[WondrousPups]

Hi Sienna,
I’m sorry for all the on-going stress and struggles with your pooch! Sounds like you are being given lots of good and supportive tips from Patricia and Susan 🙂 I’m not sure if you are a kind of a person who is comfortable with “food as a medicine” approach, and if not, this might sounds wacky, but it’s been working out for me personally and for my dogs, I just chime in as a food for thoughts since the conventional pharmaceuticals don’t sounds like helping out at all.

At the first glance at the symptoms and history you’ve described, two herbs came to my mind immediately. First, Stinging Nettle. Nettle is an immuno-modulater (you mentioned high TLI). It treats hypothyroid (low T4 result), UTI, weak hair, and it supports kidney/adrenal restorative. It should be easy to grow in Florida, but you can buy it online, too.

Second herb that came to my mind is Ashwagandha. This herb is mainly an adoptogen. It also good for hypothyroid. It also works for insomnia, anxiety, chronic degenerative disease that involves wasting wasting away. Some describe it as Indian version of ginseng (which I give to my dogs everyday), but ginseng tend to be very stimulating. So it’s probably not good for an anxious pup.

Tow other herbs that support fat digestion and liver function are common sage and turmeric.

They don’t work like a silver bullet, and takes a bit of time (except turmeric – the result tend to be immediate) for healing to happen and observed, but there is not down side except some patience and persistence.

If you are open for trying and interested, let me know. I can direct you to resources and/or more details.

Sending LOTS of support and healing thoughts !

[Sage K]

Hey guys!! I thought I’d give you an update on all that has happened and what we figure it is.
So, I had posted in my Instagram and asked if anyone had similar issues. Someone told me their dog did, and turns out they were allergic to beef! Our Salmon and Sweet potato food was sold out so we instead bought Angus beef and oatmeal ( our female is allergic to chicken and turkey meal- gets hot spots from it ) so we figured that must be it! So we went to the pet store and had to spend an arm and a leg on salmon and sweet potato grain free food until theirs comes back in stock. I am wondering maybe beef food was the reason! And I’m assuming it causes maybe acid reflux or something?
Another assumption I do have though, is that when he gets bored, he eats the grass, spider webs, dead flowers etc outside, which makes him throw up, causing the acid reflux and then the gagging from the burning begins.
He was gagging off and on all week after his episodes though ( hiccup gags) so maybe it was a mix of both the beef food and the acid reflux from eating the grass? Anyway, worth a shot for any of you feeding beef food that aren’t sure what the issue is. I’m still giving him his favourite beef treats though.. he has had them for a year now so seems ok.
So, all in all. This is basically how it went.
That night he would stop gagging and had us up all night, we gave him a couple tums and would NOT let him eat the grass. The grass made it 10x worse. He finally fell asleep and I fed him chicken and rice the next day. People food. Seemed to be okay still had the gagging. I think I gave him a couple Tums a day until he stopped. Also we switched the food to the salmon. And then we noticed he tried to eat the grass again… so we brought him inside ASAP and cut the grass (bagged it so it was gone) He was doing it because he was bored I can only assume. And no gagging hiccups since! Whenever I see him go to eat a spider web I make him come inside. I caught him this morning licking the webs off the deck, we live in a new area so we have new spider webs every single days as it used to be farmers fields. We are going to pressure wash the deck this weekend now.
Anyway, I had to literally pick him up, 65+ and an odd length, and carry him inside, that’s how obsessive he will get if he wants to eat something. I thought, here we go, he is going to go through it all again just when I thought we were cured. But nope he came in, went right to his kennel and is now good and asleep with no gagging. However if I hadn’t brought him in I think he would’ve ate enough to restart the process.
**** also I forgot to say, those going through the ” episode ” of the gagging, non stop eating etc. Try the tums, and calm your dog down, get dog CBD oil, try the frozen berries or ice cube. Anything to distract them until the tums relieves the acid reflux burn and then just wait it out. We used to think him eating grass would help him but it definitely just makes it worse. Good luck everyone!!

[Joyce B]

There is something in the diet causing this. A dog that is up all night gulping and licking is being fed wrong. Please try a single protein and carb. If the reflux calms down then stick with that for life, forget variety. If it doesn’t calm down, change it to another protein and carb. Don’t deviate, even with treats, until you get to the culprit. Those berries might not be helping either, I have one dog that got acid reflux from a cranberry supplement (among other things). Be patient and good luck!

[Steph D]

I trust dog food and treats recommended by vets, but not necessarily sold by them. I found Chews Happiness and love how natural their treats are. Their dog food is meant to help dog’s skin and coat, digestive and wellbeing functions. Check em’ out, it’s called the Barkaron-real cute and healthy. I tend to like smaller private companies versus corporate vets as the more corporate you get, the more you move away from true health. Caring about what your dog ingests starts with the ingredients. https://chewshappiness.com/barkaron-information/

[Patricia A]

Also prednisone should NOT be given to dogs with stones since it causes stones to form. The following treats are acceptable for oxalate stone forming dogs:
plain cooked chicken
plain cooked turkey
eggs
rice
peas
pasta
white potatoes
cabbage
cauliflower
bananas
melon

[Patricia A]

There are different types of stones with different reasons for formations. However, hydration is a big key in all stones to prevent recurrence. Helpful article below for Calcium oxalate stones.
Nutritional management of Calcium Oxalate stones

While it can be difficult to completely prevent your dog developing calcium oxalate stones (particularly if they have a genetic predisposition to it), there are some things that you can do to decrease your dog’s chances of developing bladder stones, and to prevent them coming back in dogs who have previously had them.

Keeping your dog well hydrated is vital. This dilutes their urine, which in turn dilutes the levels of chemicals that promote stone formation, and so decreases the chance of your dog developing bladder stones.

You can help your dog drink more water by placing a few bowls of fresh water in different locations around the house. Always make sure the water is fresh and that you change it regularly.

In the ideal world we are aiming to maintain urine specific gravity <1.020. I always encourage my clients to buy a refractometer, which makes it very easy to measure your dog’s urine specific gravity.

The food your dog eats also impacts on the development of calcium oxalate stones.

To decrease the chances of your dog developing bladder stones, you should avoid feeding foods that contain high levels of oxalate such as spinach, sweet potatoes, organ meat and brown rice. Instead, include foods with lower oxalate levels like apples (peeled), wild rice and meats and fish in their diet. It’s also a good idea to boil vegetables and discharge the water before giving them to your dog – this helps to reduce the oxalate levels in them.

Restricting calcium is another strategy for reducing oxalate levels in the urine – a reduction in calcium should be accompanies by a similar reduction in oxalate levels. However calcium restriction should be done very carefully, as too much restriction can be damaging and may lead to health problems including osteoporosis.

Other dietary measures that can be taken to help prevent formation of calcium oxalate stones are reducing dietary sodium (salt) and avoiding excess vitamin D. This is because excess sodium and vitamin D promotes excessive urinary calcium excretion. Therefore moderately reduce dietary sodium, stay away from high sodium treats and do not supplement with vitamin D.

Vitamin C supplements are not recommended because when vitamin C is metabolised and broken down, it produces oxalate – therefore avoiding vitamin C supplements avoids an increase in oxalate levels.

Vitamin B supplements are water soluble and are excreted in the urine. Therefore in all cases of urinary tract stones it is prudent to give a vitamin B complex supplement.

There is still some debate surrounding magnesium and bladder stones. Some studies have shown that magnesium in the urine impairs formation of calcium oxalate stones. But other studies have shown that when given to healthy dogs, magnesium supplements resulted in an increase in urinary calcium levels. So because there is no definite consensus, restricting or supplementing magnesium is not recommended and so both should be avoided.

It’s important to note that not all of the oxalate in your dog’s body stems from their diet. Some is produced naturally by your dog’s body, mainly the liver. Nonetheless, avoiding incorporating foods with high levels of oxalate in your dog’s diet is an important preventative step against calcium oxalate stones.

