[Patricia A]

Don’t feed that brand Aimee. Post just peaked my interest in the DCM controversy again. I feed freeze dried .I rotate brands and proteins. Kibble is given occasionally . That being Stella n Chewys. This about sums up what is known about DCM.
Myth: DCM is caused by diet
Fact: Multiple factors contribute to DCM in pets, particularly genetic predisposition, weight, size, gender and pre-existing illnesses.

Myth: Grain-Free foods cause DCM
Fact:The FDA found no science directly linking ingredients in grain-free foods to the onset of DCM.
Myth: The FDA recommended pet owners change their pet’s diet
Fact: FDA recommended to NOT change a pet’s diet based solely on the information in the report…and has not changed its perspective in the past 2 years.
Myth: DCM is a new disease caused by grain-free pet food
Fact: Studies in 1988, 1995 and 1997 all pointed toward genetic predisposition and/or size as contributing factors to DCM in pets – well before grain-free diets were prominent.

Myth: Grain-free foods have no taurine

Fact: Taurine comes from meat, particularly high quality meat used in specialty pet food as opposed to animal by-products used in lower grade pet foods.
Myth: The FDA report listed only 16 pet food brands
Fact: Purina One and Hill’s Pet Nutrition were reported in DCM cases to the FDA.In fact, MARS (make of Royal Canin and Iams) had the 5th most reported brands.

Myth: Only well-known pet foods are safe for pets to eat.
Fact: The majority of brands named in the FDA report can be found in large pet, grocery or mass market stores.

Myth: Only WSAVA-approved foods are safe for pets to eat
Fact: WSAVA (World Small Animal Veterinary Association) does not ‘approve’ foods, it provides health considerations for pet owners.

Myth: WSAVA recommends select brands over others
Fact: No. But Purina, Hills (Science Diet) and MARS (Royal Canin and Iams) all have paid partnerships with WSAVA so they actively promote these brands on their web site.
Myth: DCM is the biggest health concern for dogs
Fact: The leading causes of canine death are cancer, obesity, kidney disease, diabetes
Myth: Grain-inclusive pet food has more taurine than grain-free options
Fact: The FDA found that average %’s of total taurine, cysteine and methionine-cysteine – amino acids benefiting heart health – were similar for grain free and grain based products.
Myth: The FDA reported “exotic”meat proteins as the big problem in dog food
Fact: 75% of the cases reported to the FDA were feeding common proteins such as chicken, lamb and fish.

Myth: All dogs are equally susceptible to DCM
Fact: Certain breeds –particularly Golden Retrievers –have a higher risk of acquiring DCM. And purebred dogs are at much higher risk than mixed-breeds. In addition dogs with health issues such as obesity, age,GI issues, allergies, etc. may also be at higher risk for DCM due to the inability to absorb nutrients as efficiently as dogs without underlying health issues.

[Janice R]

6/1/2021. I purchased Verbac CET Hextra Premium chews. I gave him one waited a day or two before giving him 1 each night. After giving him one the third night consecutively, he began acting anxious, begging for my attention. I thought he was begging for another and corrected him. The next morning, he could not get up by himself, was not eating only drinking enormous amounts of water. Elimination ok. I took him to ER Vet where they diagnosed him with Acute Pancreatitis and Diabetes Mellitis. Due to the enormous $5-$6000 estimate with very poor prognosis, I planned his Euthanasia. I was finally able to get in with his regular Vet. So, now we are trying insulin and low fat diet. After getting him stabelized, I looked at CET Hextra chews, saw they were only 1.0 gm fat, I gave him another. Within 2 hours, again he was distressed with panting and his abdomen became bright red with distension. So, this morning, it dawned on my there might be an association. I found this identical statement from March 2020. I informed my veternarian of what I have found and am waiting to hear back from her. Wish I did a search on “reactions,” verses side effects. I likely would not have purchased. I still may end up Euthanising. Talk about Grieving process.

[CSGO Pill]

We eat many things to maintain our health. Rice is one of them. But Brown rice has many benefits over normal rice. The Brown Rice Benefits are-

1) Brown Rice helps in Weight Loss
2) It helps in reducing Cholesterol
3) Good for your Heart health
4) Good impact on Digestive health
5) It can help in case of Diabetes
6) It can boost your Energy Levels

• This topic was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by CSGO Pill.

[Patricia A]

Hi..Diane has your vet ruled out what possibly is causing these high ALT”s from puppyhood? Glad to hear ultrasound is normal . Below are some common causes of the high ALT levels. ALT is an enzyme that may be released with any source of damage to the liver. Blunt trauma, anaphylactic reaction, systemic illness such as thyroid disorders, and other problems that have nothing to do with the liver can cause an elevation of ALT in the blood. Just because ALT is elevated doesn’t mean the liver is failing, however. This result is interpreted in conjunction with clinical signs and other bloodwork and imaging changes.
Increased ALT

Common Causes
• Inflammatory
o Infectious causes
 Bacterial cholangiohepatitis
 Leptospirosis
 Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP)  Histoplasmosis
 Infectious canine hepatitis
o Noninfectious causes

 Chronic hepatitis
 Cirrhosis
 Pancreatitis
• Toxic
o NSAIDS
o Phenobarbital
o Corticosteroids
o Methimazole/carbimazole
• Liver hypoxia or hypoperfusion o Anemia
o Congestive heart failure
o Shock
• Metabolic disorders
o Hyperthyroidism (cats)
o Hepatic lipidosis (cats)
o Cushing’s disease
o Diabetes mellitus/diabetic ketoacidosis
• Neoplasia
• Trauma
Generated by VetConnect® PLUS: Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) Page 1 of 3

Uncommon Causes
• Portosystemic shunts (usually mild elevations if any)
• Toxic
o Mushroom
o Sago palm
o Aflatoxin
o Ragwort (horses) o Xylitol
o Tetracycyline
o Idiosyncratic drug reactions
• Inherited
o Copper storage disease (certain dog breeds, but particularly severe in Bedlington Terriers)
o Lysosomal storage disorders
• Severe skeletal myopathy, usually mild to moderate increases
• Nutritional hepatopathies
• Gastroenteritis
Related Findings
• Inflammatory
o Increased AST, ALP, GGT, total bilirubin
o Decreased albumin, cholesterol, glucose, BUN in severe cases
o Increased bile acids and ammonia
o Positive titers or PCR for leptospirosis, feline coronavirus (FIP), histoplasmosis o Positive bacterial or fungal culture of liver/bile
o Histopathology/cytology findings consistent with inflammatory hepatic diseases o Increased Spec cPL® or Spec fPL® with pancreatitis
• Metabolic
o Hyperthyroidism
 Increased T4, free T4, free T4 by equilibrium dialysis
o Hepatic Lipidosis
 Increased ALP
 GGT usually normal unless concurrent inflammatory disease is present  Enlarged liver on radiographs, hyperechoic liver on ultrasound
 Cytology/histopathology consistent with hepatic lipidosis
o Cushing’s Disease
 Increased ALP
 Decreased urine specific gravity
 Stress leukogram: increased neutrophils and monocytes, decreased lymphocytes and/or eosinophils  Adrenal function tests consistent with Cushing’s disease
o Diabetes Mellitus
 Increased serum glucose and glucosuria  Increased fructosamine
 Ketonuria (in severe cases)
• Neoplasia
o Enlarged/irregular liver on radiographs and/or ultrasound o Cytology/histopathology findings consistent with neoplasia

• This reply was modified 4 years, 11 months ago by Patricia A.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 11 months ago by Patricia A.

[aimee]

Hi Lacy,

I’m not sure where it it you saw corn listed as a high glyvemic food, I see it routinely listed as moderate. Additionally high glycemic foods have not been identified as a cause of diabetes in people( see ADA) and they are not a cause of diabetes in canines. Diabetes is not caused by diet.

Finally, dogs are biologically considered omnivores because of their metabolic pathways align with that classification such as ability to convert B carotene to Vit A which is something the cat, classified as a carnivore, is unable to do.

As Crazy4cas posted corn can be a well utilized component of the canine diet .

[Lacey S]

The problem with corn is that it’s a high glycemic carbohydrate. Dogs are biological carnivores and still basically have the same DNA as wolves. While dogs can handle 20-30% of their diets being carbohydrates without a problem, does it really make sense that a high glycemic carb would be the ideal source of nutrition for canines?

High glycemic carbs are the primary cause of diabetes in humans, and it only follows that dogs would have a similar outcome (especially since they’re carnivores).

[Lori H]

Hi Glenn,

My dog also has Cushing’s among other things and if you are willing to change up your dog’s diet, I highly recommend reaching out to Rick. Buddy was a mess before finding Rick. He had been diagnosed with Cushing’s and diabetes. He had recently undergone surgery to removed bladder stones from him urethra and also the liver failure diagnosis over three years ago and my vet prepared me for the fact that he was going to die. It was a lot and I was so overwhelmed, but I was not willing to accept that he was going to die so I started doing research online. I found Rick and the rest is history. Buddy is still here and a little over 13 years old and healthy and happy. The diet saved and changed his life.

Below is Buddy’s story off of Rick’s website.
https://www.doglivershunt.com/buddys-story.html

If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Good luck and I hope you find the direction you need to make changes for your dog.

