[joanne l]

Hi Susan, I know what you mean. Purina does use tasty spraying because it does smell good. And your right he is not used to these other foods. I want to try chicken again but I am afraid. You maybe right it probably was the Purina chicken that made him sick because I just talked to a neighbor that feeds Purina Lamb and than tried the chicken and his dog got mushy stools. His dog doesn’t even have a sensitive stomach so I think that it could of been the problem with Purina chicken. I am giving him castor and pollack “chicken” treats and he is fine also, this food is USDA certified organic and the treats are too. Maybe my dog needs the highest quality of chicken for him to accept it. I do give him fresh chicken and he is fine. The price of the castor and pollock food is 79.00 for I think a 20lb bag, so you know by the price it is good chicken and good quality ingredients. I know it is expensive but in order to make USDA certified food it cost money, if it were cheap than I won’t trust it. I hope he can eat a dog food with chicken in it, because I think he would like it better. I may try this food, and again I am still nerves about chicken in dog food. Also I did try Fromm’s chicken and he was fine for a week than mushy stools so I don’t know what to think that is why I am afraid to try chicken.

[Christie B]

When I first adopted my dog almost 9 years ago, I started him on Purina ProPlan on the recommendation of my vet. He did fine on it, but that was before I knew anything about Purina and the quality of their food. And I didn’t know what a by-product was.

Then Blue Buffalo became popular and I switched to that. Everything was fine for years. Except he gained a bit more weight than was expected (I probably did feed him too many treats at the time as well). The vet told me that Blue Buffalo was too “rich” and recommended Purina again. Or Science Diet (because that was the line that they stocked in their clinic). So I started to research ‘quality’ foods and came to sites like this and read through the forums and figured I should switch him to grain free.

He’s been on grain free for about 3 years now.

But over the course of that time, he started to show signs of allergies and intolerance (constant licking, red paws, hot spots, head shaking, grass eating, excessive drooling, gas, etc.) Never all at once, but worrisome.

I switched him back to Blue Buffalo (and restricted the amount…far less than the ridiculous 5 cups a day it says I should feed him) and ever since, he’s been fine.

No more issues.

Could it have been something with the grain free food? Every single one that I tried (and I always properly transitioned between them) eventually lead to symptoms.

I’ve seen a lot of negative comments on the Blue Buffalo review page. I mean compared to ProPlan, it’s definitely better. But are there any other foods (preferably ones that can be found in Petco or Petsmart) that are good that aren’t grain free?

[Melina F]

The treats we used were the Fruitables apple and sweet potato, my dog started vomiting and it lasted 24 hours. The vet gave her several injections for antibiotics and fluids. I still have the bag, I want it tested but I don’t know where to send it! I’m filing a complaint with the FDA in the morning.

[Melina F]

Please help! My eight-month-old puppy is going through the same thing right now After feeding her Fruitables! How many times had you given your dog treats before they started with symptoms ?

[Hav mom]

I am curious about the Human Grade and Feed Grade food. I requested the same question from the maker of the food I feed my Dog. I wanted to know if they are using “feed grade”
meats as Ms. Thixton called this brand of Pet Food only because it is not processed in a Human Grade Facility, but she did give it 4 stars.. Here is the reply I received and I quote:
“. We do not use any by-products in our foods, which is what you may be referring to. We never use the “4-D” products (dead, dying, disabled, or diseased). Our food is human grade until it enters the manufacturing facility (meaning, human food is not produced there). Our dehydrated raw is the highest quality product we offer, actually.

The meat and poultry in the “I and love and you” dehydrated foods has no added hormones, is antibiotic-free, and is cage-free, free-range, and grass-fed.
“I and love and you” makes super-premium pet food and treats that contain everything pets need to be happy and healthy, and none of what they don’t. Our first ingredient is always real meat and we never use fillers like white potatoes, corn, wheat, or soy. Our pets are members of our family and we take our mission very seriously.

When you feed your pet “I and love and you,” you can trust that you are feeding them the very best ingredients from only the highest-quality sources. ILY consults with highly regarded pet nutritionists who have doctorate degrees in animal nutrition along with years of experience in pet food formulation and research. Additionally our pet nutritionists maintain professional membership with the American Academy of Veterinary Nutrition, American Society for Nutrition, and The American Society of Animal Science. All of our dog and cat recipes are carefully formulated to meet the most current AAFCO requirements and recommendations.
I gather from the above, it is not “feed grade” or is it (?) because it is not processed in a
facility that also made human food….Well, some of the facilities that make human food
are not so sanitary either,regardless of inspections. I just find the two words confusing – one human grade and one feed grade because it is not processed in a facility where human food is also made. I thought that feed grade was
from the 4 D group…. What is that group of food called when used for dog food?????? Am I missing something here? Just asking, no argument here. We all love and want the
best we can afford for all our pets so they can be healthy. If any member knows of additional information about this brand please advise, I would be happy to know more.

[Eve F]

I have been feeding Open Farm to two of my dogs, a Havanese and a Maltese. Both do very well on this food! I wet it with water first. The other 4 dogs sometimes get a piece and like it too. If you are using it with your Chihuahua, it wouldn’t be too costly. I feed treats in the form of Rocco & Roxie pure beef treats that I cut into tiny slices for the dogs (-:

Good luck.
Eve

[Dawn H]

Hi,
I have a 9yo dachshund mix (15lb) who had pancreatitis 2 yrs ago for the first time. He now eats wellness core grain free low fat kibble. I wanted a food that didn’t require a prescription and cost a fortune. If that didn’t work I would have gone the prescription food route. He gets charlee bear liver treats and old mother Hubbard mini puppy biscuits (I get the puppy ones because they are smaller). Both are low in fat. He gets no other treats/biscuits. No people food except green beans, rice, raw spinach and the occasional baby carrot. He also gets half of a multivitamin with digestive enzymes at each meal.
He will vomit, usually in the am if he eats too late. I use the charlee bears and old mother Hubbard treats as snacks. Vomiting on an empty stomach is common in small dogs. When I worked at the vet, they always said it was partially from drastic changes in blood sugar. So multiple small meals are best.
They also said not to be on omeprazole (prilosec) or famotidine (pepcid) long term, though I don’t remember why. I will see if I can find out their reasoning. Hope freddy is doing well!

[Dawn H]

Hi all,
I have a 9 year old dachshund mix (looks like a dachshund with longer legs and shorter ears, 15lbs) who had pancreatitis 2 years ago. Switched his food from royal canin dachshund (he ate this his whole life, just the puppy formula when he was a puppy) to hills i/d canned to get his spec cpl test back to normal. His amylase and lipase were never elevated. He never had vomiting despite his test being over 1000. He had stomach pain, inappetence, lethargy and just wasn’t himself. I also gave him boiled chicken and white rice. He’s not keen on the canned i/d. Probably one of the few dogs that doesn’t like canned food. Texture issue, maybe. His current food is wellness core grain free reduced fat kibble. I also add half a multivitamin with digestive enzymes at each meal. No idea if it helps any, but I don’t want to change anything since he’s doing well. He only gets charlee bear liver treats and old mother Hubbard classic crunchy natural puppy treats-mini dog biscuits. Both are low in fat. I use to give him dingo bones rawhide chews but those cause stomach issues now. I’ve tried the easier to digest bones that look like the dingo bones brand but those don’t agree with him either.
He gets no other dog treats because even one snausages mini milk bone biscuit from a neighbor causes stomach issues. No people food except green beans, raw spinach and an occasional baby carrot.
If you’d like an alternative to the RC, try the wellness core low fat. No prescription needed.

[Susan]

Hi Ana,

No wet can isnt safer then kibble…
Look at Dehydrated Raw instead of dry kibble & wet can foods, Dehydrated Raw isnt raw, raw like you think when you read the word raw, Dehydrated raw is more like frozen hard raw but it isnt, but its dry like dry kibble but hasnt been over processed & cooked & cooked like kibble…
My boy who has IBD he does really well on an Australian made “Frontier Pets” Free Range Dehydrated Raw balls, I just add a little warm water he loves it for lunch, start feeding 1 of your dog meal a dehydrated raw food & let them decide which is best…
Offer the kibble in a bowl & in another bowl some dehydrated raw..
I think dehydrated is best if you want to feed something like kibble..
Honest Kitchen would be better then buying the wet can foods in pet shops & super markets, alot of wet can foods aren’t balanced properly, well the cat wet can foods aren’t & they’re made by the big 3 pet food companies..
Here’s the proof.
A study was done in Australia by “Sydney University junk pet-food research investigated”

8 out of the 20 pet foods that were tested 8 did not meet nutritional standards, the University will not release names now cause Hills + Royal Canine donates heaps of money to the University & the researchers got a bit scared they wont get funds…..

When you cook for yourself & your family you know what your eating & have watched it cook, when you go & get take away or eat in resturant you dont know if some dropped the food on the floor or they just went to toilet never washed hands, or had a smoke etc this is the same when we feed our pets kibble & wet can foods but worse…
Wet can & Dry Kibble are the lowest of quality when it comes to pet foods, they’re quick & easy, then you start getting the better pet foods Air Dired, Dehydrated Raw they also make wet can foods that are good aswell..