Including fiber in the diet may reduce absorption of some minerals and so should be considered as part of any dietary changes being made. However, take care not to increase levels too much which can result in overfeeding.

Calcium oxalate stones cause the bladder to become inflamed by rubbing up against the bladder wall. To help reduce this inflammation, you can give your dog fish body oil supplements. However, avoid liver oil as this contains vitamin D which should be avoided (see above).

There are a few veterinary prescription diets designed to (theoretically) reduce the likelihood of calcium oxalate stone.

You can also prepare you dogs food at home using the same high quality ingredients that you eat. There are several health benefits of making your dogs food at home. By feeding your dog a home-prepared diet rather than a dry kibble diet, you can increase the amount of water they are drinking. And as mentioned above, increased water consumption makes urine more dilute and can help prevent stones forming.

A home-prepared diet is also the only way you can truly control what is going into your dog.

If you’d like to try cooking for your dog, the best way to ensure that the diet is meeting all of your dogs nutritional needs is to get your recipe from a qualified nutritionist. Dietary manipulation to address a health problem should be done by someone who will work with your dog.

[Amy J]

I make dehydrated sweet potatoes and green beans all the time for my dogs! Here’s my free recipe for Dehydrated Sweet Potatoes!
https://madelynnsmorsels.com/dehydrated-sweet-potato-treats-for-dogs/

[Alice H]

Hello everyone. I am a dog groomer and I came across this thread. I have had many issues with own pets and clients pets and having itching issues. While I was grooming dogs I would pay close attention to what their vets would say about an issue I had refer them to. Most of the time it was due to rashes, ear infections, itchiness (mostly feet, belly, butt), copper collor around eyes, mouth and feet and a few other issues. I had one mini poodle that had the most swollen, red, and inflamed ears and feet I’d ever seen. She was so itchy her vet had put her on a medication to just simply stop the itch (I wonderd if it stopped itch, what else was it stopping and affecting?) because they didn’t know what to do. I like more natural ways to try and combat things. Years ago, as a female myself I heard that women can get too much yeast “down there” and become very itchy from an overload of yeast (yeast infection) and it seemed similar to my dogs problems. I did some research and found out that sugar is the main source of yeasts food. Now, straight yeast product in particular is even more crippling to the system than just straight sugar is. Now if you go and read the back of MOST kibbles, you will find that they all add almost over 2 different types of yeast product to their kibble to “keep it together” and it’s usually towards the end of the ingredient list, some even have it as one of the first 5 ingredients. I have changed many of my clients dogs to NATURAL BALANCE (DUCK AND POTATO) with absolutely WONDERFUL results. Itching and rashes/redness can subside within a few days if the yeast and sugars have been eliminated from the diet (I have personally experienced this myself as well). I personally have my two dogs on this brand of food as well and I recommend it. Just make sure there is absolutely no yeast in the food OR TREATS you are feeding your dog. Now, back to the mini poodle I mentioned earlier, she had the worse case I had seen so far. She was on a very limited diet and pretty much only ate canned and kibble food. Sometimes it would seem better and sometimes would come back with a vengeance and her ears were almost swollen shut the poor girl. Vet didn’t know what to do either. I finally asked the owner, is there ANYTHING even a small amount that you feed her of anything else, ever? And she goes, well… My husband feeds her a piece of toast each morning but it’s plain, there’s nothing on it. And I said, that it! It’s the bread. Take that away from her diet and see me again in a couple weeks. She came back and she was amazed and how different her dog was.. Her skin was perfect. Her ears, perfect. No more copper color, no more chewing her paws.. No more pain. I was so happy! And ever since then I have been telling people about the dangers of yeast overload and the dangers it can cause. Yeast overload can minick an allergic reaction so the owner things it could be something more serious like maybe the poultry, fish or grains, when infact it was the yeast the whole time. Eliminate anything that can “turn” to sugar in the body. Dog biscuits or any crunchy dog treats are almost straight yeast/starch and full of things that can turn to sugar in the body, so watch out for sugary treats as well. Coconut oil is a great, natural relief from yeast rashes and yeast related problems. It is good for the coat as well, you can feed a tablespoon to your dog a day to keep their system regulated from yeast, but it does work better topically for yeast specifically. Coconut oil is also antibacterial and antimicrobial so you can use it just about anywhere (on you as well) your dog is having issues as a bit if relief from the itchiness, it kills the yeast. A lot of ear infections also stem from the yeast diet (I advise against coconut oil in the ears, talk with your vet first and see if it’s an option for your specific dog). If your dog has ear infections often, or has itchy, copper colored feet, or red inflamed itchy rashes it could very well be suffering from yeast overload. Remove anything that can turn to sugar in the body, that would include treats and people food as well, like breads, noodles, crackers, tortillas, chips and even potato turns to sugar and will feed the yeast that naturally reside in the body. Starches do turn to sugar during digenstion. If you have a dog with no itch issues, but has tear stains, it could also be suffering from overload of yeast and cause that discoloration of the fur. The yeast in the saliva is what stains the fur.
Also, if your dog is scooting and doesn’t have worms or diarrhea it usually means their anal sacs are having an issue or they are full and/or impacted and need attention. Vinegar is also a natural way to neutralize areas that are common with bacteria like private parts. And on a side note, a tiny spray of your favorite liquid fabric softener on your dog just before the rinse of a bath can make your pup smell so good for a several days at least. Try not to put it directly on their skin. Rinse very well.
I hope I have helped you all in some way. Have a wonderful day.
Peace, Love and Happiness.

[Susan]

Yes I use the Vitalitae Calm biscuits, (Australia)
I give 1/2 a Vitaitae biscuit around 11am & CBD Oil 3 drops some nights for my boy lower back pain, also adding Hemp seeds to diet is really good as well, but you still need to have a very strict routine, dogs love routine they feel safe as they know what’s going to happen next…no new things to bring on anxieties also work out what brings on dog triggers…
Here’s the Calming treats ingredients, read the ingredients to get an idea what ingredients are needed to reduce stress, anxieties, joint pain etc….
Hemp Seed Oil, Hemp Seed Protein, Ginger, Chamomile, Flaxseed Meal, calcium Carbonate, Vitamins & Minerals (incl. Vitamin B Complex), L-Tryptophan

Ask vet about “Cartrophen Vet Injections” for arthritis pain, Cartrophen Vet finds the dogs pain, it’s all natural so no side affects, the injection is given under the dogs thick skin back of dogs neck area. First Patch had 4 weekly injections for 1 month that lasted 1 yr, now Patch is having monthly Cartrophen Vet Injections now its Winter…Pain can also cause dog to shake, stress, be uncomfortable.

What is Cartrophen Vet?

[Laura H]

Hi! I have a 5 year old cockapoo who came to us at about 8 months. He was gifted to an elderly couple, the wife is a nurse and no one knew the husband was beginning to exhibit dementia. She took her usual holiday and discovered her husband didn’t remember getting the dog. So while she was at work, he was freaked out by the strange dog and was throwing things, screaming, and using his cane to keep the puppy away. She immediately looked into a new home and voila, new dog. He didn’t even have a name and had severe anxiety, understandably I think. He belongs to my sister, I have a 13 year old shih tzu who was also a rescue, and we got him comfortable and to a much better place with his anxiety. We were quarantined last month and now he panics the moment she leaves the room. Mine went to the groomer today and I spent the whole 45 minutes his mommy was gone with a trembling Pippin in my lap, he wouldn’t stop crying and actually sounded like he was in pain. He calmed enough to sit and let me pet him, but he never stopped crying for mommy the whole time. CBD treats have helped my older dog with her joint pain and I’ve heard it helps anxiety. Has anyone used CBD/hemp for anxiety? Tips or brand suggestions?

