Marrow, I have been feeding raw for about a year and a half. I primarily feed an assortment of Chicken quarter or fryer thighs, canned fish (mackeral), hamburger and occassionaly turkey and eggs with shells. I have tried feed chicken livers but for some reason all my dogs turn their noses up to the liver. They do like chicken gizzards though. Sometimes we give them chicken necks too. It is a variety but not the largest variety out there. We live in rural MS. If I notice that they might be getting constipated, I give them a table spoon or two of canned pumpkin. This has helped. They love the diet.
I have noticed several benefits from feeding Raw:
Marrow, my Pitt-Mix, Willow, used to have horrible allergies (reminded me of what you are dealing with). She even had to take an allergy shot once a week. Since going to raw, her allergies have dramatically been reduced. She only takes a shot every now and then if she starts with a flare up usually during season changes. Her coat has been healthier and very shiny. For the longest time she had a horrible red and at time raw spot on her neck. We battled staph there on several occassions. Now, that place is no longer red and her fur has almost completely grown back.
Hershey, my english setter mix, has epilepsy. I have heard raw helps with seizures. I can't say for certain that I have seen and definate effects from this as we still give him phenobarbital every day. Prior to starting him on Raw, he was prone to constipation. I think that is partly due to the phenobarb, though. But once it was so severe we had to take him to the emergency vet. It happened again later on and we reconized the signs and were able to take care of it ourselves at home.
Crosby, my white boxer, is old and thin and has hemangiosarcoma. He was diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma about 3 years ago. I think the raw diet has really helped him. I really think the diet along with lots of prayers is what has helped him hang on this long. I really don't know how old he is as he is a rescue, but we estimate he is 13 years old. I find that simply amazing. We moved 2 years ago and my new vet was stunned when I told her he had hemangiosarcoma. I have a real hard time keeping wait on him and took him off the diet for awhile to try to put some weight on him I had boarded him and he didnt eat much while there and lost weight so I thought I would try to put some quick weight on him using dog food. It hasn't worked much so I am going back to raw and trying to feed him 3 times a day.
Other benefits I notice:
Less poo in the yard, less flatulance, healthier coats and less shedding, less trips to vet (more money in my pocket).
This has been my personal experience with raw. I did a good amount of research for about 1.5 years before I started it and have seen some wonderful benefits. No, my current Vet is not really a supporter of the vet, but I don't think she has ever given it much consideration or research, either. It is a big decision and there is always a learning curve. There are the ratios to follow, yet you have to "learn" what your dog tolerates and doesn't and how much is too much or not enough for your specific pet. It's hard at first and takes some dedication, but i have found it to be truly worth it.
Marrow, I hope you are starting to get the hang of it and feeling better about it. Good Luck.