[Kathleen C]

My dog, Jack, started eating his poop about a year or so ago. He just eats his own so far, but my previous dog, Duffy, would eat other dogs if given a chance. I never caught him doing anything like this, but did catch Jack so knew it is happening. Someone suggested feeding him pineapple chunks and it would make his poop taste bad, but I never had the nerve to give it a real try. I believe they start because they are hungry. Jack is always wanting to be fed and he has gone up to 20 lbs when he was 18 1/2 when I got him and the vet said that’s right weight. I feed him 1/4 cup kibble 2 times a day with low fat treats and green beans during the day. He will often go a few ounces over 20 and I am very careful when feeding him until I get him back to 20. I’ve tried to get him to lose a pound, but I’m too easy a mark for him and when he looks at me with those big eyes and whines I give in. It’s all my fault. I thought if I could get him down to 19 lbs I would start feeding him a larger amount of food, but this has not occurred.

[just_dogs02]

Thanks everyone for the excellent advice and information! I did read everything. And I will take my dog to the vet and rule out any possible medical issues, though I believe she’s quite healthy. Nevertheless, it’s better to be safe than sorry!

She began eating poop when she was about four months old–right after I began feeding her carrots for snacks. I do believe they made her poo taste “good” in her own mind. Anyway, the vet said she’d outgrow it, but this never happened. And now with a new puppy, I don’t want her to teach the little one about this habit.

I have been picking up her poo as soon as she goes and rewarding her. I will continue to do this. I do know its had some effect, for she is now more interested in her treats than her poo. But a few days ago I let her out without being there and she turned around and started munching on it. So, if this is just an ingrained habit, it may take several months–or more–to break.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by just_dogs02.

[Susan]

Hi, yes I have a dog with Seasonal Environment allergies & food sensitivities causing IBD & itchy, yeasty smelly skin, red paws, itchy ears & hive like lumps + IBD symptoms sloppy poos, gas/farts etc…
It has taken me 3yrs to finally work Patch out, in the beginning my vet said to keep a diary & you’ll start to see a pattern as the years go by & yes we did….
It’s best too see a Dermatologist they’re a but more expensive but in the long run you’ll save money, Dermatologist specialize in the skin….
Baths, twice a week or weekly baths or as soon as dog is uncomfortable & is scratching real bad then bath to relieve their skin…..I use Malaseb medicated shampoo, baths wash off any allergens, dirt, pollens & yeast if dog has yeast problems, Malaseb kills any bacteria yeast on the skin & keeps the skin nice & moist leaving the dog feeling so soft, Malaseb can be used daily if needed…..
I like using creams on my boy instead of medications he doesn’t do well on meds…I use “Sudocrem” sold in supermarket in baby section, I apply the Sudocrem on Patches red paws, around mouth, above his eye where he has white fur he seems to have all the problems, some nights when he’s real red around his mouth from eating I used Hydrocortisone 1% cream & on his paws & other parts of his body as well, I check patches body out as he’s sleeping at night before I go to bed & apply the creams, now I’ve removed the foods in his diet that he’s sensitive too his ear problem has all clear up, I did an elimination diet the best thing for food sensitivities & found when he eats carrots & beef he started shaking his head & scratching his ears, chicken causes his paws to go red 20mins after eating chicken, raw chicken was worse, also kibbles with grains made his poos sloppy, now he eats grain free kibbles that are Whitefish/Salmon or Lamb….if you don’t want to do the elimination diet & cook or do raw then it’s best to get a vet diet like Royal Canine PV- Potato & Venison or PS-Potato & Salmon or PR- Potato & Rabbit kibble or wet tin… then when dog isn’t scratching ears & is stable not itching you start & add 1 new ingredient with the vet diet every 6 weeks, no treats nothing else, it can take 1 day to 6 weeks for a dog to show symptoms for a food sensitivities…Once you find out what foods your dog is sensitive too you can stop the vet diet & start a diet without the foods he’s sensitive too.
I live Australia & I saw a Naturopath cause of Patches IBD, I wanted him on a raw diet.. Vitamin C is a natural antihistamine, we have a skin pack made by the Naturopath called Natural Animal Solutions, Skin Pack & it has DigestaVite Plus which balances the diet & fixes the gut, then it has Omega 3,6 & 9 Oil you add high dose for the first 2 months to diet & Vitamin C to work as a natural antihistamine…..
Here’s Jacquelines site there’s a lot of good reading & what natural products to use…on your left scroll down a bit & click on “Skin System” then click on “Skin Allergies” & she explains all about the skin & what causes what. She also has a F/B site & will answer any questions.. called “Natural Animal Solutions” NAS
http://www.naturalanimalsolutions.com.au/education.php

[Don N]

The most important thing to consider is a good healthy treat. One with all natural organic ingredients….including gluten free flour, no eggs, no dairy, etc.
Dogs like humans can have allergies and reactions to the normal ‘store bought’ food and treats made with preservatives, fillers, chemicals, etc.
I make fresh ‘baked to order’ dog treats with all natural organic ingredients.
Check them out at Etsy……Tail Waggin Dog Treats.

[Paige C]

Thank you everyone for all the advice! He is still eating the same Taste of the Wild right now, while working to finish off this bag. I’m almost 100% sure he’s not allergic to chicken or rice because that is what I fed him when he had diarrhea and he was fine, also I have boiled unseasoned chicken to use as treats/meal topper and he is fine with that as well. He doesn’t have any darkened spots or stinky breath/ears so I don’t think it’s a yeast issue. He is generally a stinky dog and gets a bath about once a month with Oatmeal shampoo which helps.
and Susan and CockalierMom, maybe you guys are right, maybe it is his bowl. Maybe I should try a ceramic bowl. It’s always after he eats he goes for his mouth and then starts scratching his ears and licking his knees/thighs. No hair loss and it’s not excessive, just noticeable because it’s always at the same time. It never seems to be after eating any treats or anything, and I did watch him scratch after drinking water from a stainless steel bowl at training as well so maybe I should switch just to be safe.

[Susan]

To Hound Music,
I forget to add in my post above, Maggie was also feed tables scraps, what ever they ate for dinner Maggie ate as well…
I just thought anyone that was interested in Maggie’s story would watch the full video interview by Rodney Habib on Planet Paws & got the story straight from Maggie’s dads mouth….
Maggie loved her Good O’s they were only given as a treat maybe twice a week, the Good O’s weren’t talked or advertised again, people like twisted the truth & Maggie’s dad didn’t want the Good O company receiving free advertisement for a poor quality moist treat/kibble that was not Maggie’s proper diet, she just liked her Good O’s treats, if she was given a better quality natural treats she’d probably would have loved those treats instead of the Good O’s…
Maggie was not feed any kibble of any kind….after Maggie’s story hit the media, a picture of (must be the picture your talking about) Maggie chewing a red/orange coloured round moist kibble, the Good O company started to say Maggie ate their food & lived to ripe old age of 30, that story was quickly dismissed & made clear to Australian viewers, Maggie did NOT eat any kibbles & was only given a couple of Good O’s maybe twice a week as a treat….
No supplements were given either, this is a farm in the out back of rural Victoria Australia, there’d be no pet shops for miles, to buy a dog supplement would be a miracle, you’d be lucky to find human vitamins in the local shops & we only have a few Australian dog supplements & most are sold online, we are talking about a old farmer & his dog, living a quiet stress free life, smelling fresh air, country living, Maggie’s slept on the back veranda in the Summer & in the barn with the farm cats in the winter…..the only healthy supplement that came Maggie’s way was her dinner & 1 cup of fresh cows milk straight from the cows utter that she drank every morning at 6am & the baby cows placentas when born & baby calves that was born dead…
A lot of Australian dogs are feed a supermarket kibble as the base or a grain free kibble with either fresh kangaroo mince or table scraps left over from dinner are added with the kibble or they are feed what ever is shot & killed on their property is feed to their working dogs, our Pet Shops have rolls of fresh Roo’s mince & rolls of fresh Chicken Mince, sold very cheap around $1 a roll & we also have pre-made raw diets as well, it’s cheaper to feed a raw diet then a premium grain free kibble in Australia…
Hound Music did you watch the video where Maggie’s dad was interviewed by Rodney Habib?? he would of mentioned if Maggie was given any supplements, he’s a very honest farmer & didn’t gain anything from Maggie’s story, he just enjoyed taking about his old girl Maggie……