[Frenky C]

My go-to is Wellness Natural Grain Free Dog Treats for several reasons: hypoallergenic protein source, rich in EPA, ALA. BESIDES, it’s comes in several variations, including mix with potatoes, apples, blueberries and carrots. My pup can’t go a day without these and it came especially handy while training her to go. 🙂

[Frenky C]

I have read mixed reviews on Lilee. But I think I should also give it a try. I have always used Purebites for treats but I guess I should also try other brands to mix it up for both my cats and dogs.

[Patricia A]

Stinkydog maybe it’s time for the chicken and rice again to get back to normal stool. The antibiotics take out all the good bacteria and it could have just caught up with her causing the runs. Maybe do not give any treats or chews and when her stool goes back to normal try VERY SLOWLY a different kibble. I’ve had great success with Stella N Chewy’s. My one chihuahua has a sensitive stomach and saw on their f/b page that many said their dogs that had same issues did well on their food. If you choose another food just go VERY SLOWLY with just maybe a few kibble thrown in to the chicken/rice for a few days or even weeks to get used to.

[Chipy]

Hi Kayla,

So awesome that you are thinking about making homemade dog treats. Your pup is lucky to have you!

Here is a link to a video Dr. Dobias recorded making a dehydrated meal for his dog. I like to follow his recommendations and prepare dehydrated treats for my pup.

How to make homemade dehydrated dog food:
https://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/how-to-make-homemade-dehydrated-dog-food

Dehydrated meat should keep for up to a month if it’s been stored correctly. The shelf life can be extended by placing the treats in a fridge or freezer. I recommend checking out some additional online sources about making dehydrated treats and meals as well as best practices to store.

I tend to make small batches in order to ensure freshness, rather than making too much and having some spoil and go to waste. This online Recipe Maker provides guidance on amounts of each ingredient and which ingredients are best.

https://recipemaker.peterdobias.com/

I hope this helps. Wishing you and your pup the best in good health! 🙂

[Diana Prince]

I love Meunster Milling products. It’s a family-owned business in Texas. They have high-quality, holistic kibble that you can customize with add-ins such as coconut oil, bacon fat, salmon oil. They have grain free varieties and freeze-dried treats, all at very reasonable prices with free FedEx shipping if it’s over a certain amount. I have been feeding my dogs the chicken and pork ancient grains for several months now and I have noticed that the shedding is definitely less (I have 2 beagles). Please review their products.

[Preston]

Hey! I just wanted to let you all know of a brand that is very much unheard of from a bison ranch called Northstar Bison. It’s a canned food containing only meat from the farms’ grass-fed/finished bison and vitamins/minerals. Why I wanted to recommend it is because it’s rare to find a food that not just contains meat but contains meat from humanely treated animals fed a natural diet. I’m sure you all know that the majority of beef for instance in dog food is grain-fed and treated not the best. Another thing I never knew about the beef industry is that they are castrated which is what makes them put on more fat but bison generally aren’t which equals a leaner meat. There is also bone included which is rare to see. I’m not an expert in dog nutrition but it’s always nice to see actual animal bone in dog food vs. calcium from a synthetic source. The only other food I have seen that in is Ziwi. The farm is open about everything on their website. You can tell it’s a major step up from the other cans. It’s pricier than most but I would have loved to know about this food years ago and so wanted to share that with you all. Enjoy!

Bison Feast Canned Dog Food

[Peggy B]

I am looking for recommendations for a small, soft, low cal treat for a tiny dog with Pancreatitis and Cushings Disease. She is on a prescription diet dog food, but I need treats to continue her training. Thank you for any suggestions.

[Patricia A]

Stephenie first off so very sorry you’re going through this. Nothing worse then stress from seeing your pup is getting no relief after trying all these different foods. First I know my dogs ALWAYS had diarrhea when switching foods. So it’s possible your switching between too many too fast. It takes at times many weeks of a VERY, VERY slow introduction of a few kibble at a time. I use Open Farm for my two small dogs but just for treats because of the cost. I stay away from too much fat in food for my two. Even when I give home cooked if they have a little steak two days in a row it’s diarrhea time. Same with boiled salmon or even lean chop meat.My dogs are doing great on Stella and Chewy’s . If you go to their f/b page you’ll see all the posts from pet owners writing their dogs are doing very well on their food after having stomach upsets with other brands they tried. I use their RAW Coated chicken grain free. But they have limited ingredients and grain inclusive also. Just go VERY SLOWLY went introducing. I also got my two slowly used to Primal freeze dried as topper.. I only use the LOW in fat proteins such as turkey/sardine, rabbit, and occasionaly duck which they love. Stella’s also has freeze dried toppers. Here is their website . Stella’s has samples you can get in a pet supply store. I hope this helps. https://www.facebook.com/stellaandchewys/ https://www.stellaandchewys.com

[Stephenie S]

So my year old lab puppy has had diarrhea through every food I’ve tried with her. I had her on Wellness in the beginning but she got a rash on her stomach and I took her off that. I put her on Earth Born and that caused diarrhea. I had her on Merrick for a while and that caused diarrhea. My mom gave her one of the Nutro carrot dog treats which caused diarrhea so I started checking dog food for carrot and was able to find a dog food called Open Farm. It has been great for her she hasn’t had diarrhea but now she is having patching fur and brittle nails. So I’m at my wits end I turned to a website like this bc I’ve tried every dog food that’s whole foods, not grain free, no carrot, doesnt have bad ingredients and the last one had fish so her dry skin shouldnt be dry. I need help anyone have any suggestions but it’s been a long battle.
Thanks
-Steph and Behr

[Marisa J]

Hi I work at a pet store and have a hand full of customers with Shih Tzu’s.

If your dog has a sensitive stomach I would recommend adding goat’s milk (a universal milk) into your dogs diet. This will not only aid in digestion but also add hydration too! Some brands even added spices into the goat milk for added benefits.

If not goat’s milk I would encourage you to find a good probiotic powder for your dog. This will help with the sensitivity of your dogs stomach.

Merrick is good brand and Duck is a cooling protein (this will help with any inflammation). I would recommend after 2 months switching through Merrick’s formulas to help your dog become accustomed to other proteins and amino acids.

Other brands that are high in protein and low in carb (easier to digest) are Zignature, Orijen, Farmina, Acana, and Essence.

If your dog has a sensitive stomach I would also try introducing freeze dried treats. These treats are a lot easier to digest than biscuit treats. I only give my dogs freeze-dried raw treats.

[Patricia A]

A wee bit older then you kathleenl. Don’t remember growing up with our dogs even being fed kibble. Just chicken, veggies, hamburger etc. Our poodles snowflake lived to 15. Don’t think he was vaccinated beyond his puppy shots either. I finally stopped my obsession and anxiety over my two’s diet and whether or not I was feeding the right food with all the choices . I think variety is the best . One tend to gain weight so I always have to watch my hubby sneaking cheese, pasta etc. in big pieces. lol He says those “hungry eyes” get to him too. lol
Glad I helped with suggestion and hope they like the Primal even as treats. Good luck with your fur babies.

[jamie L]

I have MAJOR concerns about this food. #1, I bought two different types of the meat meals….Chicken and Turkey. I followed directions, added hot water….and honestly — I saw ZERO Meat.

Now, the meat could have been dyed green by the vegetables in there, but to me, there was a WHOLE lot of broccoli or spinach primarily…the patties are actually GREEN color when dried AND when wet. I then emailed them to ask them about meat content, and they basically have ZERO customer service, had ALL sorts of ‘excuses”…see email below in between the asteriks.

They seem overly defensive to me, and not very customer service oriented. Their food is VERY expensive, so it’s my RIGHT as a PAYING customer to ASK what I am getting for my money. I took pictures for them of all the food…again, I see ZERO meat…you’d think you would be able to SEE some meat in there??!! RIGHT?? I see NONE. Not in ANY of the batches…I think this company needs to be investigated.