These brands are good..
The bottom 3 brands have come 1st, 2nd, 3rd, when tested for Toxins, Heavy Metals & Contaminates…
The 2 top Brands weren’t tested probably cause they’re made in New Zealand.

“Ziwi Peak” – wet can & Air Dried Raw,
send Ziwi Peak email ask for some samples, just say you have fussy dogs.

“K-9 Natural” – wet can raw & freeze dried & frozen raw in freezer & treats.
K-9 Natural Green Lipped Mussels are really good + Healthy to give as a treat daily.

“Buckley Liberty” Freeze-Dried Dry Dog Food

“CaniSource Grand Cru” All Life Stages Dehydrated Raw Dry Dog Food

“BIXBI” Rawbble Freeze-Dried Dry Dog Food

[Patricia A]

Same question here Libby. I’m thinking because the lamb is MUCH higher in fat? I just brought the venison not realizing it’s a blend now. I’m looking forward to getting the advisors new 2019 list to see if he changes ratings. I also give a little of Stella’s small breed kibble as a base with their Stella’s. A little worried since peas, chickpeas etc are high up on its ingredient list and the DCM concern regarding these legumes might block Taurine
I have Chihuahuas’ so this breed isn’t listed as the dogs most effected. I also alternate with Primal freeze dried duck and turkey/sardine and Bixibi rawbbles as treats.
I also alternate with Primal freeze dried duck and turkey/sardine and Bixibi rawbbles as treats.

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

[Susan]

Hi Jill

Cereals are grains, wheat, oats, rice bran, ingredients you find in breakfast cereals..
With all the testing Royal Canine does their food has come into Australia all moldy & making dogs ill & sick…
Royal Canin offered Nina $1000 and some free product if she agreed to sign a non-disclosure agreement…
In Australia 2 big pet food companies within the last year have killed dogs & left a heap of dogs sick with Mega Esophagus you see daily posts of these suffering dogs finally being put to sleep as their poor owners can cope watching their dogs suffer & the other big Pet Food company R/C has made dog’s very ill & tried to buy customers off to shut their mouths so they wouldnt post photos of their moldy kibble…
https://www.choice.com.au/outdoor/pets/products/articles/royal-canin-mouldy-dog-food?fbclid=IwAR3zHS6gpbcZGjv0vjXLvSwLSYU3h5lOzzhq5Z8hlNSsitK54ipLsXFx5Rg

There would be a few quality kibbles or a dehydrated raw dog foods in the US that are very good & are high in meat proteins & aren’t high in carbs…

Instead of adding beans, add some peeled de seed cut up apple pieces, excellent to give for snacks/treats also celery, broccoli, rock melon, cooked sweet potato, mussels, sardines, tin salmon drain water & add 1-2 spoons to 1 of the meals take out some of his kibbles when adding fresh foods…
add healthy fresh whole foods, also add daily 1 x fish oil/Krill oil capsule to 1 of the meals.. Omega 3 fatty acid to diet helps the heart…
I seen on TV news Australian scientist did a study on heart patients 1/2 took fish oil capsules ended up healing & having a healthy heart where the other 1/2 of the human heart patients in the study who never took any fish oil their heart problem stayed the same no changes..

[Susan]

Hi Jane,
I feed “Wellness Core” Large Breed Adult to my English Staffy its very high in Glucosamine,
he is 10yrs old & has a square left hip socket & was running on 3 legs & he’d lift his back left leg up while he ran, but after eating the Wellness Core L/B for 1 month he has stopped running on 3 legs, he isnt as stiff in the morning like he use to be, like a young pup again & the Wellness has helped with his IBD aswell, Wellness also make a Wellness Core Small Breed, Wellness Core Senior but I dont think the Glucosamine is as high as the Wellness Core Large Breed formula is – 750 mg/kg & Chondroitin Sulfate- 250 mg/kg.. Wellness have their PDF under “Nutrient Profiles” it tells you everything, percentage etc in their kibbles, if a formula doesn’t have the PDF just send email to Wellness & ask them your question, I think the Small Breed Formula doesnt have the PDF I’ve emailed Wellness & told them they said it was getting added…
https://www.wellnesspetfood.com/natural-dog-food/product-catalog/core-large-breed-large-breed
I know you can buy the human grade Glucosamine & Chonroitin & add to their meals, I use to give my boxer years ago, also give 1 x Krill Oil capsule daily with 1 of there meals or buy the tin sardines in spring water & add 1/4 of a can daily to 1 of their meals..
Green Lipped Mussels, I buy the Freeze Dried, Green Lipped Mussels & give Patch 1-2 mussels a day as a treat, depends how big they’re, the cat loves them aswell

When Patch had Xray last year the vet sugested he gets “Cartrohen Vet” weekly injection they get the injection for 4 weeks, its cheap $20-$25 per injection & the vet nurse does it cause Patch has IBD he cant take alot of medications cause of his stomach & NSAID drugs can cause stomach ulcers, my neighbour was getting the Cartrophen Vet injections for his 17yr old Jack Russel & gee what a differences it made..

Cartrophen Vet is given by injection to treat degenerative joint disease or arthritis in dogs. It has been found that it provides relief from pain, stiffness and lameness as effectively as the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs commonly used in veterinary medicine.

Follow “Steve Brown” & “Rodney Habib” on their facebook pages & “Planet Paws”
also
Join this f/b group it’s new, run by Dr Karen Becker, Rodney Habib & Susan Garrett
they have some really good healthy balance raw recipes, Golden Paste, frozen Coconut Oil treats etc, just becareful with Coconut Oil & Tumeric or Curcumin can cause upset stomach add small amounts at first.
I like foods high in Omega 3, Salmon- add 1-2 spoons to meal, Sardines-1/4 tin daily, Almonds-3 a day, Green lipped mussels-2mussels.. Google foods high in Omega 3 fatty acids.
Here’s their Group
“Life with Dogs and Cats – Health, Training & Research”
https://www.facebook.com/groups/lifewithdogsandcats/?ref=direct

[Susan]

Hi Joanne,
it’s probably his food the batches can varying, there might be more of a certain grain maybe more oats then the barley or more barley then oats & he does better when there’s more of the grain that agrees with him?? then sometimes there’s less of that grain & more of another grain??..
The same thing happened with Patch years ago, when he was eating “Earthborn Holistic” Ocean, when I bought the first small bag Ocean Fusion to try the kibbles were darker he did really well so I get another small bag with the same batch & use by dates he did well again, then I tried looking for the same batch nb & use by date in bigger bag cause Earthborn Holistic in small bags is expensive at $44 for 2kgs.
I couldn’t fined the same batch nb & use by date so I ended up buying the bigger size bag 12kg with a different batch nb & Use by date, the kibbles were lighter in colour I knew straight away he’ll have problems with this batch, within 2 days his poos were soft & sloppy then diarrhea by day 3-4,
I’d say there was more grounded barley, now I’ve discovered he cant eat barley..

Have you looked at the “Pure Being” sold in Adli’s America, the ingredients look pretty good in the Pure Being, there’s the grain formula’s or grain free formulas, we have just gotten the new Adli’s wet dry & treats called “Natural Elements” but we only have the Grainfree Salmon or Chicken formula’s & the fat is 18%, it’s too high for Patch, the US “Pure Being” has better ingredients & lower in fat, so I just bought Patch the Natural Elements Kangaroo treats they had good ingredients, I’m getting a few things together for Xmas he loves opening presents, ripping the paper apart & getting a squeaky toy….

Look at Batch nbs & use by dates when you get the darker kibbles that agree with him or try another brand see how he does, or look at the EarthBorn Holistic Ocean Fusion formula he might do good on this formula, it has no Oatmeal, no peas & has barley & Sweet potatoes, Rye Flour then Potatoes for the carbs.. these ingredients might firm up his poos more, you can try & see, firmer poos will empty anal glands better but I think he might be reacting to an ingredient Patch has to have kibbles rotated or sometimes he starts reacting after 3months.
My vet feeds Earthborn Holistic the grain free Coastal Catch formula for her sensitive girl.
https://www.earthbornholisticpetfood.com/dog-food-formulas/holistic/ocean-fusion

[Susan]

Hi Joanne,

Patch was licking bum cause of food sensitivities & his poos weren’t firm enough to empty the anal gland naturally & he was rubbing bum on floor, grass, carpet, concrete, it was awful…

Are his poos firm?? Have you changed his diet recently or giving him new treats etc?
If his poos are firm it’s not anal glands they’d be emptying naturally themselves, also he’s a big dog, its normally the smaller dogs who end up with anal gland problems cause owners start emptying their anal glands themselves or when they go to the dog groomers they empty the small dogs anal glands, my vet said this isnt necessary to do on a healthy dog..
Patches 2nd vet was emptying Patches anal glands everytime we went for our monthly vets, then Patches 3rd good vet said NO, there’s no need to keep emptying his anal glands, he’ll empty his anal glands himself, then she took him off the grain vet diet & said look for a Fish or Lamb & Sweet Potato grain free kibble, a protein you know he does well on, she said stay away from chicken cause the Eukanuba Intestinal vet diet was Chicken & his skin was smelly of yeast, itchy & rubbing his bum all day, the Sudocrem did soothe it for him thats stopped the rubbing bum on ground a little but as soon as he started the TOTW Sierra Mountain Lamb formula he started to empty his own anal glands & now I can see after he does a poos sometimes a clear liquid is running down his black bum & I get a baby wipe & wipe his bum after a poo…

I’d buy a baby cream, I use either “Sudocrem” or look for “Bepanthen” soothing cream, this will stop the itch & any redness..
Look at diet change there’s some OK grain free dry foods, there’s probably an ingredient he may be sensitive too..
Also has he been wormed? maybe worm him aswell especially if you go on walks, he may have worms..
Then if after doing these things & he’s the same I’d see a good vet that gets to the bottom of the problem not just emptys his anal glands & sends you home you can do that yourself, I couldn’t do it to Patch, it smells awful when the anal glands do empty this is why I wipe Patches bum with a baby wipes after he does his poos..