Lori

[Patricia A]

Wow that’s a lot of abnormal symptoms without the vet resolving any. Seems like they are guessing and giving possibly unneeded medications since it never resolved the problems. No definitive diagnosis of hypothyroidism but put on that medication could cause more symptoms .
Has the vet given a cause of the constant UTI’s? Were these her symptoms?
( The most common cause of UTIs in dogs is bacteria, which enters upwards through the urethral opening. The bacteria can develop when feces or debris enter the area, or if your dog’s immune system is weakened from lack of nutrients.
In most cases, E. coli is the bacterium that causes such infections. In more severe, but less common cases, causes include cancer, bladder disease, kidney disease and stones, diabetes, bladder inflammation or infection, spinal cord abnormalities, and prostate disease.)
Symptoms of UTIs in Dogs
Bloody and/or cloudy urine
Straining or whimpering during urination
Accidents in the house
Wanting to be let outside more frequently
Dribbling urine
Licking around urinary opening
Fever
If not then is it possible she never had constant UTI’s? Because if she did they at least should have found a cause and preventive treatment.
Also is it possible she has chronic pancreatitis? Then a change in dog food and given high protein and low fat diet should help. But worst thing is the constant switching of food . This will give stomach pain and diarrhea . Any switch has to be done VERY VERY VERY slowly to get used to. With the chicken was it ONLY white meat? Normally if a dog has pancreatitis they can tolerate WHITE meat boiled chicken (not from store bought seasoned already) and plain rice. Give this for a few days and a few times a day and see if she tolerated that. Give a break from meds and all the switching of foods and just work on her digestion first possibly. Have a calm place for her to eat with no excitement so the food doesn’t go right through her if she’s an anxious by nature dog. Hope this helps a little If not take her back to vet for some definitive tests and answers.

[sienna11711]

Hi all, any bit of advice or insight?

9 year old spayed female boxer, 56 pounds, eating 3 cups of Victor Professional Formula daily.

For the last 9 months we have been dealing with:

Behavior-wise
-restless
-sleeps a lot less during the day, wakes up earlier to eat
-clingy, doesn’t stop following me
-frantic and fearful when outside
-extreme reactivity to dogs that gets WORSE with more food (I know this sounds crazy)
-flinches when being pet
-will nip at strangers who get too close to her body (not always, still likes people a lot and always wants to say hi)
-will nip if you try to pick her up or move her
-doesn’t play or cuddle
-pees a lot on walks

Digestion/health-wise
-ravenous, always looking for food
-eats other dog’s poop on walks
-previously regurgitated kibble everyday, hours later
-previously struggled with chronic UTIs (low immunity)
-frantic in the AM about eating
-drinks excessively after checking empty food bowl
-shedding excessively
-anal glands leaking and peeing herself while she sleeps
-fat such as fish oil makes her nauseous / may vomit
-cannot digest real food period (ie. rice and boiled chicken, cooked veggies, cooked ground turkey, or raw meat)
-with the above food her stool is orange and slimy
-stool has changed over time since adoption at age 7 from pooping way too much but now it is normal, firm, brown

Labwork
-consistently low T4 despite using levothyroxine, took her off in Jan 2020
-T4 goes up into normal range when she is on anxiety medicine
-extremely high/out of range TLI
-high cPL
-has, at times, had very high PSL randomly
-no diabetes, no cushings, NOTHING glaring us in the face

-We have tried every digestive supplement you can think of and many different foods including grain free, with grains, dehydrated cooked, dehydrated raw, actual raw, and actual cooked
-We have worked with an animal behaviorist who does not think this is purely behavioral
-She lost 8 pounds eating up to 2 pounds of raw a day
-She is much less reactive on cooked food and raw, but will rapidly lose weight and be even hungrier
-We have also tried Hills Science Diet wet food for IBD, orange slimy stool
-She can only really “digest” kibble

Chronic low grade pancreatitis was brought up to me on another forum but her stool is totally normal, so not too sure.
I do think that whatever “this” is affects her thyroid function but the thyroid itself is not the root cause- vet agrees
I just recently began putting enzymes in her food and incubating 20 min with warm water– will see if any improvement

[Debra K]

One of my Toy Poodles (13yrs old) after $1000 of tests, was recently diagnosed with Pancreatitis and PLE. I don’t know if the vet even knew what he was talking about, because I took her to an Urgent Care vet at the local Vet Specialty Hospital (when the idiot didn’t prescribe anything, just wanted to do another $700 worth of testing), the vet there said her symptoms didn’t match his diagnosis. She was given fluids and a probiotic Visbiome. I wonder if maybe the fact that I had been soaking her in Magnesium Oil Flakes and Lavender Oil, twice a day and rubbing her tummy with Hemp Seed Oil, had helped? I am also giving her Slippery Elm, twice a day and chicken quarters, first cooked in a crock pot, then boiled with spices and chicken bouillion for a hour and a half, then drained. I am also mashing up small chunks of beef liver, in with the chicken and giving her B12 fortified Brewer’s Yeast., Vit E and COQ10. She is doing so much better now, 2wks later. Almost back to normal. No more diarrhea, her stools are soft, but formed and no vomiting at all.
I have read that Pancreatitis can cause low Magnesium and can contribute to Diabetes, it is also very relaxing and helps with pain, along with the Hemp Oil. Magnesium Oil, is the best way to absorb it, thru the skin and it’s helping my arthritic fingers, as I give her a massage while she’s soaking–for about 10mins. I am also giving her an Apple Cider Vinegar tablet, which is considered to be a prebiotic (the first vet acted like I was a lunatic, for doing so) and she has been improving ever since. I have an appt to go see an internist at the Specialty Hosp., but it’s not for another 2mos.
I have read on homeopathic vet websites, that regular vets are only given about 1week of nutrition training, during their 4yr course and it’s all paid for, by major pet food companies. It was also stated, that they only know how to react to situations, not prevent them in the first place and prescribe drugs, that only treat the symptoms not the cause.

[Debra K]

My 13yr old Toy Poodle got sick, over this past Memorial Day weekend. She had horrible diarrhea and vomiting. I took her to the vet, who did all sorts of blood, urine tests and a sonogram. I’ve spent $1000 and now he wants ($650 worth) MORE tests!! I had been giving her psyllium husks and TUMS (he told me to, because of low calcium). He also wanted to sell me a $40 bag of dog food (I KNOW she won’t eat). I agreed to another $400 of tests this Thurs. Supposedly she has Pancreatitis and also PLE. I got a hunch, so I started searching for a natural alternative to all of the prescription drugs and expensive visits, he recommended. I looked up Apple Cider Vinegar for Pancreatitis. Lo and behold, someone said they used it and within 30mins their pain and symptoms stopped. I had some ACV pills from Big Lots ($3), so I cut one in half and coated it with Hemp Oil. I gave it to her last nite and just like the guy said, within 20mins she was sprawled out on the couch, snoring away. She didn’t have to get up in the middle of the nite with diarrhea and this a.m. her poop was still soft, but formed–almost normal!! I also have been soaking her (for 15mins, 2x a day) in a large Tupperware, with Magnesium Oil flakes dissolved in really warm water and a few drops of Lavender, to replace the Magnesium she lost and put her back in balance. I am planning on cancelling the test on Thurs. I’m a little perturbed that I spent so much money, but at least I know she doesn’t have Cushing’s, Addison’s, Diabetes or anything like that. I am planning on cancelling the appt on Thurs. Hope this can help others, who are at wit’s end and their poor suffering doggies.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 6 months ago by Debra K. Reason: Added the $$ amount of test my vet wants to do

[Kayla M]

Margy,

My small mixed breed dog was given Heartguard and was on antibiotics (Baytril) and went blind overnight (dilated pupils freaked me out!) & couldn’t smell. She was walking uncoordinated, developed dementia symptoms over that week. It traumatized me and broke my heart.
This happened too fast.

She eats real meals (chicken breasts, rice, vegs) everyday, but was also eating a new dog food to cover any missed nutrients, “Purina One Smart Blend” (2 flavors – the salmon and chicken & rice blend) and Purina Beyond small dog (chicken).

She was drinking a lot of water and had UTI and protein in urine (and and also high WBC, RBC- this has all cleared up though after a few months – antibiotics did not help it).

She peed every 30 minutes.
Could NOT hold it for an hour. It was insane. How can a dog pee that much? All they kept checking for was diabetes which was negative.

At first I thought it was from a manufacturing defect of the heart guard (did too much active ingredient get in her chew?? :(. )
or the antibiotics themselves??

Maybe some dogs can’t metabolize certain antibiotics or have a liver issue, that potentially could slow things down and it therefore effects/travels to their brain? (So much water drinking!).

My vet said nothing. We just kept doing bloodwork and urinalysis.

My dog then suddenly developed every Cushings Symptoms (eating), and was finally diagnosed a few months later and put on med.

(I also wondered if perhaps an infection like a virus occurs and if it triggers the bone marrow, and then things go haywire… leading to other issues involving the eyes, pituitary/brain inflammation. (Hence all the drinking and peeing?)

Or maybe if she were beginning to get Cushings, and the antibiotics and/or Heartguard somehow caused an extreme imbalance or could then cross the brain brain barrier leading to the blindness?

The sudden onset of blindness and dementia symptoms was the worst part. For 3 months she didn’t know who I was.
It was rapid.

With a lot of love and care and supplements and her new med she is coming around. (Still blind, but she had a moment where she could see and her eyes are no longer dilated).

If anyone is reading this, I read a lady used bilberry for her dog and it reversed.
It’s too late for us, but it you spend $4 at Walmart on a bottle and it it somehow helps, please try it and report it. (Of course, take dog to a opthamologist. We did to see if it was glaucoma or anything. I wish I could have afforded an MRI and neurologist, for peace of mind to see what was happening. 🙁

(P.s. Ocuglo didn’t help her in any way, we started it that day… and it was expensive for a supplement).

[Lori H]

Hi Lindsy,

I totally know how you feel, I was in the same situation as you about three years ago with my dog Buddy. You might want to look at the following website. My dog Buddy (long hair Chihuahua, Dachshund and Pomeranian) has been through a lot. He is now almost 13 and during his life he has had surgery on his spleen, surgery for bladder stones, been diagnosed with Diabetes as well as Cushing’s and I was also told by my vet that he was suffering from liver failure and was preparing me for the fact that Buddy was going to die. The liver failure diagnosis was over three+ years and today, he is healthy, happy, looks amazing and has energy. It has been an amazing turnaround. I basically had to get him healthy myself. My vet did not support my decision to do what I did, but he is healthy and that is all that matters! I switched vets because I did not believe that the prescription food was helping him, it was killing him. There is not one whole food or much nutritional value in prescription foods. I remember asking my prior vet in an email what the difference was between the labels which consisted of a bunch of names I could not pronounce and he never got back to me, that is when I realized that the industry needs a checkup.