[pitlove]

Hi Ryan-

So sorry to hear about what happened to your dog. I hope the neighbor is footing the vet bill!

As for your question about the food. I like Hills however if you’re looking for a food with a therapeutic amount of glucosamine you will need to use one of their therapeutic diets. Otherwise I would recommend a good supplement like Dasaquin. I would however consider switching to a weight loss food like Hills Small & Toy Breed Perfect Weight. Perfect Weight was clinically trialed and 70% of the dogs lost the weight. Use her glucosamine supplements like treats instead of buying other treats. Or give cooked green beans.

Best of luck to you and your pup!

[Lea D]

I brought my 7 year old Corgi to the vet because she was having urinating issues. My vet tested her urine and said she has crystals and a UTI. We put her on antibiotics and on the Hills Science Diet C/D food. A month before my male dog had the same issue and we resolved it the same way. I normally feed my dogs NUTRO™ Limited Ingredient Diet Small Bites Adult Dog Food, they have been on it for 6 years and we love it. Our vet suggested keeping them on the C/D diet permanently, which i do not want to do since outside of the help to remove struvites, it has terrible ingredients that I do not want in their food, such as corn and gluten, and my corgi is food sensitive.

Outside of their food, my dogs get Nutro limited ingredient treats only and my corgi takes Nutramax Cosequin Maximum Strength (DS) Plus MSM tablets every day. My male boxer takes Fluoxetine 20mg daily for anxiety.

Could it be the water of my house that is causing it? My vet says it is strictly diet, so do you have any suggestions as to what to change their food to? I can’t imagine their limited diet food has much in it to cause the issue. Is there a supplement I can add to help reduce crystal risk? I am at a loss to what to change it to. I want their food to be limited diet, without gluten or corn, but to not give them crystals, if the food is indeed what is causing it. Help!

[Krista B]

Hello,

I’ve recently added in some produce to my dogs diet and it seems like the additional fiber was causing her problems. I had been feeding her a tablespoon of fruitables pumpkin in the morning and a tablespoon of pureed greens in the afternoon along with each meal. I also was feeding carrot chips and blueberries as snacks/treats. At first she seemed ok but the she started having loose stools. 3/4 of her stool was ok but the last 1/4 was loose. She’s been having stools like this for about a week so I stopped all the produce about two days ago. I’m actually still seeing bits of blueberries and pumpkin in her stool. Her stool was a little better this morning. Is this a normal reaction? I do a rotational diet and she’s currently on Orijen six fish which has 4% fiber. I give her Fromm biscuits which has 5% fiber. Is she just fiber sensitive? I guess my only thought is she doesn’t need the extra fiber which is why I stopped giving her produce altogether. She seems fine with her food rotations so I don’t think it’s that. She’s also been on Orijen (USA) before and had no problems. Has anyone else had reactions like this before when feeding produce? Just wondering if this is normal? I will note she also just recently had her yearly check up and is in perfect health. Thanks!

Also, I talked to my vet and he thought I should stick to one brand for a year before I rotate. He said it was fine to rotate flavors monthly though. What do you guys think? I’ve been rotating flavors and brands monthly. Is this too much do you think? What’s your experiences with this?

[Annie J]

So glad she’s liking the digestive formula! They can be punks about not getting what they want sometimes. It’s sooo tough because they give you those puppy dog eyes!! I have the same exact problem because I feel guilty eating in front of my girls but vet bills and their health aren’t worth it (as I initially found out the hard way when growing up with garbage gut dogs). Once the panc has chilled out maybe your vet would be ok with Patchy getting a certain amt of unseasoned carrots or green beans for snacks. we ended up getting low-calorie cheddar bite dog treats from the pet store that they LOVE. Since the dogs are sorta treat restricted around here they actually think their nightly fish oil pill is a treat 😉 Also, sometimes adding a touch of warm water to the food makes it more stewy and “delicious”

good luck!

[Susie]

I feed this too. We have Embark and the base mix Kindly. Could your doggie just love it so much more than his old food that he wants more? How’s his weight? Sometimes I top the Embark off with boiled turkey. Are you following the directions to feed more for high energy dogs? Jacks definitely are high energy. Their gudielines for feeding are just guidelines. Maybe you can sneak in a Kong filled with food for more calories and energy. Since it is high in fiber I have to be careful with over feeding. I will give them sweet potatoes on the side or more meat. I don’t know which foods are highest in calories but that’s something to look into. Mine have more gas on this sometimes and they haven’t in the last on other foods! And I don’t like the garlic in some of the mixes even though I’ve been assured they are fine in small doses I have one that is 5lbs so I worry. My girl begs for those treats they make called Pecks. It’s really bad and borderline annoying.

[Meagan T]

Our dog had been on 2 different Canidae formulas prior to his diagnosis, so we want to stay away from those. We chose the Kangaroo formula over the Venison because we are 100% sure he’s never been exposed to Kangaroo protein before. It’s possible that he’s had venison in treats at some point. We’re not opposed to trying the Venison as an option. He was on the Kangaroo formula after his IBD diagnosis and did very well on it until there was an unintentional dietary indiscretion. He has never found a food that he won’t eat so we’re lucky that he’s not picky.