[Susan]

Hi Joanne,

Patch was licking bum cause of food sensitivities & his poos weren’t firm enough to empty the anal gland naturally & he was rubbing bum on floor, grass, carpet, concrete, it was awful…

Are his poos firm?? Have you changed his diet recently or giving him new treats etc?
If his poos are firm it’s not anal glands they’d be emptying naturally themselves, also he’s a big dog, its normally the smaller dogs who end up with anal gland problems cause owners start emptying their anal glands themselves or when they go to the dog groomers they empty the small dogs anal glands, my vet said this isnt necessary to do on a healthy dog..
Patches 2nd vet was emptying Patches anal glands everytime we went for our monthly vets, then Patches 3rd good vet said NO, there’s no need to keep emptying his anal glands, he’ll empty his anal glands himself, then she took him off the grain vet diet & said look for a Fish or Lamb & Sweet Potato grain free kibble, a protein you know he does well on, she said stay away from chicken cause the Eukanuba Intestinal vet diet was Chicken & his skin was smelly of yeast, itchy & rubbing his bum all day, the Sudocrem did soothe it for him thats stopped the rubbing bum on ground a little but as soon as he started the TOTW Sierra Mountain Lamb formula he started to empty his own anal glands & now I can see after he does a poos sometimes a clear liquid is running down his black bum & I get a baby wipe & wipe his bum after a poo…

I’d buy a baby cream, I use either “Sudocrem” or look for “Bepanthen” soothing cream, this will stop the itch & any redness..
Look at diet change there’s probably an ingredient he may be sensitive too..
Also has he been wormed? maybe worm him aswell especially if you go on walks, he may have worms..
Then if after doing these things & he’s the same I’d see a good vet that gets to the bottom of the problem not just emptys his anal glands & sends you home you can do that yourself, I couldn’t do it to Patch, it smells awful when the anal glands do empty this is why I wipe Patches bum with a baby wipes after he does his poos..

[Praveen K]

If you want to know how to make homemade dog treats or benefits of the grain-free treats at home for your dog then visit http://www.dogcarehelp.com/best-homemade-food-for-dogs/ and know about the percentage of carbohydrates and protein does a need for homemade dog recipes.

[Susan]

Hi Ana,

I think your talking about Wellness “FISH” formula’s being high in Toxins, not all off the Wellness formula’s are high in Toxins & Contaminates…
There’s a “few” Brands that have FISH formulas that are also “VERY” high in Toxins, Contaminates & Heavy Metals, the Annamaet Lean has Herring fish meal in it, so chances are it will also be higher in Toxin & Contaminates then one of Annamaet other formula’s, also Annamaet Lean is very high in legumes, best not to feed no more then 20% Legumes when feeding a dry kibble….

There’s a heap of different “Fish” brands that have or are on the high toxin list it doesn’t mean all their formula’s are bad…
Earthborn Holistic, Fromm, TOTW, Purina Sensitive Stomach Salmon, Acana, Orijen, Racheal Ray, Halo, Diamond, Nutro, Natures Variety, Nulo, American Journey,Go, Open farm, Ol’ Roy, Kibbles N Bits the list goes on & on..

If your dogs can be feed home made raw or home cooked balanced diets this would be heaps better then feeding these dry processed kibbles or try & feed less dry kibble & more healthy ingredients, eggs, tin salmon, boiled sweet potatoes & fresh blended or cooked veggies etc there’s a really good video in the “Life With Dogs & Cats” group I’ve posted link below, feeding dogs fresh raw blended or cooked Veggies, vegetable fibers are more healthy for gut, the Video is called “Dont forget to feed your Veggies” & has Dr Jean Dobbs on the Video, really good information..
also reducing some of your dog dry kibble & replacing with healthy Green & Orange veggies will help lose some weight..lower your dogs carbs the Annamaet Lean formula has 50% carbs..

If you feed a dry kibble then it’s best to rotate between a few different brands that agree with your dogs, so if 1 of the dry foods you’re feeding is high in heavy metals, or not balanced properly, or is high in Legumes, your dog isn’t just eating this 1 brand of dry dog food 24/7, year after year…
I stick with feeding dry dog foods that are grain free & have white meats, Turkey, Pork & Chicken, these meats seem to be cleaner then fish, thats if the pet companies have a good suppliers….
Mycotoxins are poisonous chemical compounds produced by certain fungi found in grains,
so it’s not just the meats that have toxins, heavy metals, so when I see a brand that is Turkey or Chicken formula high on the toxin list & it has grains, I think Mycotoxins & Roundup
could be the reason why this chicken or turkey formula is high on the Toxin & Contaminates list… http://www.fao.org/wairdocs/x5008e/x5008e01.htm

DFA doesn’t believe in these testing & blocks the name of company & any links to this company that does the studies. I think its good this company is testing 299 most popular dog/cat foods & treats, its making these pet food companies clean up their act, keeps them on their toes.
DFA writes about it this company on the Orijen Review section. /dog-food-reviews/orijen-dog-food-usa/

We have just had another recall in Australia “Black Hawk” Salmon formula made by NZ Masterpet food company have admitted they change Fish suppliers, (probably went with a cheaper fish suplier) then all these poor dogs became very unwell, “Advance” Dermcare was using Tuna & a heap of dogs died Nov-2017 to March-2018 the surviving dogs all have Mega Eosphagus & little quality of life..

Join this new facebook group
“Life with Dogs and Cats” – Health, Training & Research
https://www.facebook.com/groups/lifewithdogsandcats/?ref=direct

It’s run by Dr Karen Becker, Susan Garrett & Rodney Habib & a few other people, group started about 3 weeks ago & already it has 5700 people, there’s a couple excellent video to watch, also on Planet Paws f/b page & Rodney Habib f/b page..
One video is about the latest UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine’s latest study: on Limited Ingredient/Allergy Diets, so Karen Becker & Rodney bought a few popular LID dog foods & had ingredients tested & “Natural Balance” Bison formula was “not” Bison meat, it was Beef, Horse, Pork, Goat, Lamb ot had every red meat in it….
Video is called “False Hope of Limited Ingredient & Allergy Diet” – video..

[Bernice L]

I have a 5 year old Frenchton who has had stomach issues off and on since a puppy. As a result he has always been on Royal Canin Gastro Low-Fat which seemed to keep his symptoms to a once or twice a year event. Until this year. This year Freddy has been constantly in and out of hospital with severe vomiting, nausea, pain and weight-loss. He was diagnosed with pancreatitis, last level testing was 274, but my vet really felt there was more going on since nearly all of his episodes lately occur in the middle of the night. Freddy was referred to Dr. Hans Gelens, a veterinary internal medicine specialist who has been a life-saver for me. He diagnosed Freddy with bilious vomiting syndrome (on top of the pancreatitis) which is apparently not uncommon in dogs. At this time Freddy is being treated with a new food regimen, although still on the RC LFG (apparently the best option from all of the vets I have consulted with), he now receives smaller meals spread out throughout the day with a last “snack” literally right before bedtime, along with a dose of Omeprazole at that same time (it is a prescription ant-acid, but I do fill it through my regular pharmacy to save costs). Freddy is to have no fat-laced snacks or treats so receives basically dried fruit/veggie snacks (pancreatitis can be triggered by fat in the diet), of course no “human” leftovers and quiet time for at least one hour post-meal. Finally, it has been 10 days since Freddy’s last vomiting episode and the nausea seems to be settling down (lip-smacking, drooling, yawning, licking are classic signs of nausea in dogs). After a year totaling over $5000 in vet bills I hope this recovery will continue.

I am sharing this because prior to seeing the specialist I had never heard of bilious vomiting syndrome, but I have seen some posts on here where owners describe dogs with similar symptoms to Freddy’s so I thought it was important to share this information.

Good luck to all dog lovers out there whose pets have health issues.

BL

[aimee]

Spycar,

You wrote “Instead of responding to a long and reasoned criticism of SkeptVet’s methods outside the particulars of this one study, you charge me with having a strong bias against SkeptVet,”

Actually what I said was ” “To me it appears that you are starting out with a strong bias against skeptvet….” If I was charging you with having a strong bias against skeptvet I would have said “You have a strong bias against skeptvet” : )

To respond in detail to every accusation you made would take more time and effort than I’m willing to put forth as I don’t think my effort would ever change your opinion. And let’s face it my previous post was quite long and I only responded to one point!

