Speaking to a Burns nutritionist just now, she tells me that when feeding rice to dogs, it needs to be cooked for over an hour. I just follow the packet instructions and cook for 35-40 mins. Do you all know something I don't???  Also, when explaining that I'm currently waiting for the results of an allergy test, she said that they are only 25% accurate. In fact she had just attended a recent conference where the speaker (can't remember who, she did say) was emphatic in his opinion that they were often misleading owners. 

I just want the best for my dog, but I am more confused than ever now.:rolleyes:

Any thoughts,
Karen

People like (and can digest) their rice less well-cooked than dogs need it. When I've given rice left over from our meal to the dogs there's evidence in their poo the next day - there are visible white specks from the core of each rice grain. To feed rice and not see this it needs to be thoroughly overcooked so that it's a mush, not separate grains.

Well I never!  I didn't know that and yet when my dog was a pup I was advised by the vet to feed boiled chicken and rice.  The vet didn't say anything about overcooking the rice so I too just followed the packet instructions.

It could be that my dogs are rubbish at digesting rice! :D

Well, I never!! You live & learn :D
I always overestimate how much rice we can eat & the dogs have the leftovers. Never noticed any white specks - but then my eyesight's not what it was!

it could be you're just rubbish at cooking it ....... :P :D

Didn't know that about rice!

About the allergy test - I've never heard of someone avoiding the foods they are told to avoid as a result of the allergy test and still having problems.  So I would conclude that they must work.  I'm not sure they can have a whole lab set up for testing if their results are only 25% accurate!

For what it's worth, I've been told conflicting advice by various Burns nutritionists in the past that I no longer would put much trust in what they said - and that's regarding their own products - so definitely wouldn't put much stock in what they said about allergy testing!

I have had two dogs allergy tested and after removing the allergens problems disappeared.  I know of many other successful outcomes too.

Why not ignore hearsay and go to the source.............

I didn't know that about rice either! I remember when I used to feed Naturediet, you could clearly see the individual grains of rice..

When I feed rice for a bland diet to convalesce I thoroughly over cook it but mine regularly have ND and also left over rice from our own food and poos are grain free (to my knowledge :D )

regards, Teri 

Feeding dogs rice "human style" isn't harmfull. But if the rice is fed as a "light diet" after illness, well cooked rice is easier to digest. Less work for upset intestines ;-)  And if it's boiled with twice as much water, for double the normal time, it will also bind more fluid which might be important if the dog is, or has been, dehydrated.
Karen