[Susan]

Hi, I have a 8yr old boy with IBD diagnosed 4yrs ago thru Endoscope & Biopsies. I changed him from a vet diet to a premium kibble & I have tried a few kibbles over the years & have found he does best on Lamb or Fish kibbles with limited ingredients….You have to introduce new kibble very slowly, in the beginning I started by introducing the new kibble as treats for a few days to see how his poos went, then I would only add under 1/4 of a cup new kibble to 1 cup of the vet diet, I gave under 1/4 cup new kibble for 4 days & if poos were still looking good & he wasn’t doing farts then I started adding 1/3 of a cup new kibble with his vet diet then went to 1/2 new & 1/2 old kibble, this is when you know if the kibble m work, when you get 1/2 way, it took me about 2-3 weeks to introduce a new kibble in the beginning…
While your dog is on the Z/d kibble you should of started to add 1 new ingredient for 6 weeks to see how he does & what foods he might be sensitive too, like adding some boiled sweet potatoes or boiled potatoes, cooked chicken breast when you have cooked chicken for dinner, that’s what I did with Patch while on a vet diet or a premium kibble that agreed with him, plus they love getting a new food……Food sensitivities can take anywhere from 1 day to 6 weeks to show reaction…. Food elimination diet is the only true way to know what foods your dog can & can’t eat…best to do elimination diet while doing well on a vet diet…
I was finding Patch would do real well when he started a new kibble then around 5-6 weeks his poos went smelly, yellow sloppy & bad farts that was when he ate the Wellness Simple formulas, so he was sensitive to a ingredient in the Wellness Simple formulas…..
Patch does real well eating grain free limited ingredient kibbles with potatoes & sweet potatoes like “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb, Protein-25% fat-15%, 338Kcals per cup…. “Pro Pac Ultimates” Bayside Select Whitefish, low in Protein at 24% & fat-14%, 360Kcals per cup, I’ve just ordered a bag of Pro Pac Ultimates, Meadow Prime Lamb, Protein-23% Fat-12%, 345Kcals per cup, I prefer kibbles with Potatoes & Sweet Potatoes, Patches poo’s are nice & firm….
there’s also “Canidae” Pure formulas with limited ingredients & there’s Canidae Senior Pure Meadows but I have problems when Patch eats a kibble that’s over 27% in protein & over 15% in fat & high in Kcals per cup, some of Canidae kibbles are higher in Kcals per cup over 400Kcals per cup, so the kibble is more dense, make sure you look at the Kcals per cup as well, the Z/d kibble used to be around 360Kcals per cup, I don’t know what the Kcals per cup are now since their formula was improved, you could email Hills & ask, try & stay around what ever the Hills Z/d Kcals per cup is same with protein & fat % when looking for a new kibble, the TOTW Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb is only 338Kcals per cup & their Water is purified, so I think that’s why the TOTW kibble worked the best for Patch in the beginning & having less limited ingredients helped.
Your dog might do real well the first kibble you try, it depends on what type of IBD your dog has….
How come your not trying the Venison instead of the Kangaroo? If the Zignature Kangaroo doesn’t work, Kangaroo is a very dark red rich meat & tastes very strong of beef, my Patch didn’t do well on cooked kangaroo it was too rich for him & poo’s were sloppy, also the chickpeas are 3rd ingredient in the Kangaroo formula, the Venison has Pea flour as the 3rd ingredient then chickpeas & Venison formula has a bit more fiber at 5% fiber, I noticed you give Metamucil to add more fiber to diet, so maybe you might need a higher fiber diet?….if a kibble doesn’t work it can be a number of things that are causing sloppy poos, just keep that in mind, it might not be the protein & change kibble brands…. also make sure the kibbles are money back guaranteed, I’ve taken back so many kibbles, that’s why its best to go to a pet shop it’s easier to return the kibble, some online pet shops are good & you don’t have to return & post back the open kibble bag, its all up the Kibble companies.. Good-Luck keep us informed how he’s doing..

[Meagan T]

Our almost 9 year old yellow lab has IBD. Our vet switched him to prescription Hills z/d when he was diagnosed because it’s a hydrolyzed protein and he has done great on it. He’s been off of all antibiotics for 5 months and off his prednisone for 3 months and he’s still doing fantastic. We’ve been talking with our vet about switching him to a different dry dog food because it’s very expensive to continue Hill’s z/d for a dog his size. Zignature Kangaroo Formula has been discussed as an option because it’s a novel protein (we know he’s had chicken, lamb, fish, and beef before, probably some duck in treats). He’s never had any specific allergy testing done. Any suggestions on a dry dog food? We’d love to lower the cost of his food but we definitely don’t want to have him flare again. He’s also on Fortiflora, Metamucil, and vitamin B12 for the IBD.

[Amanda D]

As much as I would love to feed raw I don’t have the freezer space, nor the floor space for a chest freezer. However is it okay to give the occasional meal as raw or treats, like instead of a store bought dog bone, maybe a chickenbacks ,couple chicken thighs or a handful of feet or hearts, turkey necks, eggs.

I’m planning on feeding either Castor & Pollux Organix Puppy Recipe, or Fromm Gold Puppy both in kibble form.

If such items are okay, what is best to start a small to medium breed puppy on?

• This topic was modified 9 years, 2 months ago by Amanda D. Reason: Forgot to say what I'm planning on feeding

[Susan]

Hi,
just be careful, a diet with too much omega 6 fatty acids will increase inflammation & cause skin problems & other health problems & a diet high in Omega 3 & not much omega 6 will reduce inflammation……
There’s a few kibbles out there that aren’t balanced properly & have too much omega 6 fatty acids & very low in omega 3 fatty acid & are causing skin problems in dogs…
Rodney Habib talked about this last year on his F/B page he said, make sure you contact the kibble company you feed & tell them the omega 3 should be 1/2 of what the omega 6 is & if enough people start whinging these kibble companies will start balancing their kibbles properly….
Now I have look at the Omega 3 % & the Omega 6% & a lot of kibbles have very low in omega 3 fatty acids, it’s in believable….
I feed Almonds, 3 Almonds a day as treats, I bite 1/2 the Almond & eat then I give Patch the other 1/2 almond & make him chew it, it’s as big as a kibble, so he does chew it, his coat has become real shiny also tin sardines in spring water are excellent, add about 1-2 sardines as a topper on their kibble.

How Too Much Omega-6 and Not Enough Omega-3 Is Making Us Sick

[Laurie F]

High sodium diet: anything above 0.5%

Hi Whitney,
My original posting included the following: “No risk or mild sodium restrictions include 0.35% to 0.5% equivalent to 100mg/l00kCal; Moderate sodium restriction include 0.1% to 0.35% equivalent to about 80mg/100kCal; Severe sodium restriction is anything less than 0.1% or about 50mg/100kCal.” I find it annoying that they include a bunch of dog foods that seem to be high in sodium content (at least for us), but one has to divvy it down to the risk factor. I am holding to kibble that is 53mg sodium, and kibble that is NO MORE than low 60’s mg sodium. I tried Royal Canin that is actually a prescription kibble @ 50mg. Riley tried eating it once, and after that it was a NO GO! I think she thought I was punishing her! I ended up donating the very pricey bag of food.