I don’t see your conclusion as being any different from skept vet. You wrote “All that can be said truthfully is that there have been very few studies of coconut oils and there risks and benefits in dogs.” and “Almost zero science to support either harm or benefits to dogs” Skeptvet wrote ” There is virtually no research on coconut oil in dogs and cats, apart from some studies looking at topical use for treatment of parasites. Therefore, the health effects, both risks and benefits, are unknown and supported only by unreliable anecdotal evidence.”

He treats the available anecdotal evidence for harm the same way as he does for benefits, unreliable in both cases. Anecdotal/personal reports are a form of evidence just very weak, unreliable, low level evidence. In science you can’t make strong conclusions from weak evidence and skeptvet maintains this stance and will remind people of that tenet.

I don’t see it as wrong to talk about anecdotal reports They are observations and taken collectively I see their purpose as being a resource from which to form hypothesis for controlled studies.

As I said before, I think it best to look at how his peers evaluate him. The evidence based veterinary medical group had elected him as their president. If he were to be guilty of all you charge him with I don’t see that this would have ever happened. He is a reviewer for recognized journals, and has himself authored peer reviewed articles published in established journals. He has been judged by his peers and elevated to the position that he holds/has held.

Can he come off as a bit cocky at times? I could see that people may interpret him that way but from what I’ve seen his science is sound.

[Susan]

Hi Amber,

I agree with Pugmomsandy post.
if you are adding coconut oil to a dry kibble then storing this dry kibble this is not a good idea, best to add the coconut oil when serving their meal…

Here’s some Coconut treats recipes, these coconut treats can be stored in a container then put in the fridge, then add 1 coconut treat to 1 of their daily meals or give as a treat thru the day when training them….

8 Coconut Oil Dog Treat Recipes

[Susan]

Hi,
I’d stay away from the soft treats that have Gelatin, Vegetable Glycerin in them to bind & make soft..
I looked all the Zukes treats ingredients & the “Crunchy Naturals 2s Baked”, “Crunchy Naturals 5s Baked” & “Crunchy Naturals 10s Baked” are better & Do NOT have the Gelatin, Vegetable Glycerin in them..
https://www.zukes.com/dog-treats/training/crunchy-naturals-10s-baked-with-berries?id=19&category=training
Just read ingredients

Have you looked at “Ziwi Peak” Air dried or Freezed dried dog food & use as treats??
Air-dried recipes for dogs

or make your own jerky or baked treats in oven, it would be cheaper & you know what is in them.
I buy the “K-9 Natural” Green Lipped Mussels, mussels are very healthy…
also I give pieces of peeled apple (no seeds) watermelon, Almonds, only 3 almonds as to many can cause diarrhea but gee Almonds make coat beautiful & shiney same with the freeze dried mussles..Beautiful shiney coat…
Look for healthy foods & use as treats..

[Brenda D]

I’ve used Zuke’s soft treats for years. They were recommended by a trainer when learning agility as tasty and a relatively low calorie reward. I’ve yet to meet a dog that doesn’t love them.

[Susan]

Hi Sandy,

Sorry about your girl,
I cant really help, have a look at “Just For Dogs” they have Hepatic Support Low Fat: Copper Restricted is formulated to support dogs with liver disease or kidney disease
pre made cooked meals, Wild Caught Cod, Sweet Potato, Long Grain White Rice, Broccoili, Zucchini, Coconut Oil, Sunflower Oil, Icelandic Premium EPA/DHA, Multi-Vitamin & Mineral Blend
https://www.justfoodfordogs.com/vet-support-diet,

One thing that happened with my 13yr old cat who had Kidney Disease, he needed to gain weight BUT the high fat diet was causing vomiting & acid reflux, so vet put him on a acid reducer medication Zantac & a lower fat diet, I had to fed more smaller meals thru the day & vet said add boiled potato or boiled sweet potato to his wet can food to help keep on his weight..
Boiled Sweet Potato pieces freezes really good, I keep in freezer & thaw a few sweet potato pieces some days to add with Patches lunch..
On your days off work, I would make small meals & freeze them & take them out the day before put in fridge…
Have you looked at “Answer Fermantable Raw” instead of Stella & Chewy raw food, you have to make sure foods aren’t high in Toxins Heavy metals..
Answers have a Fermentable Goats milk & REWARDS Raw Goat Cheese Treats, for sick dogs, she might like the goats milk or goats cheese & organic blueberries treats…

Home

[Julie B]

It’s midnight and I’m up with my sick dogs. Horrible indigestion, really awful gas, and diarrhea. Zoe is moaning from the awful gas. I feel really bad that it took me this long to figure out that it’s the Orijen dog food that I’ve been feeding her for the last month. I thought it was possibly dog treats or table food that was causing the problem. I cut everything else out of their diet but Orijen. It became really apparent that it’s the Orijen food that is making them sick. That’s how I found this website, researching if anyone else has had a problem with this food. It is so horrible to listen to a dog moan, sooo mad. She is not sick enough to go to vet, just needs the horrible tummy gas to go away. I will never feed my dog this terrible food again. I’ve been dealing with this for weeks thinking it was everything else but Orijen, I even spent a day thinking it was a reaction from doggy influenza shots.

[Susan]

Hi Rebecca,
I’d ask vet can you re-do a 21-28 day course of Flagyl (Metronidazole) twice a day, every 12 hours with a meal the first 10 days then down to 1 flagyl a day with his dinner till course is finished, Flagyl helps heal the stomach & bowel, just make sure Flagyl is given with a meal not with a small snack/treat.. His bowel needs time to heal & strenthen his immune system, do you have him on a probiotic?, also has he been retested to see if the Giardia cleared up?
Frenchies are known to have intestinal problems, I was going to get a French Bulldog & my vet advised against it, I have Patch (staffy) who has IBD & skin Allergies the vet said French Bull Dogs have a few health problems.. In Australia Frenchies being inbreed or breed with a parent who has health problems, they’re known to suffer with food sensitivities & skin problems..

also have your tried “Natural Balance” LID Potato & Duck formula the fiber is 3% or try the Natural Balance LID Fish & Sweet Potato formula.. alot of people have really good results with Natural Balance LID.
Potato & Sweet Potato seem to help dogs who are doing soft, sloppy or diarrhea poos, stop all chicken if giving any home cooked meals or any treats that are chicken, try Turkey or Pork instead & boiled potato instead of the boil rice, sometimes boiled rice can irratate the all ready irratated bowel..
If you’re on facebook join this group.. you dont have to be a raw feeder, heaps of help & people who have had a dog who has had Giardia..
“Dogs with Inflammatory Bowel Disease IBD – Raw Feeding & Holistic Support” group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/292537937935806/

[Susan]

Hi Heytsu,

Change vets ASAP sounds like you have a vet that doesn’t know what she is doing??, some vets are awful, same happened with me with my Boxer years ago, now I have a rescue Staffy named Patch who has IBD we had to see 3 vets before we found a really good vet that wasnt into just feeding these vet diets, vet diets don’t agree with some dogs…. Vet should of prescribe “Metronidazole” antibiotic for stomach & bowel taken twice a day every 12 hours with a meal… for 14-21 days

Alot of dogs who have IBS/IBD symptoms do very well on a grainfree dry food that has limited ingredients & have Sweet Potato & Potato & only has 1 meat protein, what country do you live?
I live Australia & we get the Royal Canine Sensitivity Control & so does Europe/UK
My Patch did really bad on all the Hills & Royal Canine vet diets, the only vet diet that worked was the Eukanuba Intestinal Low Residue dry kibble, take vet diet food back & get a refund & see another vet, go on a day your vet isnt there & say I do not want to see her again, thats what I did when Patches vet wouldnt listen & change him form the Royal Canine Hypoallergenic vet diet, it only has 1% fiber this could be the problem, something is wrong with your dog..
I did Endoscope & 2 x Biopsies you need to do biopsies so vet can see whats wrong, Ultra Scan is NO good, its a waste of money as it still doesn’t give vet any real answers, Ultra Scan is good if dog has a blockage, the biopsies are the best to do..

Do NOT give any boil any rice as boiled rice can irritates the bowel more sometimes, its very old school boiled rice, now vets recommend boiled potato or sweet potato its more gentle on their stomach & bowel, especially when the bowel is already inflammed, boil some peeled cut up potato & add a lean cooked white meat, like turkey breast, chicken breast or lean pork… feed 3-4 times a day…
Resting the bowel for 24 hours is good to do, Patch had to rest his stomach & bowel for 48hrs you must give electroytes in water every hour in a 20ml syringe if the dog isnt eating long for a long period of time, look for vet that specializes in IBD & is supportive & more into holistic ways & not into pushing vet diets as they can make things worse… rest stomach & bowel 24hrs then restart food some boiled potato or sweet potato & turkey breast 1/2 & 1/2, feed 4 small meals..no treats nothing just the boiled sweet potato or potato & a lean white meat..

Join this facebook group, “Dogs with Inflammatory Bowel Disease IBD – Raw Feeding & Holistic Support” You’ll get heaps of help..You dont have to fed raw diet to join group…
https://www.facebook.com/groups/292537937935806/

When you say Surgery, what type of surgery did your dog have & how old is he??

