Raw food for Poodle with pancreatitis

A Poodle with a history of pancreatitis and raw feeding on your mind — that's a combination that needs careful handling, because the biggest risk with pancreatitis is dietary fat, and raw food varies wildly in fat content depending on what's in it. Done right, raw can actually be a really good fit here: lean proteins, no processed fats, no hidden extras. Done carelessly, a high-fat mince or a fatty blend could trigger another episode. So before I point you anywhere, tell me: how recent were the pancreatitis episodes, is your Poodle currently on any medication or prescription diet, and are you looking for a ready-made complete raw meal or thinking about building meals yourself?

That's really sensible — getting fat percentages right from scratch with a pancreatitis-prone dog is genuinely difficult, and ready-made complete takes that variable away. For a 28kg Standard Poodle who needs low fat and complete nutrition, I'd point you to Natures Menu Country Hunter 100% Raw Nuggets in Chicken. Chicken is naturally one of the leaner proteins in raw feeding, and the Country Hunter nuggets are a nutritionally complete, balanced recipe — not just a mince, so you're not supplementing on top. They're frozen in small nuggets which makes portion control easy, and the fat content sits comfortably lower than beef or lamb blends. Can I ask — has your vet given you a fat percentage ceiling to work within, or just a general 'keep it lean' steer?

Good, that's a workable target. The Natures Menu Country Hunter Chicken nuggets come in at around 7–8% fat as fed, which puts you comfortably inside that boundary. The key things to watch when you transition: go slowly over two weeks minimum, don't mix with high-fat treats or toppers during the trial, and watch stool consistency closely — loose stools in the first week are usually transition, but if you see vomiting or lethargy alongside them, pause and check in with your vet before continuing. At 28kg she'll need roughly 560–700g per day depending on her activity level, and the nugget format makes it easy to weigh accurately. One thing to avoid: don't be tempted to add oils like salmon oil early on, even though they're often recommended for coat health in Poodles — that's a fat load addition and not worth the risk until she's been stable on the new diet for a couple of months.

You can rotate later, but protein choice matters a lot with pancreatitis. Turkey is your next safest bet — similar fat profile to chicken, and Natures Menu do a turkey nugget in the same range. White fish is another good option. Where I'd be cautious is duck, lamb, and anything with added pork — these tend to run higher in fat and are worth introducing only once she's had a solid three to four months stable on the lean proteins. Beef falls somewhere in the middle depending on the cut used in the blend, so check fat percentages before you add it. Rotate slowly — one new protein at a time, two to three weeks between changes — so if there's a reaction you know exactly what caused it.

Good — you're going in with the right approach. Start with the Natures Menu Country Hunter Chicken nuggets, transition slowly, keep a simple log of what she eats and how she's doing for the first month, and you'll have really useful data if you ever need to report back to your vet. The fact that she's been stable eight months and you're choosing a lean complete option rather than winging it with mixed cuts puts you in a genuinely good position. Hope it goes well for her.