As a matter of fact, I myself am going to go ahead and find somewhere that will test for protein content …I am VERY PiCKY about my dog food, and it’s my right to know WHAT I am buying for my pets…they clearly, from below, did not like me questioning them….that, to me, is a HUGE RED FLAG. Their treats LOOK like MEAT…which is why I questioned them so much on this……they said the treats are totally different from the main meals. Okay, great, but I still don’t see where the meat is in the main course food! My dogs did like the food, but to me….I believe in my personal opinion that I just paid $150 for a bunch of broccoli and spinach patties….ALSO, if they have been around TEN years….WHY have more of not heard of them?? Too many red flags for me, I will no longer be buying their food!

************************************************************************************************************
your message is very disturbing. We do, indeed, have a very unique dog food, so it’s understandable that you are not used to it. However, your suggestion that our biscuits do not contain meat is entirely false.

In fact, every biscuit is mostly meat. (please see ratio diagrams attached) All of our food recipes contain the the same ratio of meat to vegetables. Our recipes are exact and calculated, measured with accuracy and inspected for quality control every step of the way. We start with scientific requirements for vibrant wellness and never waiver. Science is our guide but Organic Mother Nature is our provider.

As you can see by the 2 attached images, we have a HUGE VARIETY of vegetables, fruits and herbs but they represent a relatively SAMLL PORTION of the biscuit. Our recipes have been the unwavering same for over a decade. All our biscuits are formed and packaged by hand, each one is also closely inspected. Our food is based on the philosophy of providing non-processed, human quality, organic ingredients for the healthiest dog food, so over-all, there is no normal – in the strict sense of the word.

Since we do not use any processing of our 100% organic, human grade ingredients each biscuit has a different look and feel. There is no way to avoid idiosyncratic differences in batches/ biscuits when individual ingredients are not pre-processed for uniformity. There is no way, ever, that one biscuit will look exactly like another. Sometimes, this can be more noticeable. Especially if, for example, the spinach is much darker, broccoli is much greener, the protein/meat mixture ratio is more light meat than dark, the blueberries are juicier or the apples more meaty than juicy, etc.

These are only a few reasons why our 100% organic, naturally air-dried products differ from batch to batch and even biscuit to biscuit. Every idiosyncratic inherent nature, of every single ingredient contributes to the biscuit in their own organic way. There is no difference in the volume of ingredients or the ratio of ingredients dehydrated in each biscuit.

As time goes by and seasons change, the natural inherent qualities of our human grade ingredients transform as well, there will be times when it’s more noticeable than at other times. Our food recipes are very UNLIKE our treats.
Treats such as Chicken & Pumpkin or Chicken & Apples have only 2 ingredients. Both Organic. Treats recipes are mostly pure muscle meat with a dash of antioxidant. Our food, however is a complete and balanced diet providing optimum nutrition and antioxidants.

For over 10 years, we’ve built a reputation of stellar integrity, excellent customer service and Most Trusted Dog Food in USA for 3 years in a row.

We hope this helps you better understand our products and

******************************************************

[Diane H]

Thank you very much for your reply, Jeanne E. I’m so sorry about the loss of your sweet girl. All of our furbabies are precious to us, and the longer we have them with us, the harder it is to lose them. My guy is 11 years old and has had a sensitive stomach since the age of 8 (his age when I adopted him). I learned from experience to avoid feeding him eggs, and I rarely depended on canned food to add to his kibble, but the pancreatitis showed up twice within the past few months. I had changed his dry food to one that I thought would work (and that he would eat) but when I asked my vet, the fat content pf the dry food he was eating was 12%, 2% higher than the max for a dog with pancreatitis should have. Our vet suggested the prescription food he is on now, and thankfully he seems to love it. I’ve been looking for a dental chew that’s safe for him, and will need to ask the vet because I always check the ingredients and fat content and sometimes it’s hard to tell what’s actually in it. Treats now are apple slices and sometimes blueberries and we’ll be going all natural as much as we can. I really like the KONG idea!

[m3ntat]

Shelter puppies do well on Pro Plan puppy, their small breed, regular, and large breed variations, even during sudden transition when surrendered or picked up as abandoned/stray. It’s highly palatable, as they invest in veterinary nutrition r and d proving and improving palatability, safety, balance, and good growth development. It has higher DHA/EPA concentration, essential omega fatty acids contributing to formation of cardiac, bone, nervous system, eye, kidney and skin tissue during development. Purine ONE is a step down in ingredient quality, but their puppy diet is also highly palatable, with dehydrated shreds of meat amongst the kibble pieces. Royal Canin is another option, although Pro Plan is more palatable by most clinical observation of puppies’ appetites. HIll’s Science Diet puppy isn’t as palatable as competing similar puppy diets, as shelter and veterinary professionals can attest despite its good nourishment for lactating mothers as well as puppies, but if your pup’s apathy towards commercial diet persists, as long as he’s maintaining body condition aka adequate covering over bony processes such as hips and spine that you can feel these when press lightly, but not see them, he is ingesting enough to maintain during his growth and development. Mealtime training, with less treats between meal time, i.e. 2T peanut butter in kong at crate time twice daily, after meals, but not treats throughout the day, can improve appetite at meals. At his size and age, his approximate daily energy requirement is 1000-1200 kcals. It will be closer to 700kcal when growth is complete. Diarrhea on a rich, fatty diet does not necessarily imply sensitivity. If his body condition was good on Hill’s per your DVM, maintain; if he was a bit low body condition per your DVM, try the Pro Plan, or ONE, or Royal Canin. Boutique diets advertised as human grade or superior quality don’t have the r and d testing to ensure appropriate growth and development, safety, and palatability that more established manufacturers have. Adding less than 10% of the total diet as cooked egg, lean meat, whole grain such as rice, pasta, orzo, lentil, can entice appetite, but can create a dog that will not eat food without these added, may not eat the treats you have on hand for training, and lead to more restrictions due to preference down the road. This can especially make medicating or prescription diet feeding difficult. Food for thought.

[Diann D]

I’m having the same issues with my dog for a year now hi ALT and the other liver enzymes. I took him to a specialty vet out in Las Vegas oh my goodness the money that I have spent and zero results! So I did my research on the computer myself and asked my regular veterinarian and he had no solution for it as well until I went to the dermatologist because I started noticing that his Fur was thinning and then on top of his head he would get some blood blisters. So she told me he ended up getting a bacterial infection in his stomach that treating it and on his skin because when they keep licking their paws because his stomach’s bothering him that they spread a bacterial infection. Oh he looks a lot better his fur looks like it’s thickening up since he’s been on antibiotics problem is that they put him on antibiotics before just from the regular vet but they didn’t continue to fix his situation to find out what the problem was. The dermatologist told me to do a trial and eliminate chicken and beef she stated that any dog that’s been on food for many years anybody can gain a food allergy at any time. But you really got to be stricken all the treats have chicken, turkey, beef so I got him a lamb and a fish recipe so she told me about this dog food and wow was it expensive very good though quality and the dog loves it. So I tried they are doing your own kit and I purchase the ingredients it’s really all human grade food and a vitamin powder that you add in for some vitamins it’s Just food for dogs the food is fantastic I make it takes four hours out of a month for me I cut it I put it in a food processor and then I bake the lamb and the fish inside the oven I broke it all up mix it up put them in freezer baggies and it last me a month for two dogs best thing I ever did. So I’ll be going back to the veterinarian I actually switched because my other one wasn’t doing anything for me so I go back at the end of the month and we will check on those liver enzymes again I will keep you posted.
.

[Jerry R]

NEVER COOKED BONES! Raw only. Almost any poultry bones are soft enough for any dog to chew up and digest. I avoid turkey drumsticks as they are considerably harder for my little guy. I do let him chew the raw meast off them but the bones seem to be too hard. Turkey wings he puts away no problem.
Chicken feet on the other hand he chews on and swallows whole once he has them crunched up. He just put away 2 of them in less than 30 minutes. Those are his treats.
Excellent source of glucosamine and chondroitin. Glucosamine is a drug your vet will prescribe for arthritis btw. Avoid the need for such intervention by feeding it to your dog BEFORE he suffers such a painful condition.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 3 months ago by Jerry R.