I applaud you for caring for the CHF rescue dogs and bringing them into a loving home! I agree with you that I’d also feel very guilty feeding a dog crappy food. Don’t do it! Since she has rotting, maybe painful teeth, there is plenty of low(er) sodium, healthy canned food for her to eat and excellent lower sodium (very soft baked) dog treats. The vet could have suggested Hills Cardio canned food, but it sounds like he’s kinda written her off. You mentioned that you had the Vet put her on Vetmedin? Wasn’t she prescribed that medication when she was originally diagnosed with CHF? I doubt Riley would be here today without Vetmedin from the getgo. Out of respect for my regular vet and a slightly lower cost, I have him do a full blood run every 3 months so I and the Cardiologist can monitor other bodily functions. But that’s about it for her regular vet. If you are upping the Lasix mg (or Salix mg) for her, there is always the possibility her Potassium level may drop, necessitating a daily potassium supplement. Riley takes 12.5 Salix, one in the a.m. and 1 1/2 in the p.m. Only one time early on last year did I have to give her a 1/4 tsp of RenaKare potassium gel (very inexpensive) daily for a brief period of time. Are you also giving the Chinese Crested a higher dosage of Salix since he’s having some issues with fluid build-up? Does he cough? I have only had one incident of ‘fainting’ and Riley letting out high pitched yelps/screams (couldn’t get enough oxygen) and that was the original emergency visit at 1:00 am last April. She had a whole bunch of fluid in her chest. It wasn’t until months later that I asked the Cardio doc why she was ‘screaming’ at the time of the event/collapse. He could only say that he presumed what was happening was really frightening to her in that split second and that the screaming was her fear reaction. No recurrences of fluid build up based on least 3 x-rays over the past year. I noted early on that she did have some increased respiratory in rest mode so Cardio doc increased her Salix to 1 1/2 tab in the evening. She pees like a race horse, but I’d like to think she’s getting rid of that lousy excess fluid in the process. I also understand that a high protein diet (along with the lower sodium food/diet) is attributable to controlling fluid build-up. I repeat, I’ve only been able to get her to eat kibble that is 53mg and another one that is in the low 60’s mg. She also gets high protein chicken (breast and or broiled/baked ground turkey) little portions that I mush into her moistened kibble. Keep in mind, that once I have cooked up a couple of pounds of my ground turkey ‘recipe’, I toss it in the freezer until I need it. I am not living in the kitchen daily to bake or cook! And yes, as a change of pace a few times per month, she gets some low fat/lean minced bits of broiled ground round and some rice mushed into moistened kibble. A quarter pound patty lasts a couple of days for both dogs’ dinners.

Lastly, you might consider giving both or one of them Vetri Cardio Canine by VetriScience. There are 60 bite-sized chews to a bag. One ‘chew’ is for larger wieght dogs, so I cut one ‘chew’ in half and give Riley and Tutzie their respective piece. I’d have 120 chews if I wasn’t treating non-CHF Tutzie… It’s a heart supplement that was highly recommended to me by another CHF dog owner… the gal whose CHF dog is now 16++. You can view it on Chewy.com. If you do buy it, don’t buy the capsules, buy the chews.

Does the rescue group afford xrays/echo cardiograms (probably not ultra-sounds) for the rescue dogs? I know there are some rescue groups that have unreal medical equipment at their disposal. I adore my vet of 25+++ years. However, I will admit that I had concerns about him treating my dog for cardiomyopathy, degenerative valve disease, or congenital heart failure. It’s just not his speciality and he knows that.

[Whitney L]

Hi Laurie F.,
Thank you for the link. I see Fromm is listed, but the sodium contents still seem higher than some others. Currently, all of my dogs but one eat Fromm (including one CHF dog). My other dog, who is a recent permanent foster, is the other CHF dog and she’s on really crappy food. She got a 3 month prognosis a month ago when she came into rescue, so we just picked up cheap Moist and Meaty. I know, it’s awful. I feel guilty about it, and despite the vet saying she didn’t have long, I’d still like to give her better food. We also saw a different vet (within the rescue) this past weekend because I wanted to get her meds adjusted, and this vet said the same thing about her health. Said she’s super sweet and friendly, but a hot mess. 🙁

My two dogs with CHF: the new foster is a chi/corgi mix, approximately 11lbs and between 12-15years old. It’s really hard to tell because of her health and her teeth are WRETCHED. I mean, just downright awful. This weekend her Lasix was upped to 5mg, she’s on Enalapril already, and I had the vet add Vetmedin. I also got another round of clindomyacin, and we’ll make that recurring monthly to help keep down any gum infection. She’s also now on incurin because she’s a leaker. It’s not a big deal because we diaper her inside, but it can make a mess on our lanai if she’s not diapered right away after piddling.

My other CHF dog is a 9-10yro Chinese Crested (hairless). He is the one w/pulmonary edema, and he’s currently on the same medications as the chi mix, and he’s been on them since I began fostering him 1.5yrs ago (I failed and adopted). He overall does great, just has the occasional breathing episode. Usually they’re slight, but every now and then there is one that is so bad that he can’t even stand up from the oxygen deprivation. It’s awful to see, and his vet is actually surprised he keeps on living. When he gets like that, there’s nothing we can do but sit with him and stroke his head hair. If we tried to put him in a car at that time, it’d likely kill him. It’d be nice if I had an oxygen tank at the house for those times. 🙁

Sidenote: I give my dogs zero treats. My crested thinks his medication is a treat, and he happily devours the pills twice a day without us having to stuff them in a treat haha. He also eats poop sometimes, so his taste buds must be wonky.

[Jo C]

She drinks a lot of water 🙂 and I’ve been feeding her Chicken Soup for the Soul Dog Food half and half homemade food (Chicken, veggies, small sweet potato and brown rice). I also made some coconut and blueberry frozen treats for her last night.

[Susan]

Hi,
have a look at “Pro Pac Ultimates” Large Breed puppy & Adult formula , Chewy sells the 28lb bag for $29.99… Earthborn Holistic make the Pro Pac Ultimates, it’s a cheaper kibble with same quality ingredients..
http://www.propacultimates.com/dog-food/
A large breed pup can eat a large breed puppy formula till 18-24 months old,
Rotate between different brands & proteins, it strengthens their immune system having different foods in their diet & not eating the same protein & veggies, also start adding a few small sardines to kibble a couple times a week buy the tin sardines in spring water & give those fish skins as treats, very heathy & will make your dogs coat shine…..
They did a study & found by adding 2 tablespoons of meat & veggies to their kibble reduces the chances of your dog getting cancer….add to her dinner whatever your having for dinner, as long as it’s not a hot curry, chilies, onions etc

You have a healthy normal pup, enjoy it while it last, I bought one of those high pitch whistles, from those cheap $2 shops, blow it & see does she calm down & come to see where the noise is coming from & give her a treat…..
I have a English Staffy & he just turned 8yrs old & he has just settled down but he can still be a nut when my daughter & grandson visit, I love it, it’s better then him moping around the house….

[Susan]

Hi, have a look at Pro Pac Ulitmates large breed puppy, a 28lb bag cost $29.99 thru Chewy
Earthborn Holistic makes the Pro Pac Ultimates & it’s cheaper.
https://www.chewy.com/pro-pac-ultimates-chicken-meal-brown/dp/120285
I’m pretty sure large breed dogs can eat a large breed puppy formula till they’re 18-24 months…also add some tin sardines in spring water to her kibble, also buy those fish skin treats & her coat will shine, they did a study & found adding 2 tablespoons meat & veggies to 1 meal reduces the risk of getting cancer..
add foods your having for dinner as long as it’s not a hot curry chilies onions etc also you should be rotating between different brands & proteins, never just feed the same of brand kibble..
I rotate between “Taste Of The Wild”, “Canidae” Canidae make a Life Stages large breed Puppy & Adult kibble, & I just ordered the Pro Pac Ultimates Meadow Prime Lamb..
http://www.propacultimates.com/dog-food/
http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

[zcRiley]

Assuming your vet cleared her for Hypothyroidism. Feed ZiwiPeak lamb freeze dried for 4 weeks. Add some of their wet canned food as well. Give her one Dasaquin w/ MSM for large dogs daily. No treats, lotsa water. Start with a brisk 30 minute walk per day, fast walking no stopping. Then 2 walks per day. Then add fetching. Keep her moving.