[Louise A]

Hi my dog Sofia is allergic to chicken Low Positive she really loved her chicken I had to visit the Pet ER about 2 weeks ago and poor Sofia loved her chicken jerky treats the vet told me why not try the duck I guess I always thought all poultry would be bad since she is allergic to chicken but I have read up on duck it seems that it is very good with allergies does anyone have any information on this I did buy her some duck jerky and she loves it.
thank you

[haleycookie]

If yours dogs won’t let you brush their teeth I’d go with raw turkey necks. Maybe once or twice a week. Then attempt to brush the other days if you can. Softer treats like bully sticks, trachea, etc aren’t really hard or long lasting enough to make a difference. I also like whimzees and nylabones for dental chewing as well.

[Spy Car]

When I dehydrate dog treats, I freeze them on a flat tray immediately post-dehydration and then (once frozen) I pack them in ziplock bags and keep in the freezer.

Freezing them individually (prior to bagging) keeps the treats from sticking together once bagged and frozen in ziplocks.

Freezing eliminates any need for preservatives. I personally would not use liquid smoke, soy sauce (or rice).

Just pure meat and organs.

Bill

[Susan]

Hi Harry,

Listen to your brother, a raw diet is the best diet you can feed a dog or a cat..
Dogs & cats have a short digestive tract, it’s made to digest a raw diet, their intestinal tract was not made to digest a high carb, high fiber dry dog food…

Over time watch & you’ll see the difference in both your dogs as they age if your dog continues eating a dry diet, your brothers dog will have a shinner coat, more energy, less pooh, he’ll be leaner & not over weight & look healthier…

Your pup is a large breed dog, his bones are still growing till he’s 18-24months, might be better to feed him his balance “Large breed puppy” dry food until he’s 18months, still give him raw meaty bones as a treat, unless you contact a animal nutritionist who can formulate a raw diet for a growing pup…
Sky Car knows heaps about raw feeding, he can give some advice…

Are you on facebook join a few Canine Raw feeding groups,
also follow “Rodney Habib” & his “Planet Paws” page look at his Video’s https://www.facebook.com/pg/PlanetPaws.ca/videos/?ref=page_internal
Also Follow “Steve Brown” when you follow Rodney you will get to know everyone.

Have you seen all the Toxins Contaminates & Heavy Metals in dry pet foods?
Google Toxins in dogs foods, a site will come up they test the most popular dry wet treats

[Ashley C]

My dog is very sick. I blame these treats. I know for a fact now it’s the treats. I pray I don’t lose my dog. So sad. DO NOT FEED these to your animals to whoever reads this.

[Susan]

Hi,
The only way to know 100% what foods your dog is sensitive too is to do a food elimination diet..
Feed just 1 meat protein & 1 carb for 6 weeks & see does Sophie react” if Sophie doesnt react to the meat protein & carb your feeding then you can add another new ingredient into her diet but you can NOT feed any treats etc, it can take anywhere from 20mins for a reaction to show or take up to 6 weeks to see reactions but my boy reacts within 20mins raw chicken makes his back paw red hot & swell up but if I fed him chicken in a dry kibble he itches, red paws & smells less but he doesnt get the red hot swollen back paws, probably cause dry kibble meats have been broken down & cooked till there’s no real chicken protein left so he doesnt react to the chicken in a kibble as bad…

If you dont want to do raw or cooked elimination diet then best to use a Hypoallergenic vet diet this way you know 100% these vet diets haven’t been cross contaminated….

Baths – make sure you bath weekly or twice a week or as soon as Sophies starts to itch bad, baths wash off any allergens on skin, paws head etc also baths relieve the red itchy skin, I use “Malaseb”medicated shampoo weekly with Patch & I use baby wipes, Cucumber & Aloe wipes & I wipe him down after his walks or after being out the back yard, I use creams like “Bepanthen” Antiseptic Soothing cream for his red itchy rash on stomach & around his doodle from the grass & I use “Sudocrem” on his red paws & inbetween his toes at night is best to apply cream just before bed check out sophies whole body & head he a few baby wipes & wipes her down then apply a cream to any red itchy areas, the Sudocrem acts as a barrier & protects his skin & paws so best to re apply before she goes outside you will start to see a big difference & relieve her itchy skin… its all about routine, wash cream etc & you can get a control on her itchy skin this all helps her a bit & if Winter is coming this is when you start the Elimination diet …
Do you have any roll/loaf kept in the fridge section, that has limited ingredients like FreshPet Vital & try this & give Sophie bath twice a week or weekly, use the creams & baby wipes days she hasnt had a bath & see is she better but the roll loaf must only have 1 meat protein & a few carbs as you wont know what she is reacting too..

Dogs who suffer with food sensitivities normally have Enviroment Allergies aswell, so its not just the food making Sophie skin itch, she could be sensitive to a certain grass, a tree in your yard or neigbours yard, pollens, dust mites, flea salvia, this makes it very hard working out what is making the dog itch, Keep a Diary write every down at night, then look back thru the diary as the years pass & you will start to see a pattern, she might be more itchy thru the Spring & Summer months & in the cooler months she is better ?? this is seasonal environment allergies, with food sensitivities the dog gets bad wind, farts, sloppy poo’s, diarrhea, vomiting,& yeasty smelly ears, paws, skin,….
Its best to see a Dermatologist or a vet that knows about skin & food senitivities..
Best to do food elimination diet in the cooler months when allergens aren’t as high, this way its easier to work out what Sophie is reacting too…

Just becareful with Zignature its very high in Legumes especially the Kangaroo formula..
Join this f/b group “Taurine-Deficient Dilated Cardiomyopathy”
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1952593284998859/
then go into their “files” click on
“2018-09-07 Copy of Diet and Taurine.pdf”
you will see all the dry food brands these dogs were eating when they got DCM Heart problems, the cases marked in light orange, “Orange = DCM or CHF w/o low Taurine; diet related” are diet related & the Zignature kangaroo is has 2 Orange cases, 2 GSH, Id say 1 has passed away by know as he was given 6-8months to live & that was 2015….
Years ago Zignature Kangaroo formula was really good it had more meat proteins then plant proteins then Zignature changed their Kangaroo formula & added less kangaroo meat & more Lentils & now dogs are ending up with heart problems & some have died, they cant absorb the Taurine…
They don’t know if it’s the Legumes blocking the Taurine, they dont know whats happening yet till they do more research, so until then best to fed a dry dog food thats less then 20% in Legumes maybe try a grain limited ingredient formula??
“Wellness Simple” has their Lamb & Oatmeal, Duck & Oatmeal, or Turkey & Potatoes Salmon & Potatoes formula’s these formula’s have very limited ingredients, just feed the same food for 2 months, no treats, no cooked foods, nothing then if she start getting better & she’s not reacting, then after 2 months add 1 new ingredient thats cooked or raw o her diet, no wet can foods as these have cross contamination ingredients..

[Susan]

Hi,
you have a very smart dog, he knows what foods cause pain, nausea etc & now will not eat, my boxer was the same with dry kibbles & raw Kangaroo, if it smelt weird & caused any stomach/bowel problems she wouldnt eat it ever again, where Patch he keeps eating & eating foods that cause gas/farts, nausea, sloppy poos etc, I have to be a mind reader & work out what is causing his pain his acid reflux etc but when I first rescued him he didnt want any thing to do with dry kibble, when I offered it to him he’d just walk off, he liked cooked food, loaf rolls, raw meaty bones & wet can foods….

Slipery Elm has to be made into a slurry/paste, pull up into a syringe about 5ml =1 teaspoon & you give 20mins before a meal not with the meal…

Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) Deficiency, has your dog B-12 been tested?
When Vitamin B12 is injected, the vitamin is readily absorbed by the blood and can get to work immediately. If your dog doesn’t have any problems with cobalamin malabsorption or there is no vitamin B12 deficiency, you can give oral supplements available in 100-, 250-, 500-, 1000-, and 5000-microgram tablets.
Ask your vet about him not having any apetite & can you do the weekly B-12 injection for 1 minth & see if there’s an improvement in his appetite a lot of ogs who have IBD EPI who have low appetites are givenB-12 weekly injections to make them want to eat….

Have you tried wet can foods or those good premium loaf rolls?? I know vet diets are expensive but next time you see vet get 1 can of Hills I/d Digestive Care Chicken & Vegetable stew. I have the I/d cans in the cupboard & the Royal Canine Intestinal Low Fat wet cans in the cupboard. https://www.hillspet.com/dog-food/pd-id-canine-chicken-and-vegetable-stew-canned
I rotate foods, I dont feed the same food for all of Patches 5 meals a day..
Are you feeding more then 2 meals a day? I know he isnt much of a eater but smaller meals of a few different foods thru the day he might want to eat them? a dry dog biscuit offered a few times a day, break biscuit in 1/2, we have a cat & as soon as Patch hear’s Indy getting something to eat he comes running to see if he can have some aswell & normaly he cant thats why the cat is getting the food cause Patch cant eat it.. she/cat is my garbage disposel bin..