[Elizabeth T]

Even the best recipes prepared by the best canine nutritionists may not always supply all the required vitamins and minerals to your dog. So, the best idea is to balance your dog’s food by adding as many formulated vitamins and minerals as possible to ensure that your dog gets the best nutrients that will keep it healthy and happy.

PS: I hope these may help somebody:

https://www.thesprucepets.com/vitamins-for-dogs-4149539

Plain Food Is No Longer Enough: 23 Vitamins and Minerals to Add To Your Homemade Dog Food

https://thebark.com/content/important-vitamins-and-minerals-your-dog

[GSDsForever]

Jennifer, Cathy B, & Joanna M

Why not just go through a compounding pharmacy?

Veterinary compounding pharmacists absolutely would not include xylitol (or any additive toxic to dogs).

They also can offer you a wide range of forms, from tasty chewable treats to doggie flavored liquids (so no bad taste or rejection from your dog!) to hypoallergenic capsules, and methods of giving your dog medicine + tips. With your vet, they create dosages custom to your dog. All of this is their specialty. (And the meds are often cheaper.) Example:

https://www.wedgewoodpharmacy.com/items/gabapentin-oral-suspension.html
877-357-6613

You can use a national delivery place w/your vet calling/faxing in the prescription. Or you can use a local facility/branch.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 4 months ago by GSDsForever.

[william M]

Dont want to seem indifferent, but this is the problem with the whole pet food and pet products industry. It doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure out what your dog would find downright irresistible to eat. The problem is packaging and long term usage issues. If you lived on a farm, that trach would have been not only fresh but extremely pliable. And puppy wouldnt have been choking on it, but instead waking you up and bugging you for more goodies. Your best bet is to identify the “BODY PART” your dog is getting and see if its something thats usually very pliable or something thats naturally harder i.e. sinew and bone etc.

Awful (thats internal organ meats) generally have to be processed so they can be wrapped and put on a dry shelf. Keep that in mind as well as the fact they may even have to add preservatives to keep it from molding, and these may not be of any long term benefit. Good to read labels.

When I was growing up, you couldnt get out of a grocery store without being accosted by some kid giving away pups or kittens. Now theres re-homing fees and all manner of fees associated with pets. Food and treats are as big a business as it gets….nearly 117 billion last year alone. Due diligence and common sense rules the day here. Scientific Diets and treats arent worth much since the FDA doesnt regulate pet food. It’s always up to you to educate and understand whats going into their mouths since they arent in the wild anymore and dont learn from instinct. Hope your pup recovers soon, and if it likes this kind of treat, consider Safeway or your local supermarket and get some beef liver or chicken gizzards etc. etc. and wait till they are in the managers reduced section. A quick boil for 5 min. makes the most astounding treat and someone will be bugging you everytime you walk to the stove, hoping for more of that good stuff!

[Patricia A]

Mona the only difference in the puppy Stella’s freeze dried is the size which has smaller patties. So the feeding guideline on back of bag is suggestive amounts of patties to feed for poundage of puppy. I accidentally purchased the puppy bag of freeze dried once. I called and asked if it would be okay to feed my adult dog and they assured me that the ingredients are the same as in adult formulas. Just smaller so I would have to give more for the calories she needed. Hope this helps. I also got mine used to Primal freeze dried which they also do very well with. hope this helps.

I also want to add that ALL I believe of Stella’s Chewy’s freeze dried is Hpp processed. Companies that make raw food for pets primarily use two methods to insure the safety of their products. … Raw pet food maker Stella & Chewy’s uses both high pressure pasteurization (HPP) and UV technology to deliver a pathogen-free finished product. The company has patented their system.
Primal freeze dired also uses hpp in some of their flavors. I stick to the turkey/sardine and duck.Primal will be implementing High-Pressure Processing (HPP) into our product line beginning the week of June 6th, 2011 for poultry products only. Poultry products utilizing HPP will be designated by a code date of 070812 or later. Red meat products will not be utilizing HPP. Below is a complete list of products utilizing HPP, as well as non-HPP products.
HPP Products
Canine Formulas: Chicken, Duck, Pheasant, Quail, Turkey & Sardine
Feline Formulas: Chicken & Salmon, Duck, Pheasant, Quail, Turkey
Mixes and Grinds: Chicken, Turkey
All Raw Meaty Bones: Chicken Backs, Chicken Necks, Chicken Wings, Turkey Necks
Non-HPP Products
Canine Formulas: Beef, Lamb, Pork, Rabbit, Venison
Feline Formulas: Beef & Salmon, Pork, Rabbit, Venison
Mixes and Grinds: Beef, Lamb, Pork, Sardine
Raw Goat Milk
Bone Broth: All Bone Broth
Recreational Bones: All Recreational Bones
Primal Treats: All Primal Treats
https://www.stellaandchewys.com/dog-food/freeze-dried-raw-dinners/patties/beef-salmon-puppy

• This reply was modified 6 years, 5 months ago by Patricia A.

[Raymond L]

Hello, I would like some advice. I purchased 40 bags of wellness core senior dog food off an Amazon auction website. The best by date is Nov. 9th 2019. I went and checked the bags before bidding, all were sealed and in good condition. Upon getting them home and opening the bag after bag, I found bugs in them. Being an auction site all sales are final and a no return policy is enforced. So I emailed Wellness Core and explained the situation to them and got a reply that was more then discouraging. I was basically told that it was not their problem and that after it leaves their warehouse they have no control over the bags. I just asked if they might replace them seeing how it’s way before the best by date, and silence. Here is what the reply was (

 Dear Raymond,

Thank you for taking the time to write WellPet regarding Wellness® CORE® Senior Formula Dry Dog Food.  At WellPet we are committed to providing the highest quality pet foods and treats available.  Our expert staff of engineers is continuously improving our products to ensure that they are tasty and nutritious for your pet.  We regret that the product you received did not meet our high standards.

Our manufacturing facilities follow a very strict insect and pest control program that is constantly monitored. However, if pet food, treats and snacks are not stored properly at the distributor or retailer level, insects can be a problem. They can travel inside the packaging and can be seen in multiple stages including eggs, larvae, webbing, moths etc. Insect infestation can come from many places along the distribution channel and occurs prior to the consumer purchasing the product. While these insects are a nuisance and pet food industry does its best to store its food properly, they are non-toxic and non-parasitic.  

In order to better address your concerns we would like to get some additional information about the product for our Quality Assurance Department. If possible, please provide us with the flavor and package size of the product in question, as well as the Best if Used By/Please Enjoy By date and any additional manufacturing information stamped on the package.

We do recommend working with the Amazon auction vendor for a refund.

Sincerely)

Had they not had good dates I would understand. So basically I am out? Thank you for listening. Raymond

[Leonard G]

Hi Mira R that’s horrible. PROMISE Pet Treats make sprinkles which is ground beef liver in powder form. Looking at doing the same with trachea cartilage and milling into a powder. Great for pups and dogs of all ages. Takes the risk out of what you have alerted to happening. http://www.promisepettreats.com.au

[Chipy]

My little guy has elbow arthritis, luxating patella/dislocating kneecaps on both sides and hip-dysplasia and used to have severe joint pain. Over the past few years I have done extensive research on natural joint supplements and found that a combination of anti-inflammatory Omega 3s, CBD oil, Turmeric and Green Lipped Mussel has helped his mobility to improve the most.

I only use whole food based (synthetic free) supplements to avoid artificial fillers, preservatives and synthetic ingredients/chemicals that processed pet foods (both kibble and canned) are filled with. Be sure to avoid high-carb processed diets that promote inflammation.