[Angie D]

Hello, I am new to this forum and fairly new to raw feeding …. based on what I have seen so far in my dog I will always feed this way 🙂

I have a 14 1/2 year old shep X this is what he is currently eating

morning he gets taste of the wild kibble before I go to work approx 1.5 cups ( he weighs 50 pound)

his evening meal consists of raw muscle meat chicken and either heart , liver , or gizzards depends on what I have on hand , I mix this with spirulina, coconut oil, and sometimes plain yogurt , I try to buy hormone free meat , sometimes it is just too expensive .. he gets aprox 8 oz…I try to give him a can of water packed sardines once or twice a week as well. I was useing brewers yeast , but I did not like his stool consistency after I started this so I discontinued , I had heard it was good for flea’s , I may give it another shot…..

My question is about Calcium Phos ratio, I do not give him RMB due to his age… I would be concerned that he would not be able to chew them… I maybe am just being paranoid as he chews his treats just fine :)…. but none the less, this is the route I am going… if he were younger I would just give him bones to balance all out….. should I be adding calcium to his eve meal? or does the kibble meal straighten things out enough? If I should be adding it , how much based on the amount I stated I feed…. his energy is VERY good for his age, weight fine as well… I have been feeding this way for approx six months and am still amazed at the increase in his energy and overall attitude towards life since I started, not to mention his breath does not smell at all…. the only thing I don’t care for is his coat… it looks a little dry sometimes…. I am concerned that this could be due to the calc phos issue , or possible un related… we have had a HORRIBLE flea prob this year… and since I refuse to use chemicals on him it is harder to control them…. I am thinking that he coat issue could be that…. if not would a calcium phos imbalance cause coat and skin issues?

Appreciate any feed back 🙂

Angie

[Mary N]

What was your idea of selling them? Like manufacturing them and selling them on a large scale?

That takes a lot of work but it is achievable if you are willing to devote yourself 🙂

I personally make home made treats from ingredients like honey and pumpkin because my dogs love them.

But you should consult with your veterinarian for them to explain you who and where further to go with your idea. You need to fulfill what law says as well so as someone mentioned above, you should also consult with a Lawyer but it is probably best if it is someone who works in a pet industry. Hope I helped! 🙂

[Cannoli]

Hi Andrea S,

Congrats on making your own treats. maybe you can provide us with an example of the ingredients in your current home made dog treats and we can add some input on what you might add.

Since these are just treats they don’t need to be complete and balance.

I make my dog treats occasionally. Sadly I don’t have the entrepreneurial spirit to turn this into a small side business.

Here are some of the treats I have made:
Liver Cookies.. Basically liver that I cook on very low heat in the oven for about 4 hours ( i cut them into round cookie shapes) and then I dip them in a tumeric extra virgin organic coconut paste. I love the taste of them and so does my pup ha.

For Christmas I made my pup and I the following cake:
Coconut glazed cake-basically i baked some sweet potatoes and butternut squash. Then smashed them.. Then I use one of my cake baking trays and put the smashed sweet potato butternut squash in it. Drizzle some raw honey on top. Sprinkled it with fresh coconut and baked it for 25 minutes until coconut got nice and toasty brown.

Would love to hear some of your recipes.

[Andrea S]

Hello-

I have been making my dog homemade treats for sometime now and I was throwing around the idea of selling them. I want to make sure what I make has the best ingredients and also the nutrients that they need. Does anyone either make their own treats/food or have knowledge on the nutriments and such that are a must to have? I always see the crude protein percentages and such on packages but honestly I am not sure where to go from here.

Thank you!

[Emmett B]

Well so it is not just me.. It turns out that our trusted stand-by Acana is making crap now. We bought a large bag of the Kentucky heritage beef late last year and much to our surprise our retriever, who is a classic food fanatic, would not touch it. He would run to his food bowl at dinner time and as soon as his nose got close he would freeze and then slink away. We tried adding all measure of treats which he would just pick out of his food leaving the Acana behind. We thought he was deathly ill but from this discussion it seems he was in fine health and wanted to stay that way. The conclusion once again:
Trust your dog!
Our pet food store nicely took the open bag back (they give it to a local pet shelter) but now I even feel bad about that.. Regardless of whether the technical analysis specs are unchanged, there is something about how they make the stuff in the US that makes it unpalatable and obviously potentially dangerous compared to the old Canadian food. very sad.
What alternatives have people found for wild prairie/meadowlands?

[Bea K]

I honestly do believe that the company isn’t purposely and knowingly wanting to put any pet in danger. Like any new formula or changes to what we are use to in feeding our 4 legged loved ones, there should be more testing of the product to reassure the customers it’s as safe or more safe than before. After doing more research I was able to find out some answers on why they built a new plant in Kentucky. The resources in Canada are limited, like eggs, poultry and the ingredients in general since they (Champion) supply to at least 80 countries and an ever growing USA market. They are very aware of the issues and are continuing to work on the concerns the consumers have. I’m a person who comes down very hard on companies off the bat then do more research which is the wrong way or approach. What needs to be done is to notify the FDA as CC has done, for mostly one purpose, not to shut them down but to make sure the pet food is safe and we don’t pay the price by our pets getting sick. My concerns about the plant in the USA is because of the GMO food chain we have in the U.S. as well as all the chemicals we put in the ground for insect and weed control, antibiotics and hormones in animals added to the pet food. Animals are much more susceptible to it but aren’t able to communicate before it’s too late in some cases. We also have the fears of past recalls where massive amounts of animals have died before the FDA was able to respond. I ask anyone who suspects its the pet food, to set aside a measurable amount to be tested should there be an issue. For me, I’m going to take out a half cup from each bag with its expiration date and batch that’s stamped on every bag should something go awry later. Not just for Orijen but for any dog food of any brand in the future. Believe it or not, Canada has much less restrictions for pet food than we have in the USA. Partially relieved but not completely given my issues stated above. On a side note; A year or so ago the FDA removed dog treats from shelves with ingredients from China that were killing pets but couldn’t find anything detectable so they were put back on the shelves. Just because they couldn’t find anything doesn’t mean there wasn’t some sort of new chemical added that the FDA doesn’t know to test for. To shorten the time for you, I’ve listed what I think are important for notification.
Please call Champion Canada at 780 784 0300 with your questions, issues or concerns,
By State FDA Phone Numbers http://www.fda.gov/Safety/ReportaProblem/ConsumerComplaintCoordinators/default.htm Orijen Kentucky Plant website https://www.orijen.ca/dogstar-kitchens/?lang=us&lang=us Like everyone else, I don’t want to have to worry about what I’m feeding my pet kid wondering if what he’s eating is safe. Sorry for being so long winded…

[Julie P]

my GSD pinched a nerve in his back a few years ago on a slick wood floor. He limped for about four months. Was overweight at the time. 106lbs. Have since covered the floors. In order to help him loose weight faster to help with the limping issue I put him on raw food diet. And cut out ALL treats. He always loved to swim and I have lake nearby and he could do that with limp. He has been at about 90 lbs since then. Feed him Merrick for the last several years. Recently tried Zignature as the local store was offering buy one get one. Both dogs have done really well on it. My GSD has Pannus now. And eye disease. Has to have eye drops now every day for life. This disease came on at the same time I had tried Costco dog food/and had him vaccinated. Either one of these things brought it on or it just happened. The other dog got hot spots from the Costco grain free food. Do not ever feed Costco Grain free. Reviews are horrible too. And if you ever need prescriptions sign up for Good RX. They have saved me tons of money.