If anything, read what Rick has to say on his website. The change in Buddy’s food as well as the supplements, changed his life. Rick has had success getting dogs and cats healthy!

http://www.doglivershunt.com

Following is my dogs personal story:
https://www.doglivershunt.com/buddys-story.html

I now believe wholeheartedly that most vets know nothing about nutrition. They are told to carry a line of food in their offices by one of the large pharma/dog food companies because most of these companies go out and recruit at the vet universities across the United States when vets are in school and provide them with a kickback when the sell either Science Diet or Royal Canin in their clinics, up to 40%. My vet wanted me to have Buddy on Hills Science Diet for the rest of his life! He smelled, was overweight and totally miserable while on that crap. I looked at the ingredients and thought to myself, there has to be something better out there. There was not one thing on there that was considered a whole food or ingredient that comes from the natural world!

I was at my wits end as well and thought that I was going to lose Buddy, but I was not willing to give up so I did a Google search and found an amazing person who brought Buddy back to the healthy dog he is.

If you choose to go with his program, it is not cheap, but I believe that over time, I will save money by not taking Buddy to the vet time and time again because I don’t know what is wrong and having a battery of tests run and racking up bills in the thousands, I have been there!

He was slowly weened off of his processed food Science Diet U/D and placed on a diet of fresh veggies and meat based on a very slow transition to follow with Rick’s help.

I suggest reaching out. I think Rick saved Buddy’s life.

Good luck on your search for information and I hope you find a solution.

If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I am happy to talk to you. I have helped three others with their dogs and I truly believe Rick knows what he is talking about. I put my trust in him and I now have a healthy, happy dog. Lori

[kelly C]

First time here and thank you all for all your tips and advises. Really helpful. I have a little dog that is malipoo who will be turning 13 yrs this coming June. He is a really happy and playful dog full of love and joy always. He’s been on anti seizure med since he was 2 and was diagnosed diabetic Aug 2017 ( He was 10 ) I am planning on switching his food to a new food as recently switched food is not settling too well from stomach to his BG ( Blood Glucose ) fluctuations. Thinking of switching to Orijen Senior Dog Food.
I need to look out for 2 things in his food 1) Diabetes ( low carb, high fiber )
2) Seizures ( No rosemary and grain free which i have learnt )
My question/request now is can you tell me if the ingredients listed below is good ( safe for seizures )

⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

Orijen Senior Dog Food

85% QUALITY ANIMAL INGREDIENTS| 15% VEGETABLES & FRUIT
Fresh chicken meat (13%), fresh cage-free eggs (7%), fresh turkey meat (7%), fresh whole herring (7%), fresh chicken liver (6%), fresh whole flounder (4%), fresh turkey liver (4%), fresh chicken necks (4%), fresh chicken heart (4%), fresh turkey heart (4%), chicken (dehydrated, 4%), turkey (dehydrated, 4%), whole mackerel (dehydrated, 4%), whole sardine (dehydrated, 4%), whole herring (dehydrated, 4%), whole red lentils, whole green lentils, fresh whole green peas, lentil fibre, fresh whole chickpeas, fresh whole yellow peas, whole pinto beans, fresh chicken cartilage (1%), whole navy beans, herring oil (1%), chicken fat (1%), fresh turkey cartilage (1%), chicken liver (freeze-dried), turkey liver (freeze-dried), fresh whole pumpkin, fresh whole butternut squash, fresh whole zucchini, fresh whole parsnips, fresh carrots, fresh whole Red Delicious apples, fresh whole Bartlett pears, fresh kale, fresh spinach, fresh beet greens, fresh turnip greens, brown kelp, whole cranberries, whole blueberries, whole Saskatoon berries, chicory root, turmeric root, milk thistle, burdock root, lavender, marshmallow root, rosehips, Enterococcus faecium. ADDITIVES (per kg): Nutritional additives: Zinc chelate: 100 mg.

Thank you all. 🙏🏼🐶❤️

[Chipy]

Hi Kellye,

I am so sorry that you are going through this with Duffy. He is very lucky to have such a dedicated person looking out for his well-being. Dr. Dobias has written an article on the topic which I hope will be helpful for your beloved boy;

https://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/16556248-diabetes-in-dogs-treatment-and-prevention-holistic-approach

Wishing you and Duffy many years of happiness together!
Chipy

[Lori H]

Hi Cesar,

I totally know how you feel, I was in the same situation as you about two years ago with my dog Buddy. You might want to look at the following website. My dog Buddy (long hair Chihuahua, Dachshund and Pomeranian) has been through a lot, much like your dog. He had so many medical issues including being diagnosed with Diabetes. He is now almost 13 and during his life he has had surgery on his spleen, surgery for bladder stones, been diagnosed with Diabetes, my vet thought he had Cushing’s and I was also told by my vet that he was suffering from liver failure and was preparing me for the fact that Buddy was going to die. The liver failure diagnosis was over two+ years and today, he is healthy, happy, looks amazing and has energy. It has been an amazing turnaround so I know how you feel. I basically had to get him healthy myself. My vet did not support my decision to do what I did, but he is healthy and that is all that matters! I switched vets because I did not believe that the prescription food was helping him, it was killing him. There is not whole food or much nutritional value in prescription foods. I remember asking my prior vet in an email what the difference was between the labels which consisted of a bunch of names I could not pronounce and he never got back to me, that is when I realized that the industry needs a checkup.

If anything, read what Rick has to say on his website. The change in Buddy’s food as well as the supplements, changed his life. Rick has had success getting dogs and cats healthy and insulin free!

http://www.doglivershunt.com

Following is my dogs personal story:
https://www.doglivershunt.com/buddys-story.html

I now believe wholeheartedly that most vets know nothing about nutrition. They are told to carry a line of food in their offices by one of the large pharma/dog food companies because most of these companies go out and recruit at the vet universities across the United States when vets are in school and provide them with a kickback when the sell either Science Diet or Royal Canin in their clinics, up to 40%. My vet wanted me to have Buddy on Hills Science Diet for the rest of his life! I looked at the ingredients and thought to myself, there has to be something better out there. There was not one thing on there that was considered a whole food or ingredient that comes from the natural world!

I was at my wits end as well and thought that I was going to lose Buddy, but I was not willing to give up so I did a Google search and found an amazing person who brought Buddy back to the healthy dog he is.

If you choose to go with his program, it is not cheap, but I believe that over time, I will save money by not taking Buddy to the vet time and time again because I don’t know what is wrong and having a battery of tests run and racking up bills in the thousands, I have been there!

He was slowly weened off of his processed food Science Diet U/D and placed on a diet of fresh veggies and meat based on a very slow transition to follow with Rick’s help.

I suggest reaching out. I think Rick saved Buddy’s life.

Good luck on your search for information and I hope you find a solution.

If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I am happy to talk to you. I have helped three others with their dogs and I truly believe Rick knows what he is talking about. I put my trust in him and I now have a healthy, happy dog. Lori

[Johnny R]

@ Daniel,
id like to discuss your product with you.
we have a senior puggle with uncontrollable diabetes and a brain tumor.
any reply is appreciated

Johnny

[aimee]

Hi Howard,

Food ratings on this site are based solely on label information. There is an inherent flaw in rating foods this way and this is addressed in various articles on the site. I agree that at this time, there is very real and very concerning information regarding diets of certain types. Until more is known, I’d agree with your veterinarian that it is best to avoid feeding suspect diets/ingredients and instead feed diets with well tested and understood ingredients.

Because diabetes in dogs is not diet related, except perhaps in relation to fat contributing to pancreatitis, and cancer has not been linked to any particular diet type it is immaterial that more dogs have been diagnosed with those conditions than diet related DCM.

Currently a lot is unknown and it may be years before diet related DCM is understood. In some ways the current DCM situation parallels the vaping situation. With vaping there is a correlation to presence of Vit E acetate in the vaping product, in diet related DCM there is a correlation to certain ingredients and grain free diets. In both situations other factors may also be in play and the definitive cause isn’t yet known.
As of Jan 21, 2020, according to the CDC, 60 deaths have occurred. Total number of death from DCM is unknown as mandatory reporting isn’t in place but certainly exceeds 60.
Some people may say only 60 people have died, vaping has been popular for decades and there is no reason not to vape. Others will find the risk of death from a product without any benefit unacceptable. The diets associated with DCM have no clear benefit and appear to carry a risk of death. Stores are taking the initiative to ban products. Veterinarians , to use your word “outlawed” grain free.

People will still vape and people still feed grain free because they evaluate risks differently.
I stick with companies that have demonstrated a vested interest in the nutritional health of all dogs through their continued feeding and monitoring of dogs in their diet research centers and contributions to nutritional research . Consulting with a veterinary nutritionist for a diet formulation or passing a feeding trial is not enough in my opinion.

[Patricia A]

crazy4cats there are many other foods you can feed maybe even in rotation which have PH.D ventanarian nutrionalists formulate their foods . Haley is correct in stating more dogs die from cancer and diabetes then DCM. This is a statement from WSAVA “While feeding trials help to test for the food’s nutritional adequacy, the use of feeding trials does not guarantee that the food provides adequate nutrition under all conditions.”

• This reply was modified 5 years, 10 months ago by Patricia A.
• This reply was modified 5 years, 10 months ago by Patricia A.

[haleycookie]

The fda actually recommends staying on whatever food you feed as there is little to no real research done yet. It’s been over a year and still crickets on what is actually the cause. It’s also only been reported in a few hundred dogs. Hundred. Not thousand, million, etc. now let’s compare that to the rate of cancer and diabetes in dogs and ask why those diseases aren’t being looked into a little more.

I’ll be sticking with low carb high meat foods. Which usually are grain free.

[GSDsForever]

Olessia’s diet for Izzy, with EPI + diabetes, has been *something* like this (check w/her):

80% homemade/20% Annamaet Lean

Fresh, cooked homemade portion: Lean Meat/Fish, Sweet Potatoes, 1/3 Raw Egg, Fat Free Cottage Cheese, Fish Oil
+ Vitamins/Minerals and Bone Meal

Note: Annamaet Lean is a high protein, low fiber, low fat food, grain-free.
30% Protein/7% Fat (<3.5% Fiber)
It does have legumes as primary ingredients, along with the meat (chicken, duck, herring meals), + tapioca & potato. It IS an excellent company.