He is now 8 y/o (on an anti-inflammatory home-cooked diet with whole food based supplements) and loves running again, moves around with more ease than when he was 4 y/o (on kibble/canned processed foods). I just wish I had switched to a fresh diet and natural supplements sooner. Here is what works for us to support his joints;

Freeze-dried Green Lipped Mussel treats (single ingredient) & Wellness Supplement:
https://www.k9natural.com/product/new-zealand-green-mussel-snacks/
Dr. Judy Morgan's Wellness Formula

Omega 3s:
FeelGood Omega®

Turmeric:
SoulFood®

CBD oil:
KING KALM CBD 75mg – Small Dog & Cat Formula 20lbs or less

I hope these will also help your pup with joint pain. Luckily there is a lot we can do to help them.

[Patti N]

I am actually extremely happy with Dr. Marty Nature’s Blend dog food. My 3 year old 20lb Boston Terrier is probably the pickiest eater ever! I have tried everything. She would eat a new food for a little while and then suddenly quit. It was so frustrating. I saw Dr. Marty’s Facebook ad and watched the very long video. It was quite interesting and educational. I decided to try it and have been feeding her the food for 4 months now. She absolutely loves it! I add half the amount of water to the food and allow it to soak for 2-3 minutes. I mash it down and whip it back up. Exactly how the instructions say to do. I sometimes add some of the Stella & Chewy raw kibble for some crunch and I also purchased Dr. Marty’s Tilly’s Treats. She can’t get enough. Their customer service has also been very helpful when needed. I pay $80 for three 16oz bags which last me about a month. It is more than I was used to paying but well worth it.

[Susan]

Hi Suraj,
a pocket size Bully is small dog, is he active?? I would be feeding him a small breed PUPPY formula.
I have an English Staffordshire Bull Terrier (Staffy) he has a body of a bully all muscle & he’s only 30cm high..

Normally small breeds are more active then large breed dogs & small breeds use up more energy..
Large Breed adult formulas are normally lower in fat & lower fiber for a large breed bowel as they are more prone to Bloat then a small breed is, my boy has IBD & I feed Patch Large Breed formulas they seem to help with his IBD
I rotate his kibbles & he eats “Wellness Core large Breed Adult” kibble, its lower in fat, DHA, Glucosamine & Chondroitin is higher for large breed joints & bones…
also start adding 10% fresh ingredients to his diet or use a training treats & make sure you socialize your new pup.. also Goats milk is very healthy & good for keeping their stomach healthy

[Stormy J]

Hello, I just got a chocolate Lab. He is a rescue dog he is a year-and-a-half old. What food an treats work best for weight gain?

[Robbie M]

Hello everyone and thank you ahead of time for taking the time to read through this. Again I know that nobody is a veterinary nutritionist but it seems to be a good pool of fairly knowledgeable people who love their dogs, but I have a question none the less. My dog is a rescue dog we believe (and Our vet also thinks so) to be a 9-10 year old boxer crossed with either sttafordshire or pit bull) we drove down from Vancouver, British Columbia to San Bernardino in Southern California once we saw he was going to be put down if he doesn’t get adopted in the next few days.😭😭😭☺️he is getting much much slower now and walks very slow, we know that he has bad hips and we were actually told that they are not even in a place where they should be but that it was held in place by muscle built around it. I’m getting concerned that I should be doing everything I can logically do to help him. He gets sore and I can tell. So with that in mind i was given a about 30 packets of Lickz it has fish oil and glucosamine. But I recently find out his food doesn’t have enough meat content. Since we Feed him veggies like carrots, brocolli, as treats veggies are not as important to be in his food. Also if you have any suggestions for treats and or supplements. Sorry for such a huge message but for those who took the time to read through this and give their feedback as my dog is very very important to me.

[KENNETH O]

I’m here as I’m having a lot of trouble finding solutions to many problems I’m having with a recently acquired dog. I have went to 3 different vets, spent countless hours researching online and tried several different strategies and continue having trouble.

Short backstory on the dog.. He is an 11 or 12 year old boston terrier who I gave to my father before I left for the Army. My father recently passed away and I was the only one willing or able to take him in. When I first saw him again in a long time, two months ago, he was in very bad shape. He was completely covered in hundreds of fleas, due to my father being unable to take care of him during his struggle with cancer in his final week or two. His skin was in bad shape and he was missing a lot of hair. He has, for at least several years, had an unusually bad time with allergies, inability to drink normal amounts of water without regurgitating it short after, and refuses to eat on a schedule. My 3 areas where I’m in need of help are those. I hope I’m not writing too much, but I want to be thorough, and it seems like most responses in here are very thought out and helpful in return.

I know he has always had trouble keeping water down, but I don’t know why. We have it counted out to literally 30 licks of water about every 1-3 hours without him throwing up. However, he is extremely driven to continue drinking. He will literally drink a gallon of water if its sitting in front if him, throw up, and still want more. I’ve tried using a rabbit bottle that he very slowly can drink from, but he will stand there for 30 minutes until he has drank too much. It’s usually just a clear or foamy liquid that comes up, which from what I gather online is “regurgitating” not “vomit.” It may be an esophagus problem, but the vets have offered me nothing other than “dont let him drink too much,” which feels like a copout answer. I’ve recently changed his diet to a limited ingredient, grain free diet (Nulo Senior) in Hope’s that his whole health would be better. Not sure if that could help at all.

His diet with my father was terrible. My dad would buy cheap dog food and mix it with some other cheap bag of treats and he would only pick the treats out and leave the rest, with the bowl left out all day. I’ve never seen him eat a whole bowl before. I’m trying to avoid doing wet food, due to his teeth not being great, however I spent the first month primarily putting water in his food to moisten it and motivate him to eat a whole serving since he really just wants the small amount if water. Since removing the water, he turns his nose up to the food usually once out of the two times hes fed daily. We tried picking up the bowl and just waiting until the next meal, which he will usually eat, but it isnt fixing the problem of not eating enough. Has clearly losing weight quickly as he went from 23-24 pounds a few months ago to about 20 pounds today. My only ideas now are to simply try a different food in Hope’s he likes it more, but I dont think he will.

His skin is continuing to be an issue, although it is significantly better than before. My father was having him get steroid shots roughly every month for years, which I think was just a bandaid for the awful food he ate. I’ve included coconut oil n most of his meals for about 2 months which may or may not be helping, but he doesn’t mind it usually. I’ve also put a lot (probably too much) coconut oil on his skin and recently reduced that to once a week. He constantly is gnawing at his paws and scratching. Again, hes visibly improved, which i think is do to the food change, but he clearly has serious allergy issues or something.

I’ve always been told to go the vet for these answers, but literally all of them seem to think my concerns are silly. I’m just looking for any help I can get to make his life better. Thanks!

[Patricia A]

Melissa I’m confused with your vet after all the testing and specifically a biopsy that he can’t give a definitive diagnosis of IBD? Ask for a copy of the test results also. Did he mention CJ needing to go on any meds such as steroids? Which food did the vet suggest Melissa?

Before you switch the food he suggests, try one more time of the just WHITE meat boiled chicken and white rice. NO VEGGIES at all just a few days and see how he does. I don’t believe in prescription diets myself for reasons here: https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/worlds-biggest-dog-food-scam/
I’m curious of which food he will suggest now. Please keep me updated.
Once IBD has been diagnosed, Wakshlag favors gradually switching a dog’s diet, if the main proteins have been common ones such as beef, chicken or lamb. The dog would be then fed a novel protein or hydrolyzed diet.
Yogurt is high in calcium and protein. It also can act as a probiotic, which can be good for the digestive system. If you are going to feed your dog yogurt, it should be plain and free of any added sweeteners, both natural and artificial.