I feed the Wellness Core Large Breed Adult dry for breakfast, Patch finally gained weight eating the Wellness Core & the cat keeps stealing Patches Wellness kibbles so they must taste good as she doesnt pinch any of Patches other dry kibbles, for lunch Patch use to get a small can of the Hills I/D chicken Rice & Vegetables wet food or 1/3 of the can of the Royal Canine Intestinal wet food but he kept getting his acid reflux on & off after eating the wet can vet diets & they’re low in fat so Id say its all the Omega oils, they are very high in Omega Oils so now Patch gets 2 big Dog Biscuits, My Boxer use to just look at food & gain weight she where Patch has problems keeping on his weight, I remember Angies vet asking me, what is she eating she’s over weight, she needed to lose 4kgs, she use to eat 1/2 of what Patch eats, she was bigger & he is smaller, I told vet she eats cooked meal, what we eat, & sometimes she eats some dry kibble but not much & she gets a dry dog biscuit maybe twice a day, the vet said do you know 1 of those dry dog biscuits is = to 1 Hamburger for a dog, I said what a Hamburger he said YES start halving her biscuit, so she is just getting 1 dog biscuit a day or completely stop these dru dog biscuits as they are high in fat, so now Im giving Patch 2 big dog biscuits for lunch everyday he loves them, I either feed the Purina Lucky Dog Biscuit Bones, Canidae dry Biscuits or you can get Hills Ideal balance Treats they’re smaller or Hills Vet Diet Hypoallergenic Biscuit treats.. https://www.hillspet.com/dog-food/ib-soft-baked-naturals-with-chicken-and-carrots-dog-treats..
If you dont want to feed a wet can vet diet then look at Hills “Ideal Balance” Chicken & Zucchini slow cooked wet can food.. https://www.hillspet.com/dog-food/ib-slow-cooked-chicken-and-zucchini-stew-adult-dog-food-canned#accordion-content-054167331-2
or look at Costcos Kirklands Signature Turkey & Pea Stew wet can food its very popular. Just make sure any wet can foods are 4% in fat not any higher, wet can foods fat protein fiber % havent been converted to dry matter yet so when you convert say 5% fat thats around 20%min to 26% max fat, so 4% min is around 12% fat min best to emal the pet food companies & ask them for max fat concerted to dry matter, they will give the exact max % you dont want to feed him foods that cause pain in stomach or wind pain in bowel then he will become more fussy….lean limited ingredient foods..
http://www.kirklandsignaturepetsupplies.com/natures-domain-brand

All Hills Science Diet wet & dry formula’s are very palatable if your dog refuses to eat then return to pet shop for a refund if you have bought a carton of wet can food, rotate, 1 day feed the Hills Ideal Balance for Dinner then the next day for Dinner he eats a different wet can food or try FreshPet Roll, Stew, Cooked Roasted meals?
https://freshpet.com/dog/freshpet-select

Still feed his Farmina dry food, Farmina is a good food, are you feeding him the LAMB DIGESTION N&D Quinoa Functional Canine formula & the N&D Quinoa Skin & Coat Venison formula
https://www.farmina.com/us/eshop/dog-food/n&d-quinoa-functional-canine/429-digestion-lamb.html
its isnt rich or too dense like the other Farmina formula’s, my Patch gets his stomach pain as soon as a dry food is over 370Kcals per cup he whinges & wants me to rub his stomach/pancreas area…

What vet diet did he eat? maybe put him back on the vet diet & feed the matching wet can food rotate in his diet so he gains some weight & feed 4-5 smaller meals a day & give a few dry dog biscuits thru the day aswell as treats or as a dry dog bisciut as a snack before bed, eating then going to sleep gains weight…

I always ask Patch “Which One (kibble) do you want to eat” & I show him 2 different dry kibble brands in their air tight containers with their lids off, he sniffs the containers then he licks the side of the container that he wants to eat or I get out 1 kibble from 1 container & another kibble from the other container, I have 1 kibble in one hand & the another kibble in my other hand & I let him sniff them & ask him “which One”& he takes teh kibble he wants to eat, thru the day he eats about 3 different brands of foods… If I just feed him the same dry kibble day in day out he starts to react & gets his IBD stomach pain & starts whinging & lifts his right paw & wants me to rub his stomach area I thought he had Pancreatitis when I first rescued him, he has all the symptoms but now 5 yrs later Patches vets says he has Stomach pain its cause of his IBD…

If you join the “Dogs with Inflammatory Bowel Disease IBD – Raw Feeding & Holistic Support” F/B group, go to their “Files” scroll down 11th pdf & click on “Digestive Sensitivity and Dog Size.pdf”
it’s research done on small breed dogs & large Breed dogs, what happens when these dogs eats the same dry kibble, how both breeds digest the same kibble different, now I know why Patch does heaps better with his IBD when he eats a Large Breed dry kibble the Large Breed kibbles have fibers formulated for large breed Intestinal tract so the dog doesn’t get bloat, the Large Breed dry formula’s seem to agree with Patch the best…..

[Hav mom]

I use the Safe Pet Treats program. Yesterday I received an alert for STEVES REAL FOOD recal which affects limited quantities of its raw frozen do and Quest ct food due to possible contamination with Salmonella dnd Listeria bacteria. Recalled products are: Steve’s Real Food Turducken Recipe Quest EMu Diet, Quest Beef Diet. Then today, another recall notice
was sent to me regarding BRAVO PACKING DOG FOOD. They recalled all Performance Dog
Products, a frozen raw pet food because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. The 2 & 5# Plastic Sleeves. What is going on, lots of recalls lately…If you know anyone who uses these premium foods, please let them know.

[Susan]

Hi Joanne,
the link I posted is under the Lamb & Rice & Chicken & Rice Formula’s, in my post above…here it is again. Does it work?
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/zpqq66i3w2twy7e/AADcuRPcpOOBkewPtXf7SAdSa?dl=0&preview=GoldenRetriever_Taurine_DCM.pdf

This study was done September/October 2005, By the Companion Animal Research Group.
Marie C. Bélanger, DVM,
MS, Diplomate ACVIM
Mathieu Ouellet, DVM
Guillaume Queney, PhD
Maxim Moreau, M.Sc.

Scroll down & you’ll see a pink table, this has the foods the 5 Labs ate..
When I looked at these formula’s ingredients, I noticed the first 5 ingredients had just 1 meat protein & it wasnt a meat meal & the rest of the first 5 ingredients were heavy with starchy grains & very little meat…
also in the link above they show a Table/chart of the family of golden retrievers who did this study the dogs who were diagnosed with taurine-deficient cardiomyopathy. It’s very interesting how only a few inherited DCM while the other dogs are carriers & carry the gen…

I think you need a diet that has more meat protein then starchy proteins in the first 5 ingredients, so the Taurine doesnt get blocked & the dog can aborsb the Taurine from these ingredients….I think is happening?? after reading all the research…

Crazy for Cats posted you a link about 2 weeks ago in the “Grain Free and Heart Disease” post posted by Aimee back in June, in this link Lynne D talks about Lamb & Rice formula’s interfering & causing low Taurine..
https://thebestdogtreats.com/taurine-deficiency-in-dogs-diseases-caused-by-amino-acid-deficiency#
The author is Lynne D she posted on DFA about 1-2 weeks ago thanking Crazy 4 Cats for posting her link for you to read & she posted another link, the one I’ve posted below…..
This is what Lynne writes:
The explanation of why researchers think lamb meal and rice diets are associated with an increased potential for taurine deficiency and DCM is a little long and detailed. You can reference the paper I listed in the above paragraph as well as a couple others by accessing my dropbox HERE. here’s the link.
https://thebestdogtreats.com/taurine-deficiency-in-dogs-diseases-caused-by-amino-acid-deficiency#

[anonymous]

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/nutrition/can-dogs-eat-marshmallows/ (excerpt below)
Marshmallows are one of those treats that can be hard to resist — and it’s nearly impossible to eat just one. But, can dogs eat marshmallows? The answer is no. Though not all marshmallows are toxic to dogs, they certainly aren’t good for your canine companion. Made from sugar, corn syrup, gelatin, vanilla extract, and coated with either cornstarch or confectioners’ sugar, marshmallows contain very little, if any, nutritional value or health benefits.

Dr. Carly Fox, a staff doctor at New York City’s Animal Medical Center, says if the marshmallow has xylitol (an artificial sugar) as an ingredient, it is absolutely toxic to your dog and can be extremely harmful, even if ingested in small quantities. “Xylitol can cause dangerously low blood sugar, leading to seizures and even death if the dog is not treated properly,” says Dr. Fox. “It has also been shown to be toxic to the liver, even days after ingestion.”

[anonymous]

How about hiding the pill in a small bite of broiled chicken liver, just mush it in the middle.

I have never seen a dog refuse cooked chicken liver. Plus it is cheap
and you can freeze it in small batches.

PS: Or hide it in a bite of canned tuna? A bite of boiled chopped chicken meat? There are all kinds of options to try, rather than processed treats.