LEAN FORMULA

You might explore adding a very small amount of grain to this recipe, to be grain inclusive as you & your vet prefer. Using the Annamaet Lean, with its legumes, at 20% of the diet is likely a lower risk (for DCM).

• This reply was modified 6 years ago by GSDsForever.

[GSDsForever]

Victoria,

You poor thing and your poor dog! That is certainly a lot to be trying to treat at once & in selecting a food.

Have you thought about feeding a therapeutic homemade diet, via your vet & you doing a consult with a board certified veterinary nutritionist (DACVN)? I wouldn’t recommend them all equally, but there are some good ones.

Those are some tough dietary parameters to meet all at once, particularly through a commercial kibble/can and from a quality reputable company, and you might have better luck with feeding homemade.

You might also look into the Vet Support Diets or a custom therapeutic diet from Just Food For Dogs, via their board certified veterinary nutritionists and other vet specialists.

Bear in mind that with EPI, the diet should also be low fiber, especially insoluble fiber — per veterinary guidelines. The main keys for the EPI part, are the pancreatic enzymes on the food + B 12 supplementing.

I would strongly encourage you to reach out to EPI4Dogs. Olessia, the lovely owner of that foundation & moderator, in fact has an EPI dog with diabetes that has been well managed on a combination homemade/fresh and Annamaet’s Lean. Dogs with EPI are no longer recommended to to have low fat, but as Olessia’s dog has needed low fat due to the diabetes, she will be able to help. The enzyme preparation that many use there is called Enzyme Diane, which is less costly. Many of the dogs in that group have done very well, and there is a wealth of knowledge and encouragement, hope there.

I believe most of the EPI dog owners there are feeding grain-free. The issue is with fiber though, as many whole grains found in commercial dog foods are high fiber and much of that fiber is insoluble, which EPI dogs cannot handle. The dogs also notably do not do well with peas, which also happen to be nearly all insoluble fiber. (Ditto for lentils.)

Among whole grains, a very very small amount of oats (higher in soluble, at ~50%), amaranth, or sorghum would be lowest in both fiber and % insoluble fiber; otherwise, white rice (refined). Lowest fiber grains like brown rice and corn contain almost entirely insoluble fiber. Cassava, white potato, and sweet potato are more balanced in soluble/insoluble fiber than most grains — and the fiber in sweet potatoes reduces to half in canned, vaccuum packed.

Elizabeth Hershey DVM, DACVIM is an outstanding, nationally known board certified oncologist you might wish to have your local vet reach out to. She is integrative and evidence based, as she is trained in both traditional western medicine and eastern/Traditional Chinese Medicine, includes diet, and typically combines her approaches. She does have success where other oncologists have not.

If I think of a suitable grain inclusive commercial food from a company that I personally would recommend, I will post it.

[Victoria M]

I’m going insane! I don’t know how many dog food labels I’ve read in the past six months. Feel like I’m getting nowhere.

Bella just turned 13 (GSD x lab). In July she was diagnosed with Lymphoma. After only a few chemo treatments she had a severe bout of pancreatitis. Chemo had to stop.

Pancreatitis finally cleared up and a milder form of chemo restarted. During a pre-chemo blood panel, she was found to have diabetes. After a few weeks of insulin but continued weight loss, they tested and diagnosed her with EPI. My poor dog!

I have been on the hunt for food that will help keep both of these diseases at bay. Her vet also does NOT want her on any grain-free or raw food.

Food has to be:
Grain-inclusive
Low-fat
Low-carbs
No sugars
High protein
No lamb

Hoping someone can suggest a good food. She’s on Hill’s W/D right now, and it’s not going well so far. 🙁
Thanks!

[Gretchen B]

Have you had his thyroid checked? And, bloodwork to check if he is diabetic. Both of those can cause excessive drinking and weight loss. He could also be allergic to the fleas. I had a dog that was allergic to flea bites and the vet gave him steroids, long story short, the steroids induced diabetes. The fleas were brought in by my mothers dog from the groomers. I also have a little long-haired chihuahua that is allergic to environmental things, such as mold and grass, she has to take cortisone pills for her allergies.

Just a few things for you to check on. There are also some good shampoos for itchy skin and dermatitis.

[Patricia A]

Melissa regarding CJ and IBD..Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Dogs
What is inflammatory bowel disease?
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is not a specific disease. Rather, it is a specific reaction that the stomach or intestines have to chronic irritation.

What are the clinical signs of IBD?
If the stomach is involved, your dog will have chronic vomiting. If the intestines are involved, chronic diarrhea will occur. This is the most common form. In some dogs, both parts of the digestive tract are involved, so both vomiting and diarrhea occur. If the disease occurs for several weeks to months, weight loss and poor appetite are common.

When does IBD generally occur?
IBD is most common in middle-aged to older dogs, but it can occur in younger dogs as well.

How is IBD diagnosed?
The chronic irritation that causes IBD stimulates the body to send cells from the immune system to the affected area. The most commonly found cells are lymphocytes and plasmacytes. Occasionally, eosinophils and neutrophils will be found. Thus, the disease is diagnosed when these cells are identified in abnormal levels in the tissue. A pathologist is responsible for this part of the diagnosis; his/her report usually calls the disease lymphoplasmacytic gastritis (relating to the stomach) or lymphoplasmacytic colitis (relating to the colon).

In order to obtain these cells, a biopsy is required. In most cases, an endoscope is passed into the dog’s stomach or colon (while the dog is under anesthesia). A tiny biopsy instrument is passed through the endoscope and used to take small samples of the lining (mucosa) of the affected organ.

Is this the only test required for diagnosis?
The tissue reaction that occurs in the stomach or colon is diagnosed with a biopsy. However, determining what causes the tissue reaction to occur requires further testing. Tests or treatments should be performed to rule out stomach and intestinal parasites, cancer and infections. Diseases such as diabetes are also considered. In addition, diseases of the kidney, liver and pancreas should also be ruled out.

How is IBD treated?
The ideal way to treat this problem is to diagnose the underlying disease that is causing the reaction. Sometimes the above mentioned tests will do that and sometimes a cause cannot be found. In the latter situation, the disease is called idiopathic. That means that a disease is present, but there is no known cause. Many cases of IBD are considered idiopathic.

Some dogs with IBD respond to a change in diet. This is done in two ways. First, a food is chosen that contains a protein source that the dog has never had, such as duck or fish. If that is not effective, a high-fiber diet is tried. Unfortunately, a true food trial requires that the test diet be fed exclusively for four to six weeks. If dietary therapy is not successful or feasible, drugs are used to suppress the inflammatory reaction.

Do corticosteroids cause side effects in dogs?
Corticosteroids, like prednisolone, are notorious for causing a variety of side effects in humans. However, this is rarely the case in dogs.

To minimize any possible adverse effects, our goal is to use the lowest dose that is effective and to give it on an every other day schedule. It will be necessary to begin therapy with a rather high dose, but once response occurs, the dose is tapered to a minimal level.

Does this mean that I will be medicating my dog for the rest of his/her life?
Long-term therapy is required for many dogs. Generally, a dog is treated for a few months before prednisolone is discontinued to see if it is still needed. If the signs of vomiting or diarrhea recur, medication is resumed.

Are other anti-inflammatory drugs used?
Prednisolone is the most effective anti-inflammatory drug with the least side effects. However, it is not effective in all dogs. Sometimes a stronger drug is used initially to gain control of the disease. Then, prednisolone is tried again as a maintenance drug.

Could stomach infections be a cause of IBD?
Some spiral-shaped bacteria can cause vomiting in dogs. The most common are helicobacter pylori, which have been shown to be the cause of disease (including stomach ulcers) in humans and are also pathogens in dogs. However, they are also found in many normal dogs and humans. Therefore, finding spiral-shaped bacteria on biopsy is not always meaningful. It is considered a pathogen only if an associated inflammation is in the stomach mucosa.

What is the prognosis?
If a response occurs to diet change, the dog can be maintained on a this diet for the rest of his/her life (as long as it is balanced). If the dog responds to medication for stomach bacteria, a good prognosis is justified. If response occurs to corticosteroids, the long-term prognosis is also good if administration of the drug is feasible. However, if there is no response to diet or corticosteroids, the prognosis is more guarded. At that point, further testing is suggested to see if an underlying disease can be found.

[joanne l]

I am no expert but I think with pancreatitis it has to be low in fat and with diabetes I think low in carbs. Did the Vet recommend a food for your dog? He should have told you something about the diet. If not call him/her and ask for diet information.

[Margaret H]

My dog was recently diagnosed with diabetes and Pancreatitis, we have started insulin and I would like information on what types of foods dogs with this are eating. We just started Dr. Harvey’s Paradigm.

[christine v]

I really like this write up re; DCM, it’s a bit more balanced thn the scaremongering articles i often see bandies about.

“There has recently been a rising controversy regarding the effect of Taurine on dogs. Unfortunately, some veterinarians and manufacturers are incorrectly applying the concern to all breeds of dogs and using “grain-free” foods as a scapegoat in order to push their own product agenda. The recommendations from these individuals are unfortunately setting us up for much greater problems in the near future.

The facts:
• Unlike cats, dogs are able to synthesize taurine in their bodies

• Some dog breeds may suffer from taurine deficiency in relation to certain diseases and may need to have taurine added to their diets

• American Cocker Spaniels and certain giant breed dogs (produce taurine in their bodies at a slower rate) appear to be more prone to taurine deficiency

• There are no symptoms directly related to taurine deficiency, but instead symptoms are usually related to dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) which can be caused by taurine deficiency

• Grain-free pet foods are not the cause of taurine deficiency; however, potatoes and some legumes MAY affect taurine absorption if in large enough quantities (this is still unclear and only speculation at this point) and can be found in many “grain-free” as well as “grained” pet foods

Most importantly:
• The proportion of plant to animal protein sources may be a contributing factor (the lower the animal protein and the higher the plant protein, the more likely the food is to create low blood taurine levels)

• Many of the sick dogs from the original study had normal blood taurine levels and many of the dogs with low blood taurine levels did not respond to taurine supplementation

Conclusion:
Studies like this can be very good for the industry and our pets so long as they are interpreted correctly and organizations do not use the findings to further their agenda. Bottomline, grain-free foods are not the villain. It is irresponsible to claim that it is the problem given the actual true facts.