Diet vs. Medicine

IBD cannot be cured and is often treated with antibiotics or other medicines designed to stop the gastrointestinal immune system from overproducing antigens. Most vets, however, prefer to manage the condition through diet and may prescribe a commercially made food or give you recipes to home-cook your dog’s food. Each dog is different and some will require a specific diet with only a few ingredients. Consult your vet before feeding your dog any homemade meals designed to manage his IBD.

A Proper Balance

Cooked meals for dogs suffering from IBD need to contain a good mix of proteins, fats and fiber. Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish and flaxseed oil, may help decrease intestinal inflammation and thus ease symptoms. Fresh meat or dairy protein sources, such as cheese, rabbit, venison and duck contain proteins that are broken down into more digestible nutrients.

Fiber and Fat

While some dogs with IBD do better when they eat more fiber, others do better when fiber is reduced. Vets often recommend fiber supplementation when IBD affects the colon, as fiber improves stool consistency and reduces the growth of harmful bacteria in the colon. Typically, high fiber foods, such as vegetables, are lower in fat. While fiber can trigger more bowel movements, the lower fat content from higher fiber diets often reduces diarrhea in dogs with IBD.

No People Treats

An important part of treatment for your dog’s IBD is keeping her away from people food. That means no table scraps, no bites of your sandwich and no feeding her bits of food that happen to fall on the floor. Also, avoid giving her most commercial dog treats, such as biscuits, which can be full of fillers and ingredients that will aggravate her stomach. Natural chew toys, or rawhides, also are out, as she likely will swallow pieces that flake off while she chews.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 7 months ago by Patricia A.
• This reply was modified 6 years, 7 months ago by Patricia A.

[anonymous]

No. Maybe feed smaller meals throughout the day (at least 4 hours apart) rather than 2 big meals.
Hopefully she will outgrow the vomiting.
No treats. No veggies. No fruits. Some dogs just can’t tolerate this extra stuff.
Add water to or pre-soak kibble maybe mix with a little soft food. Maybe she would do better on just soft food for now?
Go by what your vet advises regarding diet.

[Karen D]

Hello & sorry to not get back here sooner. I got an appt. with my vet last thursday, she didn’t know why Ellie is throwing up, her blood work came back great. All she said was stop feeding her anything besides her dog food, no treats, none of the veggies & fruits in moderation I had been giving her……so, her last bout of vomiting was August 6th & up till fri. the 16th she still got a few fruits & veggies with her food, 10 days no vomiting. I stopped everything fri after seeing vet on the 15th & she had only dog food going forward. This morning she had breakfast & was fine…6 hrs later I gave her mid morning food & she threw up not 5 mins. after eating it. so almost 2 weeks with no vomiting. But that is what I meant by intermittent, many days can go by with no vomiting, or she will throw up 2 days in a row then many days again. Vet says she is healthy & since she doesn’t know is blaming what ever I was feeding her besides dog food. Thank you all for your comments.

[Jaimie K]

Patricia A – I was very confused too. I was a veterinary technician for many years but the vet I was seeing for this issue didn’t know that. I questioned the antibiotic when the results were negative and they kind of blew me off with a generic answer. I do have a better vet now, but we haven’t started tackling the GI issues since for the moment we’re ok.

I’m inclined to agree it was the kibble causing the issues. However the original incident came a day after she ate garlicky pizza crust, pasta, hot dogs, salami, and who knows what other human food, plus tons of dog treats, bones/chews, and a raw dog food she had never had before – all while staying with my dad and step-mom while I was out of town. I wondered if that bad weekend didn’t cause some pancreatitis.

She has been on the prescription diet (Hills i/d) for at least 4 months and we have not had any other issues. I’m not a fan of the prescription diets AT ALL, and don’t want her on it long term, but have resigned to leave her on this diet for 6 months as a “reset”. I have tried to wean her off a few times with no luck. I will definitely look into the Stella & Chewy’s – I’ve heard all positive things.

[GSDsForever]

Hi Karen.

You really do need to see a vet, sooner than over a month from now.

Pruritus (itching) can make a dog feel utterly miserable and can quickly spiral into bigger problems, whether from injuring the skin from scratching/biting/chewing to soothe itself which can then create secondary skin infection, or an ear hematoma (which I promise you, you do NOT want to have happen) from a hard shake or scratching.

Did you know that most itching is not from a food allergy? It is more common for a dog to have other things causing the symptoms, like flea bites, mites, fungal/bacterial infection, or environmental & inhalant allergies.

It’s great that your breeder is involved. Your breeder is right that chicken could be a food allergy for your puppy and food allergies do commonly show up before 1 yr of age. Chicken and beef are top food allergens for dogs with food allergies.

But did you know that food allergies are actually not very common in dogs? Or that, in a food allergy, symptoms typically can continue for some time after switching over to another food? This is why a novel food must be fed for up to 12 weeks to see results, relief from symptoms. And it must be fed exclusively, without any treats or flavored medicines.

In the vast majority of cases, a vet will be able to diagnose something OTHER THAN food allergy and be able to help your dog get relief very quickly from itching — whether diagnosing external parasite, fungal, or bacterial infection and treating for that, or providing relief from environmental allergies.

For the environmental allergies, there are hypoallergenic and skin soothing shampoos and rinses, a cortisone shot, oral antihistamines, even a Cytopoint/CADI injection (a drug that can relieve itching within 24 hours and last up to 1-2 months) which has safe use approved for puppies as well as adults. Some dogs with pollen allergies just need a little extra help seasonally.

Throwing up in young dogs can be nothing serious and pretty normal or it can be something that really means your vet should be involved and treating. Joanne is right that it matters also when your puppy does this and what it looks like/consists of, even though that may seem gross!

[Shanna J]

So my dog vomits if he eats any food or treats that contain chicken.
It’s hard to find because most treats have chicken of some sort and you can buy a beef dry dog food but they still have chicken in them if you look at ingredients. I have fed him Castor & Pollux organic grain free salmon and the Costco brand of beef grain free food.
I’m looking for recommendations for the best dry and/or wet dog food that completely chicken/poultry free. I don’t necessarily want a grain free food after the studies I’ve read lately.
I have a Pomeranian who is about 13lbs and 8 years old.
Suggestions please!

[Patricia A]

Christine is it a possibility that low blood sugar is contributing to seizure activity since he eats only once a day and very little? Maybe some lean boiled hamburger topper with kibble and string beans, carrots will help with his appetite and assure he gets enough animal protein. I boil chicken and add a tiny bit of the water to kibble also. Also maybe below article is of help. Common causes of seizures are flea/tick meds even when discontinued can result in ongoing seizures in some dogs as well as heart worm meds and vaccinations.
Diet and Epilepsy Link

Environmental control is a significant element in gaining better management of your dog’s seizures. Start with what goes into him. Feeding a home-prepared diet, cooked or raw, can make all the difference for some dogs. Though there are virtually no studies to determine whether there is a relationship between diet and seizure activity, many holistic veterinarians report anecdotal evidence that a top-quality home-prepared diet can play a large part in management of seizures.

Allergy testing for grain and protein sensitivities is another tool you can use to identify and remove any potential seizure triggers.

Dr. Kelleher also advocates the use of taurine supplementation for epileptic dogs at a dose of 250 milligrams per 40 pounds body weight daily. Taurine supplementation is especially important for dogs who eat commercial and grain-based diets. This amino acid is found in the central nervous system and skeletal muscle and is concentrated in the brain and heart. It’s unknown whether that has anything to do with the fact that taurine supplementation can reduce seizure activity, especially in those dogs experiencing tremors or noise triggered seizures. Discuss this or any other supplement with your dog’s veterinarian.

If feeding a home-prepared diet isn’t possible, find the highest-quality commercial dog food. Grains in the diet, including treats, should be kept to a minimum.

