# Too rich? What exactly does that mean?



## phoebespeople (May 27, 2009)

I hear a lot of people using the term "too rich" when talking about certain foods that give their dogs the runs. What exactly does that mean? I know when humans talk about food that is too rich they mean that there is a lot of butter, sugar, chocolate, or other ingedients like that in it. What specific ingredients or nutrients in a food make it too "rich" for a dog? Is it specifically too much animal fat content? Is it an abundance of a specific vitamin or mineral? Is it the perceived flavour? It's obviously not too much butter, sugar or chocolate in dog food that makes it too rich, so what is it? 
Some people say a certain brand of kibble is too rich. Some people say certain components of a RAW diet, like organs or marrow, are too rich. Without using tems like "too heavy" or "more concentrated", could someone define what "too rich" actually means.


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## Jordan S (Nov 21, 2009)

to heavy/concentrated is exactly what it means


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## phoebespeople (May 27, 2009)

A heavier concentration of what? 

If it is the weight of the food, that would just indicate a higher water content. So "heavier" food is not actually richer, it's watered down.

By saying a food is too concentrated, that would actually be reffering to the ratio of protein:fat:nutrients:carbohydrates:water. Which specific components are higher in a rich food and which are lower, and by what amounts?

If someone describes liver as being too rich for their dog, don't they actually mean that they just gave their dog too much liver?


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## upendi'smommy (Nov 12, 2008)

It's too nutrient dense. For example the protein level could be too high for the dogs system to handle.


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## Questdriven (Nov 25, 2009)

I think it can refer to ingredients/foods that a dog doesn't normally eat. That's why it's always recommended that you switch brands gradually and that when switching to a raw diet, you feed chicken for the first week or so and introduce everything else.
But I've always heard it used in such a way that, even with gradual switching, it's too rich for the dog to eat without digestive upset. Don't know much about that in itself, but it definitely has to do with the individual dog rather than dogs as a whole.



upendi'smommy said:


> It's too nutrient dense. For example the protein level could be too high for the dogs system to handle.


Ah. Sort of how dogs on a raw diet need differing levels of bone content depending on the individual? Some need less than 10%, some need right at 10%, some need more...that kind of thing?


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## Michiyo-Fir (Jul 25, 2009)

Usually it's protein levels, fat levels, or even vitamin levels per unit weight. 

For example marrow bones are too rich because it contains a LOT of fat and some dogs will lick out all the marrow which is too rich (in fat) and causes them to have squirts.


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

Liver is low in calories, low in fat and yet rich. Is it the protein, vitamin A, B12 and copper?http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/beef-products/3468/2

Rich to me means eat less or there will be consequences. Same with me as with the dogs.


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