[anonymous]

http://www.vetstreet.com/dogs/how-to-give-your-dog-a-pill
Even the friendliest, most easygoing dog can put up a fight when it’s time to take a pill. But it’s your job to make sure she takes the medicine she needs. The good news: You can employ a few tricks—and offer some treats—to get the job done. Read on for a step-by-step guide.
The Basics
If you know your dog doesn’t like swallowing pills, you can ask your veterinarian if the medicine comes in a chewable “treat” form or if it can be compounded, or changed into a liquid to make it easier to administer. But these options aren’t always available. If the medication must be given in pill or capsule form, you may need to experiment with different methods before finding one that works for you and your pet.
Follow Recommendations
When your veterinarian prescribes a medication, it’s important that you use only that medication, and that you treat your dog for the full length of time prescribed, even if your pet seems to have overcome the health problem. If you have any questions about how to administer the medicine, you can ask your veterinarian to demonstrate how to do it.
Specific Techniques
The easiest way to get your dog to take a pill or capsule is to hide it in a treat or in her food. But dogs are smart, and if they don’t like the taste or texture of the medicine, many will eat the treat or food and leave the pill behind. Another problem with this method: If you hide the pill in food, it may be hard to tell whether your dog has taken the pill on time—or at all—if she grazes throughout the day. To work around this, you can buy dog treats designed to hide pills. But before you give your dog medicine with her food, ask your veterinarian if it’s OK, since some medicines can’t be given with treats or food. You should also find out if there are any restrictions on what your dog can eat while taking the medicine.
If you want to give your dog the pill without hiding it in food, try the following technique, which many people find to be more reliable:

For a small dog, put one hand on top of your dog’s head, holding firmly—but not too tightly—so that the tips of your thumb and middle finger touch the corners of the mouth. For a large dog, put your hand on top of your dog’s nose and hold the upper jaw.
Tilt the head back.
Hold the pill between the first finger and thumb of your other hand. Use the tips of the other fingers of this hand to push down on your dog’s lower jaw to open her mouth. Be careful to place your finger on the short teeth at the very front of the mouth, not on the longer (canine) teeth at the corners.
If you have a large dog, you may be able to fold the upper lip over her teeth as you open the mouth, a trick that may keep your dog from closing her mouth.
Drop or quickly place the pill as far back in your dog’s throat as you can. Don’t push the pill down.
Hold your dog’s mouth closed and stroke her throat or blow on her nose to encourage swallowing.
Give your dog a reward, like a veterinarian-approved treat, for being a good patient.
When using this technique, be aware of your dog’s mood. If she gets agitated and seems likely to bite, stop and try again later or contact your veterinarian.
Restraining Your Dog
It’s often a good idea to have another person keep your dog still while you administer the medicine. But you can do it alone if there’s no one to assist you.
If you have a small dog, you can start by placing your dog in your lap. Put one arm—the one you will use to hold the head—over your pet’s shoulders, and use your upper arm and elbow to help keep her still, without using excessive force.

If your dog won’t stay in your lap, or is too big, you can use the same method while seated on the floor, either holding the front of your dog’s body partially against your body or on your lap. If you have a large dog, you can stand behind her and have her sit back against your legs. Sometimes it helps to back your dog into a corner.
If your dog struggles, talk to her calmly and stop what you’re doing if she becomes extremely agitated. Contact your veterinarian if you have questions or difficulty administering any medication.
This article has been reviewed by a Veterinarian.

[crazy4cats]

I am learning that it really isn’t about how much meat is in the food. It is about how it is processed and how all of the ingredients “work” together. It’s a nutrient package, so to speak. I’d stick with chicken, turkey, lamb or beef if you can. They have been around for the longest and have the most testing behind them. Don’t look at the ingredient label from a human stand point. Lol! Keep it simple! Try to stay away from the legumes and potatoes too.

I put a little canned on my dogs’ kibble. It makes it more appetizing. Also, most canned foods are complete and balanced, so no worry of throwing off their needed nutrients. We tend to give too many treats that may do that. Lol!

My suggestions are: Royal Canin, Purina, Hills, Iams, or Eukanuba. Also Farmina, Annamaet, and Authority seem to be doing well on the data table as well, but don’t have as much history behind them.

I just switched to Purina PP from Fromm and Whole Earth Farms before that. Hope this helps!

[Sandy B]

My dog needs to have mini pills hidden in treats twice a day for life. We know pill pockets exist, but would like to use something with less calories if still possible. (And she does not like pill pockets much.)
In the past we first used Natural Balance Mini rewards chicken flavor. But unfortunately about a year ago every bag that showed up they were rock hard and no longer soft enough to squish a pill into. They would crack apart, crumble up and would not hold pill inside.
Then we found Nutro Moist and Chewy Bites. These things were AMAZING! They literally felt like soft play doh and you could mold them around anything. They just got discontinued!!

I know many treats are listed as soft and chewy, but most of them will literally break and start crumbling apart if you try to shove a pill in them. I have given up asking advice from shops online and buying stuff that does not work. And I medically can get out of the house, so I can actually feel them for myself from the outside of the bag in a store.
Does anyone know of a HEALTHY, small dog treat that is as soft as what I am describing? Moist, malable (moldable) and will not crumble and break on me? Other than the Nutro Moist and Chewy that just discontinued?
I would be forever grateful for any helpful info! Thank you for your time!

• This topic was modified 7 years, 3 months ago by Sandy B.

[Susan]

Hi Joanne,

Yes FRESH raw byproduct meats are great if you’re a raw feeder, but when By Product meats are in pet foods I dont think you really know what your dog or cat is really eating as you’ll see if you watch the video Ive posted maybe it will explain a bit more…

It’s best if you buy some raw beef hearts lightly cook them & slowly introduce a little bit of heart as a daily treat, I’ve been thinking of doing this as treat thru the day for cat & Patch, I always see all the organ meats reduce in supermarket, 1/2 price around 50c to 1$….
Best not to cook the raw organ meats, cooking destroys up to 2/3 of the taurine content in foods. So lightly cook..

Beef heart is incredibly rich, so feed it as an organ meat not a muscle meat in a raw diet.
Only add about 1 oz per meal for a 70 lb dog. Do not overfed it as it can cause diarrhea When you cook the raw organ meats it destroys up to 2/3 of the taurine content in foods.

Poor Patch learnt the hard way when he ate heap of very big Liver Treats, when I first rescued him…the rescue group had given me the liver treats & Patch decided to steal them & eat the small bag..He had diarrhea all night the poor thing…

By Product meats these Pet Food Companies get & use wouldnt be separated so the good bits are probably mixed with all the rotten bad meats & other things..
Chicken would probably be the best in dry kibbles & in wet can foods, to fed & be fresh & a good qualitity…also chicken is very cheap…so these pet food companies wouldnt really need to buy by product chicken…. if you watch the link below I’ve posted Dennis the Whistle blower talks about saving 2 live chickens after then survived the chop at the meat plant… same thing happened when my X husband brought home a chicken that he found running out onto the street of a factory she missed being killed, I gave her to a neigbour & her daughter took her she lived out her days on a farm & was a good egg layer once she became healthy…
I asked a Hills rep one day, why does all the Hills premium & vet diets only have Chicken as the meat protein, (this is in the Australian Hills formula’s), she said cause Chicken is the easiest meat to digest & chicken is cheaper….

Watch this video when you have a spare 8mins
Dennis a whistle blower tell the 7.30 Report ABC whats in our pet foods we feed our pets
“Plastic and other bits of rubbish put into pet food, insider reveals”
http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/plastic-and-other-bits-of-rubbish-put-into-pet/9887958
When you see ingredient list that read like this
Meat and Meat meals (chicken, beef, lamb and/or pork)…..

But I cant understand how are these meat meals separated into Lamb Meal, Chicken Meal, Kangaroo Meal, Salmon Meal, Pork Meal… I know we have about 5-6 big Meat Plants in Australia maybe some of these other big meat plants sell the separate meat meals to pet food companies, Here’s another video, when pet foods were tested they were not the meat proteins it said in the ingredient list.. If Patch could eat a raw home made or cooked diet, Id feed a home made raw this way I know what he is eating..
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6020431/

Your question about Kangaroo meat, about 1yr ago a representative from Zignature was answering people questions on DFA Review Zignature section cause Anon101 had taken over Zignature Reviews & wreaking havoc, I thought I will emailed Zignature & I asked Zignature who does Zignature buy their kangaroo from, a man from Zignature email me back, he said Zignature sends over their own American hunters to kill our wild kangaroos & they bring back the dead wild kangaroo’s, straight away I knew this is a BIG lie you cant come into Australia & kill our wild life then take it out of the country?? He’s been watching too many Crocodile Dundee movies, lol
The only company that exports raw Kangaroos is “Marco Meats” in South Australia or the only other way Zignature would get their Kanagroo is to buy it in meal form which I think this would be the best way for dry kibbles then the pet food companies add Lentils or chickpeas to push the protein % up so people think they’re getting more kangaroo meat…

There’s a really good Kangaroo dry pet food called “Vetalogia” Kangaroo Adult, I know Vetalogica was lauched Superzoo 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
you’d be getting more Kangaroo meat cause its Kangaroo meal then Chicken meal, contact the American Vetalogica- https://www.vetalogica.com/
ask for samples, just say your dog is very fussy eater & does Vetalogica have sample you can try & see what they say..
I tried the Vetalogica about 3 months ago, I think Patch can’t eat Tapioca he starts dragging his bum on carpet rug & scratching when he eats any dry kibble that have tapioca in it them….. here’s the ingredient list for the Vetalogica Kangaroo Adult formula.. https://www.vetalogica.com.au/collections/vetalogica-naturals-grain-free-dog-food/products/copy-of-vetalogica-naturals-grain-free-lamb-adult-dogs

[Susan]

Hi Sarah,
Doesn’t sound like he is aggressive or needs ANY anxiety drugs these drugs can make some dogs anxieties worse…
He needs to see a Animal Behaviourist they’re normally at Vet practices, the behaviourist will teach you how to react & what to do & help correct his behaviour, also you need to read all the signs before he has a full on anxiety attack & runs across a road & gets hit by a car… they will teach you how to relax him & reassure him that everything is OK, speak to him in a calming voice, he’s like a scared little 3yr old boy…
Softly touch & caress around his ears & head this relaxes a dog, when you see he is becoming uncomforable remove him from the situation, walk him away & tell him, “Abe it’s Ok we are going home now, it’s Ok”, home is his safe place or if you drove in car somewhere, then the car is his safe place, my boy runs to the car when he feels scared or threaten but Patch always runs to the wrong grey car lol…
When Patch was taking low dose of Metronidazole for more then 1 month he started acting very scared, having anxiety attacks, he was real paranoid, scared of his own shadow…it was awful watching this happy out going friendly dog become so scared, now he can only take very low dose Metronidazole no more then 21 days..