Genetics, disease, and large amounts of low-nutrient dense, high glycemic carbohydrates paired with minimal animal protein appears to be the problem, and would be even more specific than just blaming grain-free foods. There are grain-free foods to avoid, just as there are “grain-in” foods to avoid. Grains are certainly not an important, needed part of a dog or cat’s diet. But neither are carbs like potatoes, or peas which are mostly found in grain-free foods. They are merely replacements for grains like rice, corn, oatmeal, and others. Unfortunately dry kibble dog food (which is the only form of dog food this should even be associated with), MUST have those types of carbs in them to make the kibble hold together. It’s almost like the “glue” to keep it in kibble form.
We KNOW for a fact that corn and wheat do not do dogs any favors when it comes to their health! Rice is normally fine for most dogs but some will suffer from itchiness and other symptoms due to it being a high-starch carb. Obviously it would be best to avoid rice for an “itchy dog”. This is why grain-free foods exist. They would normally have a higher quality source of carbs binding them and without the toxins and allergens found in cheap cereal grains. It comes down to picking the lesser of evils on the carb source and figuring out what works best for your particular dog.
At EarthWise Pet, we have a comprehensive Certified Pet Dietitian program that trains individuals through over 500 hours of pet nutrition courses and material. Our expertise allows us to assess ingredients, manufacturing, and sourcing of all of our recommended foods. Because of this certification and vetting process, we offer a variety of grain-friendly and grain-free diets with low-carbohydrate content, minimal processing and high animal-based protein levels to ensure biologically appropriate, quality nutrition for your pets with sufficient levels of Taurine. If you have concern that your breed may be predisposed to taurine deficiency, ask your EarthWise Pet associate for recommendations and to see what food is right for your furry family member. We guarantee we have one that will fit your pet’s needs and give you confidence in the ingredients, sourcing and manufacturing processes of the food you feed.

I will add that I personally know thousands of dogs. I have not yet known of one to suffer from DCM, but I have known many that have been afflicted with Cancer, Diabetes, Obesity, and general poor health. In almost all cases, the dogs were fed low-quality dry dog food for most of their lives and that would usually consist of foods loaded with grains. Why would we want to go back to those kinds of diets, grains or no grains?!”

https://www.facebook.com/EarthWisePetHarpersPoint/posts/2349799205080076?__tn__=K-R

[joanne l]

I just wanted to chime in here, there are several things that can cause this, one of them is toxins, cushion disease and diabetes, mold on food. However, if anyone suspects diet to be the cause than change it. Since toxins and mold are two of the possible causes than maybe it could be the food. I am not a vet I just read and try to help to the best of my knowledge.

I just found this article: https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/what-that-liver-enzyme-test-is-telling-you/
There are 4 or 5 liver enzymes and what they do. So I guess it depends on what liver enzymes are high. Ask your vet which ones were high and maybe that can help narrow down the cause.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 7 months ago by joanne l.

[haleycookie]

Who wants to take a wild guess at the massive amount of dogs who died or became chronically ill from being fed a carb loaded improper diet and subsequently developed diabetes, abscessed teeth, and the large variety of health issues cheap low quality kibbles cause and they’re owners never realized it??? I’ll tell you how many, more than any dog that has been (or will be for that matter) affected by dcm. But you know their vet said to feed it so it must be the best right? Lmfao

[Robert R]

Most of the kibble in US includes protein sources like beef, chicken and eggs, and grains, cereals, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. So there is less chance that Grain diets is linked to heart diseases.
Grain food like biscuits and cake have been there for so many years, so blaming grain diet solely is not possible. Just like human there might be some other factors.
However, to my surprise medications advised to treat human ailments such as infections, arthritis, or even diabetes can treat the same ailments in pets.
There’s anti-depressants that are used in pets for anxiety and behavioral concerns. Several antibiotics are safe for our pets that are safe for humans.

Generic Viagra is also prescribed my Vets to control heart disease.
Source- https://www.myhealthyclick.com/a-dog-on-generic-viagra-sounds-strange-but-its-true/

[. .]

I had been feeding my three dogs Hill’s Science Diet Canine “i/d” dry, and then mix of dry and canned (also i/d)…I have been feeding my animals (cats & dogs) only Hill’s Science Diet (i/d, m/d). No table scraps no snack…very strict and consistent diet.

I don’t believe in giving my animals food items that are not meant for good health. Yet, all have developed diabetes, and/or cancer, and/or kidney disease and/or urinary dysfunction at much earlier ages than what would be expected. So here’s what…I no longer trust Hill’s Science diet — particularly the dry food.

I first eliminated the dry for my cat, out of desperation after months of heavy, I mean HEAVY, urination — replacing the cat litter every 48 hours because of major urination, complete litter saturation. One evening I only served the wet food, and to my hope, prayers, and pleasant surprise…starting the VERY NEXT DAY, the heavy urination STOPPED!

That was about 2 months ago, and he’s been fine ever since. He still has diabetes, though (4 units insulin/day). For now. But I am working on changing his diet further — getting as far away from any Hill’s Science Diet as possible, or any conventional pet food. Wet or dry.

Same with my dogs, I now have them completely off Hill’s. I switched to Just Food for Dogs (formerly known as True Food for Dogs). It’s too late for one of my dogs whom I just had down about 3 weeks ago — cancer. But I have my two others and they are doing well. But…

One of my dogs, having sever symptoms of kidney disease, urinary dysfunction (constant thirst lots of urination), and an insatiable appetite…all seemed like signs of diabetes and/or kidney disease — but, his blood work indicated all was fine. So what could it be? Well, it turns out his calcium, sodium, phosphorus, and of course his electrolytes, and many other things in his blood work results reported dangerously low. “The lowest I’ve ever seen in my career,” stated our 17 year veteran of veterinary medicine stated.” (Oh, BTW my dog had lost a lot of weight over a short period of time, where I could see his ribs and hip bones very prominently.

Then vet concluded from the above indications that it must to be Diabetes Insipidus, “a condition that results from insufficient production of the antidiuretic hormone (ADH), a hormone that helps the kidneys and body conserve the correct amount of water. Normally, the antidiuretic hormone controls the kidneys’ output of urine.” But we needed further examination to confirm.

So we got on schedule to take my dog in to get an ultrasound procedure ($350-$500). It was a couple of weeks away before I could afford the additional cost for confirming or knowing the true problem. If the ultrasound did not reveal anything…a CT scan would be required to check for brain tumor. (I know. Very serious.)

Meanwhile, I went to Just Food for Dogs (JFFD) and had several long talks with them as I’m a very inquisitive and discerning consumer. Once I was satisfied with their answers about the product, how it works and why, I picked up my first batch of the fresh ready-made food as well as the supplement powder and the recipe so I that could start making the food myself at home — and save money.

Just under two weeks later, I asked the vet to take another blood panel — just like the previous one to compare if he was getting worse or improving. When she received the results, our vet called me and stated, “It’s like a miracle, all his levels are up to very healthy normal indicators…what did you do?” I told her we’d changed our dogs’ diet to the JFFD, and she said, “Keep doing what you’re doing. Don’t change a thing!” (BTW, he’s filling out, I look forward to weighing him again in a couple of weeks.)

Do you like to cook? I do. (I’m a bit of a foodie.) If you are a person who appreciates quality ingredients (Did I mention, this simple and particular recipe for my dogs’ age, calls for fresh ground lamb, cauliflower, carrots, blueberries, brown rice, yum! Of course, adding the powdered supplements to make my dogs’ meals whole and complete)…if you care about your animal’s comfort and well being, I highly recommend you consider making your dog’s food yourself with the proper, professional, guidance, and supplemental ingredients (powder).

I’m also going to look further into Nutra Thrive as a possible additional supplement. It looks very interesting. But I plan to be careful to not overdo. Will seek the proper guidance.

In summary, I am getting as far away from Hill’s as I can, and will be switching to the Feline version from JFFD very soon, hoping I can get my sweet little cat (actually, he’s a big tabby with the heart of a kitten) on the healthier food source, too.

One thought I’d also like to share: Just one thing I don’t agree with from the video and the veterinarian who created Nutra Thrive… I think his statement was in the effort to be encouraging, make it sound easy — to simply NOT change from whatever junky food (be it grocery store, pet store, or vet office source) dog owners are currently feeding their animals. I just DON’T agree with that at all. Why? It pretty common sense to me.

Just by what the vet in the video says regarding how pet foods are processed (super high temperatures, no nutrients left, for example), and just by my reading the ingredients, and how the vet in the video states conventional food makes dogs look, feel, act, or eliminate poorly are but a few key reasons for me to stay clear of anything I feed my pets that I don’t have control over — hence, cooking it myself, with proper ingredients and guidance.

[Lori H]

Hi Helen,

You might want to look at the following website. My dog Buddy (long hair Chihuahua, Dachshund and Pomeranian) has been through a lot, much like your dog. He had so many medical issues including being diagnosed with Diabetes. He is now almost 12 and during his life he has had surgery on his spleen, surgery for the bladder stones, been diagnosed with Diabetes, my vet thought he had Cushing’s and I was also told by my vet that he was suffering from liver failure and was preparing me for the fact that Buddy was going to die. The liver failure diagnosis was over two years and today, he is healthy, happy, looks amazing and has so much energy. He is happy and the most healthy he has ever been in his life! It has been an amazing turnaround so I know how you feel. I basically had to get him healthy myself. My vet did not support my decision to do what I did, but he is healthy and that is all that matters! I am going to see a new vet on Friday of this week and I am hoping to actually get Buddy off of the Insulin.