[Tommy B]

On your review of Waggers Tender-moist 5 Stars you state it is a “Can Food” It is in fact not, now or ever.
That being said, there will be a can line launched on this line ( My Little Lion/Wolf) in 2017

The My Little Lion/ Wolf is a tender-moist line of food and treats for cats and dogs and was acquired in 2016 by American Pet Nutrition. Note the name Waggers is no longer attached to this line.
http://www.mylittlewolf.com

[Susan W]

I haven’t ever fed weight management food to my dogs, I simply adjust their intake (back) & cut back on their treats. One thing I did notice that helped a lot was when I stopped letting mine free-feed & started feeding them only once a day. My mom used to give her doxie baby carrots & green beans to help control her weight. From everything I’ve read, skip the weight management foods – they aren’t worth it.

[Blane O]

I feed my dogs Happy Howie’s premium beefy 4″ Burger treats. They are made in the USA and do not have many ingredients. I also like their sausage links. My dogs love these treats. They are not cheap, but we try to only give 1 or 2 a week. I have a Great Pyrenees, Staffordshire Terrier, Collie mix and a pointer mix. They have been eating them for about 3 years with no problems.

[Laura M]

The money you are spending on treats, and I assume you are treating a lot, would better be put toward a vet check. I agree that supplementing dog food with low calorie vegetables is the way to go. My dogs love Brussels sprouts and green beans and also carrots. I would hope your vet could help you out with a payment plan if you sincerely want to get your dogs to a healthy place, which you obviously do. Best of luck!

[InkedMarie]

Maureen,
I applaud you for realizing that the dogs need to lose weight. Nutro is a very low quality food, one I wouldnt feed. Wellness Core reduced fat and Annamaet Lean are good foods to use.
Treats….use some of their food for treats or look forvery low calorie treats. Dogs don’t know or care how big a treat is.
For exercise, you can buy or make a flirt pole. You can roll balls inside the house as well. Do you have a trusted family member who can walk them?
Your dog who is aggressive with food: feed her in a crate or in a different room. If you think she has a thyroid issue, you need to get her to the vet, you cant leave that unchecked. Call your vet, explain what is going on with the financial issues and ask if you can make payments.
In the red line above, click “FAQ” then click dog food calculator. You will need to know the amount of calories in the food to figure out a starting point.

[Maureen A M]

Hi,
I seem to have a problem making dogs fat. Suzie needs to drop 15-20 pounds (boy was she difficult to pick up and weigh–49#) and the mother dog and one of her adolescent ‘children’ both need to drop some unhealthy fat. I have never been really clear about what amount I should feed my diet dogs. For the 50# one to I use the ‘lose weight’ for 50# or do I use the ‘lose weight’ for what she should weigh?

I have had all my dogs on Nutro Weight Mgt since my normal weight dogs decided they would rather eat the diet food than Fromms??? Very odd. I put down four bowls, one with Ultra and that’s the only one they ate, also my Ty with the skin problem seems to be cured.

I have a problem walking them because of a disability and the poor homeless dogs in my neighborhood whose attitude is unknown. I realize this is my fault because of the TREATS! I will try to find the amount of calories in the treats and add it to the recommended number of calories I calculated. (and subtract it from their food or skip the treats).

I feel very bad about my idiocy in fattening these poor sweet dogs and I am going to fix it. My fattest dog can eat her dry food out of a ‘maze’ bowl just as fast as she did with a regular bowl and she is becoming very aggressive over any food she finds, and she was always such a gentle dog and very active. Sigh. I can’t afford to take her to the vet to have her thyroid checked, but if dogs are like humans whose nails don’t grow very fast when the thyroid is underactive, then she is hypothyroid ($78 for the test) as I rarely have to trim her nails, they just don’t grow..

Thank you for this great site. I just joined because I had $17 in my checking account. Thanks for the discount;-)

Sincerely
Maureen Martinek

[anonymous]

“I had cleaned them with my great little $12 Amazon dental kit!”
Umm, that item is no comparison to a professional cleaning. Brushing the dog’s teeth once a day may help though, see YouTube for how to videos.

Tums? I would go to another vet and get a second opinion. Also, be very careful about taking advice from well meaning posters on the internet. A lot of false information out there. And, I would never give a pet over the counter meds or supplements unless recommended by a veterinarian that has examined the pet. You can make things worse.

Excerpt from:
https://www.reference.com/pets-animals/tums-safe-dogs-bf44a10fade507c#
“The active ingredient in TUMS and many other antacids is a chemical called calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate is not only a medication, it also occurs widely in nature as one of the main substances that make up limestone.
Calcium carbonate treats an upset stomach because of the effects it has on stomach acid. Calcium carbonate is a basic substance. This means it has a high pH, which is the opposite of stomach acid, a substance with a very low pH. When a person or animal is given calcium carbonate it goes to work by neutralizing stomach acid. This happens due to a chemical reaction that takes place between calcium carbonate and hydrochloric acid, the main constituent of stomach acid. When this reaction happens, calcium carbonate and hydrochloric acid switch their chemical partners, forming calcium chloride and water. Calcium chloride is insoluble and passes through the digestive tract, while the water formed by the reaction results in a healthier pH level.
Unfortunately, dogs digest foods much more quickly than humans do, so the chemical reaction between calcium carbonate and stomach acid does not occur fast enough to treat the animal’s upset stomach. By the time calcium carbonate treats the symptom, the dog has typically already digested and passed whatever food was causing the problem in the first place, making this a harmless but relatively ineffective treatment for the animal’s ailment”.

PS: I would call your vet and leave a message for her to call you back, I would question the Tums and ask why she didn’t suggest Pepcid? Not that it is a miracle drug, but, it might be slightly more effective in reducing symptoms (based on my experience and what I have observed). Anyway, I would communicate with your vet and ask questions.