Keep in mind that many commercial dog foods include rosemary extract and sage, both of which are known to be seizure triggers in some sensitive dogs. Processed treats like rawhide chews and pigs ears should also be avoided with epileptics. Sharing human food containing MSG or cured products like hot dogs and luncheon meats is also not recommended. Many human takeout foods, instant, ready made, and convenience foods also contain chemical ingredients that can be adverse to the health of a seizure-prone dog. Cleaning up your dog’s diet is good incentive to do the same with your own.

Frequent, small meals are helpful in managing epilepsy, as keeping the blood sugar stabilized seems to help. Hypoglycemia can contribute to seizure activity, especially in smaller breeds where the dog’s digestive tract and his meals are proportionately smaller. Grain products are especially suspect in animals who have seizures regularly. Feeding frequent, small meals is also helpful for coping with the increased hunger experienced by dogs who are given phenobarbital. Snacks such as fresh or steamed vegetables or fruit pieces are great low calorie treats that can keep your dog satisfied and increase his seizure threshold.

Other Canine Epilepsy Triggers

Despite the changes in recommended vaccine protocols recommended by most of the major university-based veterinary medical schools, many veterinarians continue to recommend annual vaccinations for their patients. In a seizure-prone dog, a vaccine booster can trigger seizure activity for at least 30 days. This is one reason that Dr. Dodds recommends avoiding routine vaccination for canine epileptics.

Many owners of epileptic dogs ask their veterinarians to test their dogs’ vaccine titer levels instead, to ensure the animals have adequate antibodies to protect them from disease. If the results indicate a dog does not have adequate immune protection for a particular disease, the appropriate vaccination can be administered individually, rather than in a “5 in 1” vaccine combination.

Regular rabies vaccines are required in each state by law. These vaccines can be especially risky for epileptics; owners of epileptic dogs have lots of anecdotal evidence of this. Check with your local municipality to see if proof of adequate vaccine titer test results are acceptable in place of vaccinating an epileptic dog annually . Many towns and cities will accept documented titer tests as proof of vaccination.

Since exposure to many chemicals can trigger seizures in sensitive dogs, it should not come as a surprise that many heartworm and flea preventative treatments that are systemically administered can be disastrous for many epileptic dogs. While elimination of these treatments is not always possible, care must be taken with a seizure-prone dog when preventing heartworm infestation. Several of the most popular heartworm preventatives actually list tremors or convulsions as rare side effects, and can be contraindicated with a dog that is given daily phenobarbital.

Flea products containing insect growth regulator can cause twitching and muscle weakness when an animal is overexposed. Keep in mind these cautions are given for normal canine populations. An epileptic is commonly more sensitive to these products and great care must be taken when protecting them from heartworm and flea infestation.

[GSDsForever]

Pat C,

If your dog can have chicken, I’d go with the Ultra as there is no health negative with this level protein and ultimately the fat level is good for most healthy dogs. I think the only concern here for you is that you noted your dog needs to lose a few pounds; so you might wish to either up your exercise or factor that in to how you feed in the short term, having lower fat, to reach ideal weight. Then just check your dog’s weight periodically and adjust the amount of food and exercise.

I think if your dog is going to remain on the inactive side long term and shows weight gain on the food, then you would consider a different formula with lower fat or simply feed a little less/adjust treats to low calorie/fat healthy fresh food “bites.”

Ideally, I personally would prefer a bit higher protein minimum and for healthy ideal weight dogs a bit higher fat than the Option (24/13). At 26/16, Extra’s levels appear very slightly better.

But I’ve never had an issue with higher fat in a food causing weight gain in my own dogs — and mine usually have needed the higher fat (weight maintenance, good coat & skin)!

One thing to consider that you haven’t mentioned:

Be careful re planned daily long term feeding of rice, particularly brown rice, depending upon sourcing in the US. It’s shown very, very high levels of arsenic when sourced from Arkansas, Lousiana, Texas (former cotton growing South) from the land (residue); humans have been advised to avoid consuming very frequently and/or choose less contaminated sources (California, India, Thailand, outside US). It would be another reason to choose more than one formula/carb base & company.

[crazy4cats]

Joanne-
BDog has been on this site for a long time and I’m sure she will agree with you and does not or will not feed jerky treats or any of the suspect brands implicated with causing DCM either. Her and I both decided to feed WSAVA compliant brands last summer when the first DCM alerts came out.

I’m not sure how you can say that Merrick is fine because it isn’t heavy in peas when it hasn’t been proven that peas are the issue. Plus, it’s tough to know how much are in it by the ingredient label. I certainly hope and don’t that the WSAVA compliant foods are the only safe brands. But, I believe that the other companies need to start doing feeding trials to prove that their recipes are safe also.

[anonymous]

$188.97 USD ??? Where are the ingredients?
Please take the dog to a vet asap and find out what is wrong with him.
STOP THE SUPPLEMENT.

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2018/05/whos-behind-the-the-truth-about-pet-cancer/ excerpt below,
scan through the article to find more info on this doctor and many others that push these alternative treatments.
Gary Richter
Dr. Richter is yet another integrative veterinarian, mixing science-based medicine with untested or quack therapies freely and claiming to be selecting the best of both. I’ve discussed elsewhere why this is a successful marketing approach but not actually a sound way to determine which treatments work and which don’t. Dr. Richter’s approach treats his personal anecdotal experience and controlled scientific research as equivalent, thus missing the entire point of science. As he says in advertising his book, “Each treatment recommended in this book has the backing of scientific research OR years of successful outcomes his clinical practice.” [emphasis added]
Dr. Richter includes acupuncture, chiropractic, stem cell therapy, PEMF, herbs, and unconventional nutrition among his list of alternative practices. He’s also a prominent advocate for cannabis in pets. Despite being less opposed to conventional medicine than many alternative practitioners, he seems perfectly comfortable making confident claims about the safety and efficacy of untested therapies based only on opinion and anecdote, which is the fundamental difference between science-based medicine and faith-based alternative medicine.

PS: If you can find the ingredients you may want to call a Pet Poison Control number to be on the safe side.
Or call the nearest emergency vet in your area and see what they advise.

[anonymous]

Pill Pockets for Dogs
Rehydrated chicken, glycerin, wheat flour, vegetable oil, wheat gluten, dried corn syrup, dried cultured skim milk, natural flavors, sodium bisulfate, natural chicken bouillon flavor, hickory smoke flavor, xanthan gum, preserved with mixed tocopherols

I don’t see anything that I would be concerned about in small amounts. If it’s working I wouldn’t change anything.

I have to bury my dog’s pill in soft canned food (small amount) and observe for at least 10 minutes in case she decides to cough it up.
PS: I see those pill pockets being sold at my vet’s office, don’t think they would do so if there were negative reports.

[Dennis M]

Hello. We are on our third Shih Tzu, Dory a female now 9 years old. None of our previous girls made it past 10 years old. We previously fed our dogs Nutro brand dog food. We’ve been feeding Dory Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula since she was a puppy, and hoping she’ll be with us way past the age of ten. She’s now on Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Senior for Small Breeds. She has always tolerated Blue Buffalo foods and treats very well. Our concern now is the FDA report on possible dangers of feeding grain-free diets. We realize the Blue Buffalo formula Dory is eating is NOT entirely grain-free, just doesn’t have any corn or wheat included. But the FDA warned of dog foods containing large amounts of legumes such as peas or lentils, other legume seeds, potatoes (including sweet potatoes), pea protein, pea starch, pea fiber, chickpeas, or beans. The ingredients of the Life Protection Formula Dory is now eating has several of these questionably high up in the ingredient list. We’re really at a quandary here. We’ve had great luck feeding Blue Buffalo products for nearly ten years, but concerned we might possibly be damaging our dog’s heart (DCM). Could you provide us a little guidance here? With the FDA concerns, is the Life Protection Formula we’re feeding the safest product line Blue Buffalo provides for this situation, or should we be considering another brand completely? I’m concerned and my wife is more than concerned. Please provide us with some sort of insight and direction to help us decide what may be best for Dory.