Rick helped me and Buddy is now healthier than he has ever been. If anything, read what Rick has to say on his website. The change in Buddy’s food as well as the supplements, changed his life. Rick has had success getting dogs and cats healthy and insulin free!

http://www.doglivershunt.com

I now believe wholeheartedly that most vets know nothing about nutrition. They are told to carry a line of food in their offices by one of the large pharma/dog food companies because most of these companies go out and recruit at the vet universities across the United States when vets are in school and provide them with a kickback when the sell either Science Diet or Royal Canin in their clinics, up to 40%. My vet wanted me to have Buddy on Hills Science Diet for the rest of his life! I looked at the ingredients and thought to myself, there has to be something better out there. There was not one thing on there that was considered a whole food or ingredient that comes from the natural world!

I was at my wits end as well and thought that I was going to lose Buddy, but I was not willing to give up so I did a Google search and found an amazing person who brought Buddy back to the healthy dog he is.

If you choose to go with his program, it is not cheap, but I believe that over time, I will save money by not taking Buddy to the vet time and time again because I don’t know what is wrong and having a battery of tests run and racking up bills in the thousands, I have been there!

He was slowly weened off of his processed food Science Diet U/D and placed on a diet of fresh veggies and meat based on a very slow transition to follow with Rick’s help.

I suggest reaching out. I think Rick saved Buddy’s life. I took him to the vet in October to have blood work done and he is perfectly healthy!

Good luck on your search for information and I hope you find a solution. Buddy is almost 12, but has a new lease on life.

If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I am happy to talk to you. I have helped three others with their dogs and I truly believe Rick knows what he is talking about. I put my trust in him and I now have a healthy, happy dog. Lori

[Lori H]

Hi Kate,

You might want to look at the following website. My dog Buddy (long hair Chihuahua, Dachshund and Pomeranian) has been through a lot, much like your dog. He had so many medical issues including calcium oxalate bladder stones which he had surgery for to remove. He is now almost 12 and during his life he has had surgery on his spleen, surgery for the bladder stones, been diagnosed with Diabetes, my vet thought he had Cushing’s and I was also told by my vet that he was suffering from liver failure and was preparing me for the fact that Buddy was going to die. The liver failure diagnosis was over two years and today, he is healthy, happy, looks amazing and has so much energy. He is happy and the most healthy he has ever been in his life! It has been an amazing turnaround so I know how you feel. I basically had to get him healthy myself. My vet did not support my decision to do what I did, but he is healthy and that is all that matters!

Rick helped me and Buddy is now healthier than he has ever been. If anything, read what Rick has to say on his website. The change in Buddy’s food as well as the supplements, changed his life.

http://www.doglivershunt.com/bladder-stones.html

I now believe wholeheartedly that most vets know nothing about nutrition. They are told to carry a line of food in their offices by one of the large pharma/dog food companies because most of these companies go out and recruit at the vet universities across the United States when vets are in school and provide them with a kickback when the sell either Science Diet or Royal Canin in their clinics, up to 40%. My vet wanted me to have Buddy on Hills Science Diet for the rest of his life! I looked at the ingredients and thought to myself, there has to be something better out there. There was not one thing on there that was considered a whole food or ingredient that comes from the natural world! Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE my vet, I just don’t believe he knows much of anything about nutrition. He has been great to me, my dog Buddy and my three cats. He is good at what he does, diagnose and perform much needed surgeries and procedures. He did Buddy’s bladder stone surgery which had the possibility for complications.

I was at my wits end as well and thought that I was going to lose Buddy, but I was not willing to give up so I did a Google search and found an amazing person who brought Buddy back to the healthy dog he is.

If you choose to go with his program, it is not cheap, but I believe that over time, I will save money by not taking Buddy to the vet time and time again because I don’t know what is wrong and having a battery of tests run and racking up bills in the thousands, I have been there!

He was slowly weened off of his processed food Science Diet U/D and placed on a diet of fresh veggies and meat based on a very slow transition to follow with Rick’s help.

I suggest reaching out. I think Rick saved Buddy’s life. I took him to the vet in October to have blood work done and he is perfectly healthy! The bladder stones HAVE NOT returned.

Good luck on your search for information and I hope you find a solution. Buddy is almost 12, but has a new lease on life.

If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I am happy to talk to you. I have helped three others with their dogs and I truly believe Rick knows what he is talking about. I put my trust in him and I now have a healthy, happy dog. Lori

[Susan]

Hi Helen,

Sometimes the dog or cat might need a bit more food then what was recommended by vet to eat.. Go onto Hills site & read “Feeding Guidelines” to the formula’s your cat & dog is eating, another thing I do is I boil sweet potato & I freeze the small pieces in freezer, they thaw really well, I take out 3 small pieces the night before put on plate in fridge then the next day inbetween Breakfast & Lunch I give the cat 1 mashed piece sweet potato & dog 2 mash pieces of sweet potato, you can also add to their food to help keep fuller longer, my cat loves her sweet potato I sometimes buy tin tuna or tin salmon in spring water drain water & mix in some sweet potato & give for lunch or as a treatm there’s not many calories & has healthy omega fatty acids for skin & coat..

are you on facebook?? look for group to join…

* Here’s the “Canine Diabetes Support & Information group”, people do come on who have cats aswell..
https://www.facebook.com/groups/CanineDiabetesSupportandInformation/?fref=nf

* Here’s “Cat Health” group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/623486221012727/

My boy has IBD & when he eats vet diets he’s sensitive to ingredients causing itchy, yeasty skin & paws.. Now he eats a grain free diet “Wellness Simple” or Wellness Core” he isn’t having no more skin problems or Stomach problems…

For Cats

[Melissa J]

I can’t review the food because UPS lost my order. I may try ordering it again and holidays when there is less theft. I wanted to point out this isn’t made in USA. Not that is a bad thing considering dog food that is made in the USA is filled with so many toxic ingredients that is causing cancer, obesity, diabetes and death in our pets. Who knew euthanized pets where put in dogs food?? I didn’t. Anyway this is made in Canada, not saying that is a bad thing either but I’m just curious as to why when you read pinto canyon website it sounds like it’s made right here in Texas. You have to read every tab to see their facility is in Canada. Again not saying that is a bad thing or good, I’m hoping it depends on the company that owns it. Because my dog developed allergies and I went through 4 vets, yes 1 holistic, steroids, antibiotics, Chinese herbs, acupuncture, over$1000, and no diagnosis of what the allergies are, the last vet said she needed to be put on meds the rest of her life, cost about $200+mo. So I started my own search. One thing I learned is Canada has worse regulations on their pet food industry then we do. I’ve also learned that if we do want to give kibble oven baked is better than extruded. Only concern here is if it’s made in Canada, distributed by pinto canyon, who is really the owner of the company? This food is only about $20. more than the toxic stuff I’ve fed her for 8yrs so I can’t help but wonder why they make it sound like it is made in USA and not Canada. I’ll update if I find out. Even if you Google where is pinto canyon dog food made, you won’t find it.

[Jeannie C]

Hi. So I have the same problem. Buddy my chi mix has diabetes and bladder stones and they have come back so he’s in surgery a second time. I’m told to put him on hills metabolic and urinary food? I still have a lot of unanswered questions. How’s your dog doing?

[Susan]

Hi Adriana,

I’d find another vet or ask your vet to do blood tests ASAP, check how her thyroid is..
also what diet she eating? is she eating the Hills W/d wet & dry vet food?
are you feeding 4 smaller meals a day?
also are you adding fresh foods to her diet or adding wet can food to her diet? I’d increase her food…
I had to feed my boy more then the recommended daily amount years ago, now he’s nilly 10yrs old I dont have too feed him as much… he has IBD

Start to add more food to her diet, I’d add 1/2 a cup more if you feed her dry food or add 1/2 a can of the Hills W/d wet can food a day…
if she is eating the Hills W/d wet or dry food it’s very low in fat this could be why she is thin & she needs more food?? get bloods done, she’s 11yrs old..

Join this face book group, lots of good info & look in their “Files” there should be foods you can feed her wet & dry..
“Canine Diabetes Support and Information” group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/CanineDiabetesSupportandInformation/

[Lori H]

Hi Tanya,

You might want to look at the following website. My dog Buddy (long hair Chihuahua, Dachshund and Pomeranian) has been through a lot, much like your dog. He had so many medical issues including calcium oxalate bladder stones which he had surgery for to remove. He is now 11 and during his life he has had surgery on his spleen, surgery for the bladder stones, been diagnosed with Diabetes, my vet thought he had Cushings and I was also told by my vet that he was suffering from liver failure and was preparing me for the fact that Buddy was going to die. The liver failure diagnosis was over two years and today, he is healthy, happy, looks amazing and has so much energy. He is happy and the most healthy he has ever been in his life! It has been an amazing turnaround so I know how you feel. I basically had to get him healthy myself. My vet did not support my decision to do what I did, but he is healthy and that is all that matters!

Rick helped me and Buddy is now healthier than he has ever been. If anything, read what Rick has to say on his website. It sounds like you are open to something that might not be traditional medicine through your vet. The change in Buddy’s food as well as the supplements, changed his life.

http://www.doglivershunt.com/bladder-stones.html

I now believe wholeheartedly that most vets know nothing about nutrition. They are told to carry a line of food in their offices by one of the large pharma/dog food companies because most of these companies go out and recruit at the vet universities across the United States when vets are in school and provide them with a kickback when the sell either Science Diet or Royal Canin in their clinics, up to 40%. My vet wanted me to have Buddy on Hills Science Diet for the rest of his life, like you, I looked at the ingredients and thought to myself, there has to be something better out there. There was not one thing on there that was considered a whole food or ingredient that comes from the natural world! Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE my vet, I just don’t believe he knows much of anything about nutrition. He has been great to me, my dog Buddy and my three cats. He is good at what he does, diagnose and perform much needed surgeries and procedures. He did Buddy’s bladder stone surgery which had the possibility for complications.

I was at my wits end as well and thought that I was going to lose Buddy, but I was not willing to give up so I did a Google search and found an amazing person who brought Buddy back to the healthy dog he is.

Buddy is on a very special diet and he has made huge strides in the last 10+ months. He is a very healthy dog to what he was 6 months ago.