[Susan]

Hi Nancy, you need to try a food with the same fat, protein & fiber % & similar ingredients to the vet diet, minus the crappy ingredients also has the food she doing well on have Beet pulp?? what vet food were you feeding her that she does great on?? Was the Merrick a wet tin food??
Food sensitivities take anywhere from 1 day to 6 weeks to show any symptoms, I rescued my boy & this happened with him, 4 yrs later finally over the years I worked out what he can eat & can’t eat, also you need to strengthen her gut, order some Purina Forti Flora probiotic & start her on 1/2 the recommend dose for 1 week then slowly go to proper dose by 2 weeks….you need to start an elimination diet, so you start with a vet diet that agrees with her for 2 months, no treats, no other foods to make sure she is still doing firm poos, maybe try the vet formula in a kibble, kibble works out cheaper then the vet diet wet tin foods but the ingredients very, wet diets have better ingredient to their kibbles, I had Patch on the Hills I/d Digestive kibble for 1 week everything was great 2nd week he was doing sloppy yellow poos that stunk, so I took back the Hills vet diet & got a refund, she needs to be on the vet diet for around 4 months to make sure everything is going great, then you add 1 new cooked ingredient, say boil chicken for 1 month no reaction then add boiled sweet potatoes for 1 month & still the chicken, every month add 1 new ingredient while still feeding the vet diet minus some of the vet diet replaced with ur cooked food, it takes time but in the end you will know what foods she is sensitive to….
Keep a diary, what foods wet & kibble you have tried, so you can look back if needed..
“Holistic Select” formulas kibbles they are for digestive health, & have single proteins formulas with rice & beet pulp like vet diets, Patch is eating the Holistic Select Adult/puppy, Salmon, Anchovy & Sardines Grain Free kibble it just has potatoes & peas, there’s no lentils, no chick peas at the moment poos are great & only 2 poos a day but back in the beginning he ate the Holistic Select Adult Duck meal & Rice formula kibble it has beet pulp & rice like the vet diets have, the Holistic Select wet tin foods are too high in fat around 6% when converted to dry matter (Kibble) 6%-fat is about 30% fat if it was a kibble, vet diets fat % is lower in wet tin formulas then some of the normal brand wet diet formulas sold in pet shops, if your feeding a wet tin vet diet then you need to try wet tin foods, not kibbles or try the vet diet in a kibble & see does she have the same problems??
Have you tried the vet diet in the kibble formula??
It’s stressful & it takes time, like I said 4yrs, I’ve had Patch & I needed to find a brand food (kibble) he did well on & keep him on that food for 6 months then so slowly add 1 new food to his diet…also vet diets have higher or lower soluble & insoluble fibers, where pet shop foods are all made the same for dogs with a normal bowel with no health problems also most vet diets aren’t grain free, so you need to look at foods like “Canidae” Life Stages “Platinum” it has brown & white rice & turkey, similar to the ingredients to the Hills I/d formulas also Canidae make a wet tin food called life stages Platinum, the fat is low, the protein is low like the vet diet tin food, so is the fiber. another thing normally rescue dogs are feed supermarket crappy diets, then when feed a good quality higher fat & high protein foods they have diarrhea cause they are not use to eating so much fat & protein, that’s why they do well on the vet diets cause they have the gluten corn meal & crappy ingredients as well.. look at the kibbles with rice not the grain free formulas for now..
Holistic select site http://holisticselect.com.au/recipes.aspx?pet=dog
Canidae site http://www.canidae.com.au/dog-food/ scroll down for the Life Stages formulas
It takes time & slow & steady when adding new foods, add 1 thing at a time over 1 week so you know what caused the problem if you have a problem like diarrhea or sloppy poos..

[D S]

D Mannose treats and cures mine, a lot of women say the same thing in the reviews- there’s several thousand human reviews on there, and a lot for the dog one too. This is the first time I’ve used it for a dog though I don’t see why it would be much different. I use the test strips, same ones the dr uses, to check before and after. So far this corgi loves the doggie ones listed above, the first day she wouldn’t eat it without it being in food. The next day on she has snatched it out of my hand and crunched them up like a cookie begging for more. I’m amazed because she is picky. Even raw meaty beef bones (totally organic from a steer we raised and butchered) she takes in her igloo to hoard and takes a few bites now and then. I think it depends on the bacteria and how you treat them. Once a day would not cure a UTI. But several throughout the day, possibly 2 days if it is very severe would in many cases. You can tape a baggie to the dog’s hind end and take her for a leash walk to collect urine and test it with a pregnancy test or test strip. D Mannose only works on UTIs caused by bacteria(about 80% of UTIs are from E coli bacteria). If the UTI is from something else (about 20% of them are) then D Mannose would not work. If you read the Amazon reviews for human D Mannose there is a lot of info about treating both types

[Mary B]

We have a GSD that is a picky eater and won’t eat dry food by itself. She is a rescue and during her first year, eating or I should say “not getting to eat” was a problem. She is eating a Merrick dog food now that she loves, but it is causing her to gain weight, even though we feed her a reduced portion size. The Vet is on us, telling us she will break down in her senior years if she doesn’t get 10-20 lbs. off, but she is getting less than the daily recommendation as it is now. She doesn’t like people food, won’t eat dog treats, so she truely is getting only what her daily feed is. We are at a loss as to what to feed her. Any ideas are welcome!
Thanks!

[Susan]

Hi Kerrin, your best to make a balance raw diet or buy the pre-made raw diets or cook.
I feed my dog a cooked meal (Dinner) & rotate between “Taste Of The Wild” “Holistic Select Adult/Puppy” Fish grain free & Canidae Life Stages the Canidae Pure grain free gave Patch his pain, it may have been the Chickpeas & higher protein % but Canidae Pure formulas would be excellent for healthy dogs, the Canidae Life Stages has the big 44lb (20kg) bags at a very good price…Canidae uses human grade ingredients, kibble size is nice & small for dogs that gulp & don’t chew, easier to digest…

My Patch just turned 8 yrs old, he has no joint pain that I can see, body & coat looks excellent, the only problem is he has IBD mainly his stomach, to look at him you wouldn’t know he has IBD & is ill some days…..I put Patch down to being so healthy & getting better from cooked meals, fresh foods, peeled apple pieces as treats, Almonds as treats, broccoli, kale, egg, spinach parsley all cut up & mixed with lean pork mince or extra lean beef mince & made into 1 cup size rissoles & baked in the oven, sweet potato boiled & added to rissoles as well after cooked, I cant think what else I feed him, I feed what ever I’m eating & I rotate between kibbles, changing the proteins mainly feed Fish & Lamb kibbles, I stay away from chicken if I can, chicken is very high in omega 6 & low in Omega 3…
Omega 6 is pro anti-inflammatory & Omega 3 is anti-inflammatory & as we know chickens are pumped with hormones to grow quickly.

A balanced raw or cooked diet is the best to feed a cat or dog, kibble is just easy for us… have a look at Ziwi Peak Air Dried, Canidae Pure or Life Stages, Victor Super Premium or Sport Dog Elite, the Sport Dog Elite is similar to the Victor but cheaper, the Sport Dog Elite link I have isn’t working but it shows the Sport Dog Elite formulas & compares them to the Victors formulas….
http://victorpetfood.com/

[anonymous]

Poor appetite is often a red flag, a sign that something may be medically wrong with the dog.
I would take him to the vet for a checkup and lab work, plus, whatever else your vet thinks is indicated. Once you diagnose what is wrong with him (or rule out), you can decide with the guidance of your vet what food would be best. Your dog is a senior, therefore vulnerable to all kinds of conditions that may be treatable. At the least, your vet should be able to advise you as how to keep him comfortable.
Do you want to eat when you don’t feel well? Didn’t think so.
PS: If your dog has had a full checkup within the last 6 months, just a call to the vet for advice may be helpful….
BTW those freeze dried liver treats and such may be high in fat and sodium, discuss with your vet.

[Chris S]

I only give freeze dried organ meats (livers) & chicken breasts. Purebites makes some great treats. There is no need for all of the other crap they put in treats. The dogs get enough of that in their food & supplements.

