am very happy with his weight and condition.

I stumbled across the DAF forum who recommend that dogs get about 1oz liver per day - meaning about 270g / week. This has confused me a little! Surely the amount needed depends upon the size of the dog and the total amount of food needed to maintain a healthy weight?

I have been feeding Kilo about 800g of offal (mainly liver, some kidney) per week (just short of 10% of his total intake) and cannot find any absolute information as to what amount of liver can cause harm.

Tonight, I was intending to feed 500g liver as a meal (his digestion is fine with that!!) and he would probably have got the remaining 100g at the weekend with chicken (he had kidney yesterday)....am I feeding way too much liver?


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## Manoy Moneelil (Sep 1, 2011)

Two things leap to mind, liver is quite rich and can result in loose stools, you don't mention that so unlikely to be an issue for you.

Liver is a great source of Vitamin A, if the liver you are feeding is particularity good and you are feeding a lot you do risk Vitamin A poisoning.

As a rough guide a dog might eat a liver per animal "kill", like humans that eat too much meat in their diet because we have the buying power to do so does not mean it is best for us to consume so much.

There was another thread a week or so ago where someone was, IMHO, giving a cod liver oil OD to their dog, I think I posted other links in that thread.


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## Dogless (Feb 26, 2010)

Manoy Moneelil said:


> Two things leap to mind, liver is quite rich and can result in loose stools, you don't mention that so unlikely to be an issue for you.
> 
> Liver is a great source of Vitamin A, if the liver you are feeding is particularity good and you are feeding a lot you do risk Vitamin A poisoning.
> 
> ...


Thanks for your input. I understand that it can cause loose stools, but luckily it doesn't in Kilo and am very aware of vitamin A toxicity.

I have been happy with feeding just under 800g / week as it makes sense when the ratios are followed....I just cannot find any concrete evidence of how much can cause toxicity. The 270g / week for all dogs makes little sense to me either as 270g for Kilo would be about 3% of his total intake, whereas for a 23kg dog (for example) it would be about 6.5% and for a 5kg dog about 27%.

Surely the amount fed per week should directly relate to the size of the dog and the total amount of meat fed? Kilo is 44kg so it makes sense that he will need more offal than a small dog.

I am sorry but I feel that I haven't explained myself well at all; I hope you see what I am trying to get at?


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## SixStar (Dec 8, 2009)

It seems very odd to give one blanket rule on how much all dogs should have, without taking into consideration the size of the dog  

Like you, I feed roughly 10% offal per week - normally half liver, and half either kidney or spleen and it suits them just fine, I don't tend to feed a whole large meal of liver in one go because it upsets my lads if I give alot in one meal, so I'll spread their portion between 3 or 4 meals. I wouldn't take too much notice of that DAF guideline personally, and carry on as you are!


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## Dogless (Feb 26, 2010)

SixStar said:


> It seems very odd to give one blanket rule on how much all dogs should have, without taking into consideration the size of the dog
> 
> Like you, I feed roughly 10% offal per week - normally half liver, and half either kidney or spleen and it suits them just fine, I don't tend to feed a whole large meal of liver in one go because it upsets my lads if I give alot in one meal, so I'll spread their portion between 3 or 4 meals. I wouldn't take too much notice of that DAF guideline personally, and carry on as you are!


Thank you; I have read a lot about feeding raw and have been very happy and confident doing it (only 5 months in total so new to me!) - but just saw that and was puzzled. My problem is I like scientific evidence and absolutes!!


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## SixStar (Dec 8, 2009)

Kilo looks absolutely fantastic on it, so I'm sure you have nothing to worry about! :thumbup:


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## Dogless (Feb 26, 2010)

SixStar said:


> Kilo looks absolutely fantastic on it, so I'm sure you have nothing to worry about! :thumbup:


Thanks - I am very happy indeed with his condition and he certainly seems well and healthy. Full of it some days as young dogs are .


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## Manoy Moneelil (Sep 1, 2011)

My wife makes the best pork curry in the world - I do not have it every day despite being completely happy to eat it. I doubt there is a perfect rule to follow, just guidelines that border the path that is good to follow. 

We feed the dogs liver (pork or chicken, often the pluck) but probably twice a week with other meats. I would guess at ½-¾ Kilo per week. 45 Kg dog.


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## pogo (Jul 25, 2011)

Both my two eat roughly 3-3.5kg a week and with offal i just feed it in one meal a week rather then spreading it about (never had any problems) and they get roughly 300g a week of offal. However i swap each week, so 300g of liver one week and 300g of kidney the next week.

Edit: i think everyone does it their own way and a blanket rule is not going to suit all dogs, Kilo looks great so i would carry on doing what you are doing and not worry


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## GoldenShadow (Jun 15, 2009)

Do the maths and work it out on here?

K9joy Education: free article on " The Dangerous(?) Vitamin A " by Mogens Eliasen

I'll work it out later but its pretty self explanatory on there. I do as close to 5% liver as I can so about 250g for Rupert.


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## Dogless (Feb 26, 2010)

GoldenShadow said:


> Do the maths and work it out on here?
> 
> K9joy Education: free article on " The Dangerous(?) Vitamin A " by Mogens Eliasen
> 
> I'll work it out later but its pretty self explanatory on there. I do as close to 5% liver as I can so about 250g for Rupert.


Brill; have some green :thumbup:. I would have to give Kilo about 4.2kg / week or 600g a day to reach a possibly toxic amount. The article suggests that up to 2-3 times that could be tolerated and that it shouldn't be top of the worries list!!


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## GoldenShadow (Jun 15, 2009)

Dogless said:


> Brill; have some green :thumbup:. I would have to give Kilo about 4.2kg / week or 600g a day to reach a possibly toxic amount. The article suggests that up to 2-3 times that could be tolerated and that it shouldn't be top of the worries list!!


Haha thanks 

I was like hmm I bet she's exhausted google already but I'll give it a go anyway. Still not definitive I suppose but we can worry a bit less! I must admit I never give 6% etc I always give as close to 5% as possible but even I can chill a bit now phew


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## Dogless (Feb 26, 2010)

GoldenShadow said:


> Haha thanks
> 
> I was like hmm I bet she's exhausted google already but I'll give it a go anyway. Still not definitive I suppose but we can worry a bit less! I must admit I never give 6% etc I always give as close to 5% as possible but even I can chill a bit now phew


No, not definitive but does mean that I know that there is leeway provided I don't obtain any polar bear liver!


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