If you choose to go with his program, it is not cheap, but I believe that over time, I will save money by not taking Buddy to the vet time and time again because I don’t know what is wrong and having a battery of tests run and racking up bills in the thousands, I have been there!

He was slowly weened off of his processed food Science Diet U/D and placed on a diet of fresh veggies and meat based on a very slow transition to follow with Rick’s help.

Buddy’s diet is a balance of ¾ veggies to ¼ meats. Dogs with liver issues do not need as much protein as you would expect. He gets lots of yellow veggies (squash, tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, celery, carrots, Brussel sprouts, snap peas, etc.) along with hemp oil and nori blended with goat yogurt into almost a smoothie consistency. I then add meats, liver is great as it helps to detoxify the liver (funny that you feed liver to a dog with liver issuesJ) and then he gets a variety of supplements. He receives three gut supplements in the morning (Acidophilus, Bifudus and a Spectrabiotic) along with an Enzyme and something called Whole Body. In the evenings he gets the Enzyme, Whole Body and a Mushroom supplement. The process to make his food is not that time consuming and if you are at your wits end like I was, I was ready to do anything.

He also gets to have as much goat yogurt as he wants with coconut oil. He also gets sweet potato chews and coconut slices.

He is also allowed to eat fruits, not during his morning and evening meals since they digest differently than veggies, but he has not yet warmed up to them yet. I don’t know if he ever will.

He is doing great! He has so much energy and the numbers don’t lie! I got a glucose meter and I am going to start checking his levels daily. I would really like to get him off the insulin if I can. I believe the medicine is what causes the blindness, not the actual diabetes, my vet believes otherwise. I would loved to have found Rick earlier, I am guessing I could have prevented a lot of the other issues Buddy has had earlier in life as well as the very hefty vet bills!

My vet has not said much of anything. I explained I was taking him off the prescription food and putting him on this program and he never responded. When I took him in the last time for blood work, I think he was surprised Buddy was doing so well, but did not ask me further about what I was doing. He is a pretty straight and narrow vet and I don’t think he looks outside the box. If Buddy’s glucose numbers continue to decline, I will take him back and back off on the number of units he is given. Now it is just maintenance and keeping a spreadsheet and monitoring how he is doing.

I suggest reaching out. I think Rick saved Buddy’s life. I took him to the vet in October to have blood work done and he is perfectly healthy! The bladder stones HAVE NOT returned.

Good luck on your search for information and I hope you find a solution. Buddy is 11, but has a new lease on life. I can’t imagine being just under two as a dog and dealing with this.

If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I am happy to talk to you. I have helped two others with their dogs and I truly believe Rick knows what he is talking about. I put my trust in him and I now have a healthy, happy dog. Lori

[Lori H]

Hi Tanya,

You might want to look at the following website. My dog Buddy (long hair Chihuahua, Dachshund and Pomeranian) has been through a lot, much like your dog. He had so many medical issues including calcium oxalate bladder stones which he had surgery for to remove. He is now 11 and during his life he has had surgery on his spleen, surgery for the bladder stones, been diagnosed with Diabetes and I was told by my vet that he was suffering from liver failure and was preparing me for the fact that Buddy was going to die. The liver failure diagnosis was over two years and today, he is healthy, happy, looks amazing and has so much energy. He is happy and the most healthy he has ever been in his life! It has been an amazing turnaround so I know how you feel. I basically had to get him healthy myself. My vet did not support my decision to do what I did, but he is healthy and that is all that matters!

Rick helped me and Buddy is now healthier than he has ever been. If anything, read what Rick has to say on his website. It sounds like you are open to something that might not be traditional medicine through your vet. The change in Buddy’s food as well as the supplements, changed his life.

http://www.doglivershunt.com/bladder-stones.html

I now believe wholeheartedly that most vets know nothing about nutrition. They are told to carry a line of food in their offices by one of the large pharma/dog food companies because most of these companies go out and recruit at the vet universities across the United States when vets are in school and provide them with a kickback when the sell either Science Diet or Royal Canin in their clinics, up to 40%. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE my vet, I just don’t believe he knows much of anything about nutrition. He has been great to me, my dog Buddy and my three cats. He is good at what he does, diagnose and perform much needed surgeries and procedures. He did Buddy’s bladder stone surgery which has complications.

I was at my wits end as well and thought that I was going to lose Buddy, but I was not willing to give up so I did a Google search and found an amazing person who brought Buddy back to the healthy dog he is.

Buddy is on a very special diet and he has made huge strides in the last 10+ months. He is a very healthy dog to what he was 6 months ago.

If you choose to go with his program, it is not cheap, but I believe that over time, I will save money by not taking Buddy to the vet time and time again because I don’t know what is wrong and having a battery of tests run and racking up bills in the thousands, I have been there!

He was slowly weened off of his processed food Science Diet U/D and placed on a diet of fresh veggies and meat based on a very slow transition to follow with Rick’s help.

Buddy’s diet is a balance of ¾ veggies to ¼ meats. Dogs with liver issues do not need as much protein as you would expect. He gets lots of yellow veggies (squash, tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, celery, carrots, Brussel sprouts, snap peas, etc.) along with hemp oil and nori blended with goat yogurt into almost a smoothie consistency. I then add meats, liver is great as it helps to detoxify the liver (funny that you feed liver to a dog with liver issuesJ) and then he gets a variety of supplements. He receives three gut supplements in the morning (Acidophilus, Bifudus and a Spectrabiotic) along with an Enzyme and something called Whole Body. In the evenings he gets the Enzyme, Whole Body and a Mushroom supplement. The process to make his food is not that time consuming and if you are at your wits end like I was, I was ready to do anything.

He also gets to have as much goat yogurt as he wants with coconut oil. He also gets sweet potato chews and coconut slices.

He is also allowed to eat fruits, not during his morning and evening meals since they digest differently than veggies, but he has not yet warmed up to them yet. I don’t know if he ever will.

He is doing great! He has so much energy and the numbers don’t lie! I got a glucose meter and I am going to start checking his levels daily. I would really like to get him off the insulin if I can. I believe the medicine is what causes the blindness, not the actual diabetes, my vet believes otherwise.

My vet has not said much of anything. I explained I was taking him off the prescription food and putting him on this program and he never responded. When I took him in the last time for blood work, I think he was surprised Buddy was doing so well, but did not ask me further about what I was doing. He is a pretty straight and narrow vet and I don’t think he looks outside the box. If Buddy’s glucose numbers continue to decline, I will take him back and back off on the number of units he is given. Now it is just maintenance and keeping a spreadsheet and monitoring how he is doing.

I suggest reaching out. I think Rick saved Buddy’s life. I took him to the vet in October to have blood work done and he is perfectly healthy! The bladder stones HAVE NOT returned.

Good luck on your search for information and I hope you find a solution. Buddy is 11, but has a new lease on life. I can’t imagine being just under two as a dog and dealing with this.

If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I am happy to talk to you. I have helped two others with their dogs and I truly believe Rick knows what he is talking about. I put my trust in him and I now have a healthy, happy dog.

Lori ([email protected])

[Liam C]

Hello fellow seekers, I’m Liam.
I recently received the news that my presa canario has type 2 diabetes(mellitus) and is hyperglycemic. It crept up on me since molosser breeds are so damned stoic, the only symptom that presented itself notably was increase in water intake, I didn’t pay it much mind since it coincided with the rising temperatures as summer came on. But when it manifested it came on like gangbusters.
I’m trying to find a diet that is workable from all angles, foremost is suitability for her condition, then palatability, but not far behind in the real world is fiscal viability. Let’s be honest, feeding a mastiff breed is a little bit different than a Jack Russell. Fortunately I only have Duchess right now as opposed to the pair I usually have. (All my dogs are rescues and my last male crossed over after almost 13 years together,miss ya Bruce)
Currently I’m feeding Taste of the Wild PREY topped with TOTW canned, the kibble more for effect than anything, she leaves some in the bowl usually but if it’s not there she gives me the pitiful face and acts as if she’s deprived. And it works, I know I’m a sucker, cant help it. She’s underweight due to the diabetes and her sugar levels are still high, think she needs to be stabilised clinically but she really isn’t cooperative with anyone but me and the vets are leary of her minus my being there, a problem if she’s in for several days. But I digress…
Any insight and/or experience with a situation will be greatly appreciated, I’ve never dealt with diabetes before, much less on such a massive platform.
Thanks in advance,
Liam

[anonymous]

@ 2doodlemom

Another informative article. Hope this helps https://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/digestive/c_multi_Weight_Loss_and_Cachexia?page=show (excerpt below)

When should your dog’s weight loss concern you? The standard is when the loss exceeds ten percent of normal body weight (and when it is not due to fluid loss). There are many things that can cause weight loss, including chronic disease. It is important to understand this because the dog’s entire body will probably be affected by the weight loss, and it ultimately depends on the cause and severity of the underlying medical condition.

Causes

Insufficient calorie intake
Poor quality of food
Taste (palatability) of food
Spoiled food/deterioration from prolonged storage
Reduced appetite (anorexia)
Inflammatory bowel disease
Chronic protein-losing intestinal disorder
Intestinal worms (parasites)
Chronic infections of the bowel
Tumors of the intestine
Blockages in stomach/gut (gastrointestinal obstructions)
Surgical removal (resection) of segments of bowel
Disease of the pancreas
Liver or gall bladder disease
Organ failure (heart, liver, kidney)
Addison’s disease
Diabetes
Hyperthyroidism
Chronic blood loss (hemorrhaging)
Skin lesions that ooze and cause loss of protein
Disorders of the central nervous system that interfere with eating or appetite
Paralysis of the esophagus
Neurologic disorders that make it difficult to pick up or swallow food
Increased physical activity
Prolonged exposure to cold
Pregnancy or nursing
Fever or inflammation
Cancer
Bacterial infections
Viral infections
Fungal infections

Diagnosis

Your veterinarian will begin with a variety of diagnostic tests to find the underlying cause for the weight loss. After an initial health assessment, the following are some tests that might be recommended for your pet:

Fecal studies to look for chronic intestinal parasites
Complete blood count (CBC) to look for infection, inflammation, leukemia, anemia, and other blood disorders
A biochemical profile that will evaluate kidney, liver, and pancreas function, and the status of blood proteins, blood sugar, and electrolytes
Urinalysis to determine kidney function, to look for infections/protein loss from the kidneys, and to determine hydration status
Chest and abdominal x-rays to observe heart, lungs, and abdominal organs
Tests to evaluate the condition of the pancreas
Ultrasound of the abdomen
Bile acids test to evaluate liver function
Hormone assays to look for endocrine disorders
Using a scope to view the intestines (endoscopy) and biopsy
Exploratory surgery (laparotomy)

Treatment

At times your veterinarian may recommend treating your pet’s symptoms, especially if they are severe. This is not a substitute, however, for treating the underlying cause of the weight loss.