[Chris S]

O yes! Any organ meat is great for your dog. I don’t give any treats except freeze dried livers. And if I have some hearts, livers, etc. I’ll cut them up & give them to him, all except gizzards, I get those (I really like them).

[Vivian L]

Hi we just recently got a cavachon puppy and we’ve tried every treat out there and he doesn’t like any of them. So we decided we would try cooked chicken just broiled without salt or anything and he won’t eat that either, is that unusual? We’ve found that he likes apples, cottage cheese and regular cheese other than that we can’t figure out any treats to use to help us with training. Any suggestions? And honestly is it normal for a dog not to like chicken?

[NovaChaser]

I totally agree with crazy4cats. But, for a very sensitive stomach, I would like to add onto zcRiley suggestion.

Where I work, Zignature is one of the main options we would recommend when dogs have:
(a) unknown allergens but consistent allergic reactions to other brands (even the best such as Orijen Single-Protein diet), and
(b) stomach problems that aren’t clearing up with other single-protein/limited ingredient diets (possibly unrelated to allergies, just sensitive).
They specialize in limited ingredient diets that try to eliminate as many possible allergens and sensitives from their product while still being as nutritious as possible (note: probably because of this it is not a meat-based kibble like Orijen, unfortunately). I always recommend starting with Turkey or Duck (lean meats are easiest to digest) because it is the most economical and easy to find treats for if your dog has great success with it. I would recommend waiting on anything with Venison or Kangaroo as these are not only more expensive but useful if your dog has problems with everything else (i.e. last resort). You can also try pairing any new food with unpasteurized goats milk for the added digestive track probiotics (especially since its a puppy).

Note that any changes in diet will take a few weeks before noticeable effects may be seen with more time needed the bigger the dog (although your dog will probably see improvement after a week or so if its helping). Once you find what the problem is, you can transition them to a product that closely matches your dogs needs or stay on it.

Hope this helps! Wish you and your puppy much luck!

[Jason C]

Hello all,
I am new to the forum so hopefully I am posting in the right section. We have recently put a deposit down on a Yorkie who is going to be smaller than the average Yorkie. The breeder does not breed for teacups, he just happened to be a tiny guy. The breeder says she will feed him Royal Canin puppy food, which I am not a super big fan of. We are fairly new to being dog owners but I want to make sure Little Toby(our Yorkie) is eating good quality ingredients. I have been doing A LOT research on my own and there are so many dog foods, it is overwhelming. I want to get a good puppy food for him and then eventually transition to a small breed dog food. We will be getting our little guy in about 2 weeks, the breeder wanted to keep him longer because he was so small, to ensure his health.

I am looking at doing this for the puppy food: Here

Then I am looking to transition to this dog food when he is an “adult” Here

I am very open to any suggestions and I could definitely use help on what treats to get as well. I would like to get the little guy some treats(for potty training) and something to chew on to help his teething and teeth down the road. I don’t want bad quality items that can cause health issue. I also don’t know if I should get a higher content of protein or fat food for an undersized Yorkie. The breeder thinks he will only get about 3lbs, I am hoping he can get up to 4 or 5lbs. His health is good and I want to make sure he has a nice healthy, happy life.

Thanks,
Jason C

[julia d]

agreed!!!! i am always very confused by people say they loooove all animals but directly support animal abuse by buying factory farmed meats for themselves and their pets. i started my own dog treat business because i have always had a hard time finding treats in stores from humanely raised meats. i would love a humanely raised category on this website that i could post to my treat facebook page for my clients to refer to.
anyway… for the people here who obviously actually DO care about the welfare of farm animals as well you can check out my website: https://dolceardesiatreats.com

[Ryan K]

I have no information at all about the mass this vet felt other then her telling me it doesn’t appear to be related to the anal glands. She said anal glands can abscess and get cancerous but this seems to be along the rectal wall above or around that general area. She didn’t say anything was an emergency or that I should rush to get an x Ray or treatment ASAP. She just said that when I bring him in for his next anal gland expresssing that she will feel it to see if it has gotten larger. She said to watch for irritation and if he shows signs of struggling to defecate or continues to scoot his butt then I should possibly run him in sooner for the biopsy which would involve putting him under and prolapsing the anus to use a needle and aspirate the mass for a sample. I am wondering if this could be a hernia? His diet has been massively changed since his slipped disc issue as well. He’s had a life of strict grain free- high quality dog food but since he has been on tramadol, Prevacox and gabapentin his appetite is pretty much destroyed. He’s been living off peanut butter (I hide his pills in it), canned chicken and tuna fish and some raw hide chews which he only eats the coating off of and leaves the actual rawhide. So, I don’t know if this is dietary related? I ordered some Glandex to see if that helps his anal glands in the meantime. I doubt he will eat them though. He’s seriously so uninterested in dry kibble or even most scraps. Should I just stop giving him tuna, bones and treats and force him to only eat kibble? This is so frustrating. This whole experience has truly shown me that I don’t think I can handle another dog again. It’s so much emotional and financial stress and trauma. I love my dog though so I’m trying my best for him.

[pitlove]

Hi Kristen-

I spent about a year and a half doing what you are doing right now, with my pitbull. I was switching foods constantly, looking for the lowest carb foods, no potatoes for a while, no grains, high protein. It did absolutely nothing to help him because I had been given very wrong information about why and how yeast forms.

Yeast naturally grows on the dogs skin and when their immune system is healthy, the body regulates the yeast and keeps it under control. The opposite happens when the immune system is weakened, often times because of allergies, but other reasons as well. Though many people will continue to perpetuate the myth that carbs “feed” yeast because they break down into glucose, this is untrue and therefore simply limiting carbs without having an understanding of what is causing the immune system to be suppressed is pointless.

If you believe food is an issue, you will need to conduct a proper elimination diet, which it sounds like you may have attempted at one point though I don’t know what food you used to attempt it. When doing one properly, you will either need to homecook one novel protein and one novel carb for 2 months straight or use the veterinary theraputic diets whos proteins have been hydrolyzed. Hydrolyzation of the proteins breaks them down into their component amino acids making the immune system unable to detect them, thus not causing an immune system response. During this time they of course can not have anything but that diet. No treats, no flavored meds, nothing. An elimination diet is the golden standard for diagnosing food allergies. Those who have told you allergy tests for food allergies are unreliable were correct, they are. Often times yielding false negatives and false positives.

I personally chose the veterinary theraputic diet to do my pitbulls elimination diet (Royal Canin Hydrolyzed Protein) and he greatly improved, thus telling me food was a component to his allergy issues. He is now eating a fish based, grain inclusive food with almost 50% carbs and is yeast free during the winter months. Unfortunetly when June hits in the south here he does get a little worse again leading me to suspect environmental allergies on top of the food issues. But for that I bathe twice a week in Malaseb shampoo to kill the yeast. I’ve been successful with this regime for 8 months now.

[InkedMarie]

Barb,
I think Amicus is a smaller kibble. She should be feeding an adult or all life stages food. It seems that alot of picky eaters are small dogs & I believe that most are owner-made picky dogs. I suggest she put the food down, leave it for 15 minutes then pick it up. The dog gets nothing else til the next meal: no people food, no treats, nada.