Once the appropriate treatment has been assigned, make sure a high-quality diet for your pet is provided. It may be necessary to force-feed, with nutrients given intravenously as necessary. The diet must be supplemented with vitamins and minerals. Appetite stimulants are also used occasionally to get the animal to start eating again.

Living and Management

A proper medical follow-up is vital, especially if the animal does not show improvement quickly. Monitoring during this period is also critical. The underlying cause of the weight loss will determine the appropriate course for home care. This includes frequent weigh-ins for the animal. Follow your veterinarian’s recommendations for treatment. And if your pet does not respond to the treatment, contact your vet right away.

[anonymous]

I would like to offer an opposing viewpoint. Article written by a veterinarian that practices science based veterinary medicine. http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2018/06/dietary-carbohydrates-are-not-toxic-to-cats/ excerpt below, click on link for full article and comments. Also, you can use the search engine there to look up other topics.
Hope this helps someone 🙂

Dietary Carbohydrates are NOT “Toxic” to Cats
Posted on June 19, 2018 by skeptvet
“Folks who are critical of commercial pet foods or advocates for raw diets and other alternatives often rail against the evils of carbohydrates. The idea that dietary carbs cause disease is a central thesis of the recent “Truth About Pet Cancer” video series (my response to which is coming soon!). With cats in particular, the claim is made that since they are obligate carnivores, carbohydrates are effectively poison for this species, causing diabetes, cancer and all sorts of other diseases. There’s only one small problem with this claim: it isn’t true”!

PS: If you are confused about the differing opinions and information that you find on the internet, please consult a veterinary healthcare professional that you trust, discuss your concerns and go from there.

[Susan]

Hi Hope,
Here’s the wet & dry list of the Diabetic pet shop & online pet foods for diabetic dogs..
Scroll down list to the wet foods, your boy might enjoy wet foods more then the dry dog foods or rotate his foods, feed dry for breakfast & wet for lunch & dinner….

file:///C:/Users/sue66/OneDrive/Documents/Low%20Fat%20Pancreatitis%20
foods.pdf
I think you’ll have to type in link..

If you join the “Canine Diabetes Support & other Information” face book group, look in their file’s this food list is in their files & may have been up dated, more pet foods added….

[Susan]

Hi Hope,
have you join the “Canine Diabetes Support & other Information” face book group?
https://www.facebook.com/groups/CanineDiabetesSupportandInformation/
ask other pet owners what they’re feeding their Diabetic dog, I have the list of premium pet foods for diabetic dogs somewhere, I’ll try & find it..

If you want to stay with a vet diet look at Farmina Vet Life formula’s or their other formula’s
https://www.farmina.com/us/eshop-d-Dog-food.html
There’s also “Rayne Canada” vet diets aswell….
The F/B group I’ve recommeneded above is pretty good..

[crazy4cats]

Have you tried the Hill’s or Purina for diabetes? I’m sorry you are going thru this. One of my dogs has been getting a little picky lately and it’s frustrating. I think he just wants what we’re eating!

Purina might be more palatable. Just don’t look at the ingredients! Remember they’re dogs, not humans and they have different requirements than us. I went thru the same thing with my cat with urinary issues. I’ve been feeding RC vet food to him for 3 years with no more problems. It’s not a food I’d pick out for him by looking at the ingredients. But I certainly don’t want another blockage! Difference being, however, he likes the food.

Talk to your vet about a different brand for diabetes explaining what you are going thru trying to get him to eat. Try a different vet if this one isn’t helpful. Good luck!

[Hope F]

Anyone out there that is feeding their Diabetic dog something other than the Vet recommended dog food for Diabetes. My vet only says Royal Canin or Hills and I would never feed my dog either brand if he was not sick and now to be forced to is burning me up. I read the ingredients and cringe. He started eating it ok but now does not like the wet Royal at all and the only way he will eat the kibble is with roasted chicken in with it. I would like to switch foods to something with better ingredients but it seems so hard to find out the caloric numbers for foods. they all give you ingredients and analysis but no one can seem to find me the Caloric amount per cup or whatever. So hard to balance it to the 14 units of insulin twice a day they have him on. He is doing ok but it is a fight with a vet who does not want me mixing things with his food to get him to eat it and a dog that will not eat or takes hours to finish. I work and travel for work so having dog sitters have to jump through hoops to get him to eat is a pain. He loves food just not this one. I was looking at like an Orijen Fit and Trim or Merrik . Any sugguestions would be a great help!

[Lori H]

Hi Linda,

My dog Buddy has been through a lot, much like your dog. He is now 11 and during his life he has had surgery on his spleen, surgery for bladder stones, been diagnosed with Diabetes and I was told by my vet that he was suffering from liver failure and was preparing me for the fact that Buddy was going to die. The liver failure diagnosis was over two years and today, he is healthy, happy, looks amazing and has so much energy. I just had him into the vet for blood work and his numbers are almost perfect (350 is perfect, he is sitting at 351)! It has been an amazing turnaround so I know how you feel. I basically had to get him healthy myself. My vet did not support my decision to do what I did, but he is healthy and that is all that matters!

I now believe wholeheartedly that most vets know nothing about nutrition. They are told to carry a line of food in their offices by one of the large pharma/dog food companies because most of these companies go out and recruit at the vet universities across the United States when vets are in school and provide them with a kickback when the sell either Science Diet or Royal Canin in their clinics, up to 40%. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE my vet, I just don’t believe he knows much of anything about nutrition. He has been great to me, my dog Buddy and my three cats. He is good at what he does, diagnose and perform much needed surgeries and procedures. He did Buddy’s bladder stone surgery which has complications.

I was at my wits end as well and thought that I was going to lose Buddy, but I was not willing to give up so I did a Google search and found an amazing person who brought Buddy back to the healthy dog he is.

Buddy is on a very special diet and he has made huge strides in the last 10+ months. He is a very healthy dog to what he was 6 months ago.

I worked with a man named Rick Scheyer. He has an amazing website http://www.doglivershunt.com He has helped many dogs with liver shunt, kidney disease, bladder stone problems and much, much more become healthy dogs again. I would suggest reaching out to him for a free consultation. It might be the answer you need.

If you choose to go with his program, it is not cheap, but I believe that over time, I will save money by not taking Buddy to the vet time and time again because I don’t know what is wrong and having a battery of tests run and racking up bills in the thousands, I have been there!

He was slowly weened off of his processed food Science Diet U/D and placed on a diet of fresh veggies and meat based on a very slow transition to follow with Rick’s help.

Buddy’s diet is a balance of ¾ veggies to ¼ meats. Dogs with liver issues do not need as much protein as you would expect. He gets lots of yellow veggies (squash, tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, celery, carrots, Brussel sprouts, snap peas, etc.) along with hemp oil and nori blended with goat yogurt into almost a smoothie consistency. I then add meats, liver is great as it helps to detoxify the liver (funny that you feed liver to a dog with liver issuesJ) and then he gets a variety of supplements. He receives three gut supplements in the morning (Acidophilus, Bifudus and a Spectrabiotic) along with an Enzyme and something called Whole Body. In the evenings he gets the Enzyme, Whole Body and a Mushroom supplement. The process to make his food is not that time consuming and if you are at your wits end like I was, I was ready to do anything.

He also gets to have as much goat yogurt as he wants with coconut oil. He also gets sweet potato chews and coconut slices.

He is also allowed to eat fruits, not during his morning and evening meals since they digest differently than veggies, but he has not yet warmed up to them yet. I don’t know if he ever will.

He is doing great! He has so much energy and the numbers don’t lie! I got a glucose meter and I am going to start checking his levels daily. I would really like to get him off the insulin if I can. I believe the medicine is what causes the blindness, not the actual diabetes, my vet believes otherwise.

My vet has not said much of anything. I explained I was taking him off the prescription food and putting him on this program and he never responded. When I took him in the last time for blood work, I think he was surprised Buddy was doing so well, but did not ask me further about what I was doing. He is a pretty straight and narrow vet and I don’t think he looks outside the box. If Buddy’s glucose numbers continue to decline, I will take him back and back off on the number of units he is given. Now it is just maintenance and keeping a spreadsheet and monitoring how he is doing.

I suggest reaching out. I think Rick saved Buddy’s life. I took him to the vet in October to have blood work done and he is perfectly healthy!

Let me know if I can be of anymore help.

Good luck on your search and reach out if you have further questions or concerns. It was hard to take the jump and trust someone other than my vet with my dogs nutritional health, but I am so glad that I did.

Lori

[anonymous]

If your dog has a serious medical condition such as diabetes.
I would go by what the veterinarian that is treating him recommends. Your dog is also a senior and may have other health issues to consider.
I would work closely with your vet for the best possible results. There are no veterinarians affiliated with this site and even if there were, they have not examined your dog and do not know his history.

Best of luck

[N B]

Hello,

I have just coked my first meal for my (diabetes) dog! Based on the vet recommended I am switching my dog’s diet.

He is a mix, 9th years old, about 20 lbs.

I made him low fat boiled turkey and veggies (carrot, cauliflower, and broccoli). I need to feed him twice a day, and I am confused about the daily amount I should give him.

Any advice?

Thanks!
B

• This topic was modified 7 years, 5 months ago by N B.