“Routine”, I read you take him for walks, he needs to be in a stricted routine, dogs are very routinal they feel safe when they know what is instore for them daily…Feed same times, walked same time, go to bed same time etc.

When he goes for his daily walks, make his walkies, happy time avoid any of his triggers, its good he’s getting out & about, walk him the same time & walk the same route or have 2 routes,so he gets to know everything on these walks, he will feel safer & confident & get to know all the same dog smells etc & he’ll probably pass the same dogs everyday, when you see another dog or human approaching you both, watch him to see when he sees the other dog approaching, then start reassuring him, tell him “Just keep walking, its OK Abe, its all OK”, before you pass the other dog or human, then if he was a good boy then reward him with a treat, reward his good behaviour in a happy excited voice telling him he’s a good boy, for treats just bring some of his dry kibbles if he eats dry dog food use these as treats, then tell Abe, in a very happy voice, “GOOD BOY see it was OK, your OK Abe” always reassure him, then when you see he feels OK walking past a certain dog that he sees daily & he doesn’t tuck his tail inbetween his legs or lowers his head no more, then ask owner next time they pass each other can they quickly met as long as the other dog is a calm dog, then let these 2 dogs met while walking side on, for a quick 10-20sec a quick sniff then thats it, as Abe may start to get anxious, but before they meet, you say to Abe “do you want to Say Hello Abe” always use these words “Say HELLO Abe” then he learns when you say ” Do you want to Say Hello Abe” it will be OK, everything is alright as long as things turn out good all the time, he needs to gain his confidence, he has no coinfidence….
I rescued a Boxer she was 18months old & she had NO confidence, on her pound notes it stated, Can NOT cut her tail & must go thru RSPCA animal behaviourist training, NO male owners… The animal Behaviourist will met Abe & you at your home or at the vet office which ever is best for Abe so probably home & go for a walk with Abe she/he will teach you what to do & say & what not to do & say to Abe… never touch a dogs head or body when they have done something wrong, bad, touching is rewarding & your rewarding bad behaviour only touch & caress when the dog has done something good, then touch the dogs head face & tell them what they have done that was good in a happy tone voice, when he is very scared & needs to be relaxed make him sit & caress his ears & head & tell him “its OK Abe” but when he is barking at someone do not caress his head or body do not touch him as this is bad behaviour barking take him away from the situation ASAP, I see it all the time at the park, a dog will be barking or go to bite another dog while walking past & the owner touches their dog head & says no, this is confussing to the dog, he is getting mixed messages from his owner.. the Animal Behaviorist will teach you all this…
Humans give their dog mixed signals & confuse the dog from right & wrong, you need to learn what a dogs “Dogs Body Language meanings” you can google it..
also never scold your dog for any bad behaviour specially when he is having a anxiety attack & feels so scared & threated, calm him, massage his ears & head & speak calming to him….

Here’s 2 f/b groups where you’ll get some support..

“Treating Separation Separation Anxiety In Dogs”
https://www.facebook.com/SeparationAnxietyDogs/?__tn__=HHH-R

“Canine Separation Anxiety Support Group”
https://www.facebook.com/groups/553897281459012/

[Gerri B]

I’ve had a foster dog for 4 months. She is an english setter who lived out in the elements in upstate NY. She was very thin when i got her and would eat dry purina kibble bits. I have two other dogs. My other english is a grazer so i leave food out. The foster will only now eat after the other two eat even though i give her a meal. Now she won’t eat her kibble or chicken or salmon or roast beef, nothing in morning and barely much at night.
SHe has had chronic ear infections but is under control at least until she has ear surgery for one but she seems comfortable. She will eat treats and my food, just not her own. How should i handle her, i dont want her back again thin.

[joanne l]

I am starting this thread b/c I am curious of how many people noticed color changes in food or treats and dogs not responding well to the food when this happens. In another thread someone mentioned something like this and I agree I don’t like color changes. Now my neighbor just mentioned this about Dr. Gary’s Best breed dog food. She said her dog ate 3 bags of food fine then the 4th bag was lighter in color and her dog got diarrhea really bad. She stopped food and he is fine. Just curious now how many of you experienced this.

[Kerri30 C]

Hello,
I rescued a puppy at 8 weeks old and was told to feed her Wellness puppy food.
I have been doing that and she seemed to be ok. She loves cheese, peanut butter and milk bones dog treats. Pig ears were her usual nightly chewy treat.
I brought her to the vet when diarrhea started about 3 weeks ago,, the fecal test came out negative, they suggested white rice and chicken which seemed to help. No more pig ears either which were her favorite.
When I went back to the Wellness and the usual Milk bone mini dog treats it is coming back. I can’t figure out what it is. Since I do not know what breed she is (possible setter/beagle/? mix) I am at a loss as to whether there is a specific breed related allergy. She is about 32 lbs and nine months old now. Is is possible that the Wellness grain free food isn’t good for her?
Thanks for any advice!

[Jen T]

Hi, our Westie has been battling TCC (bladder cancer) for almost a year now. Our holistic vet switched her diet to dehydrated raw (Stella & Chewy’s and Primal) which she was doing well on. Recently, she is not interested in any dehydrated food/treats but will eat homemade foods (http://westierescueoc.com/the_westie_diet). We’re not looking to feed her this for long but since she’s been diagnosed with TCC, she’s had issues with crystals and bladder stones as well. Up until last year, she has been the healthiest dog with no issues other than skin allergies.

Does anyone have suggestions on a wet/canned food that is low on carbs for a dog with cancer and who is prone to bladder stones? She doesn’t digest chicken or lamb very well, and has rather soft bowel movements when the protein is too high (from what we’ve seen). It’s been hard trying to get the right food for her due to her soft bowel movements, cancer, and bladder stones. Thank you so much!

[crazy4cats]

Hi joanne l-
This author shares the same thoughts!

https://thebestdogtreats.com/taurine-deficiency-in-dogs-diseases-caused-by-amino-acid-deficiency#

I’m not sure what her credentials are, but I thought it was interesting.

[ThisDogHunts]

@ Susan,
Thanks for the reassuring help and advice.
The PetCo. employees simply said that C&P were repackaging the product.
Which appeared to be true at the time because they did have slightly different packaging on the shelf as oppose to the product in the clearance section. Ingredients appeared to be the same, with an expiration date that was up in a couple months. So I factored that in to why they probably wanted it out of the store ASAP.
I sat there deliberating for about half an hour or so, over it and asked multiple employees what their thoughts were on the item.
In the end, I just couldn’t pass up on it because freeze dried is always a premium priced item, and I’m already familiar with the brand, having fed my dogs their treats, so I just felt like it was a safe, healthy and well priced option.
I’m just glad I didn’t start feeding that exclusively.
I’ll continue to lightly top it or mingle it into the regular food.
Thanks again for your help and suggestions.

[Acroyali]

Avoid professional dental cleanings, feed RMB’s, rec bones when applicable and huge chunks of raw green tripe.

Problem solved.

Save your money on these expensive “plastic” dental chews. Watch a dog eat a greenie or denta stick. They bite of huge chunks and swallow them whole. Hello, intestinal surgery as some here like to blame on raw ;D
Raw vegetables and carrots and such are no better. Dogs chew off huge hunks and swallow them whole. RMB’s are much tougher to gnaw through and are eaten much more slowly. Fed large. A small dog should get a chunk of food much larger than their head. With tripe, it’s boneless and is an excellent food for teeth cleaning meals.

I wouldn’t waste my money on these plastic treats shaped to resemble toothbrushes when most dogs chew through them in 3-4 bites and swallow. How is that doing a damn thing for their teeth?

[david j]

clicker training basics once you’ve engineered your mechanical competencies, “charge the clicker training basics.” grasp some little, tasty treats. Press the clicker button (avoid clicking close to your dog’s ears), then provide your dog a modify. Begin with fifteen treats, and do 3 separate categories of fifteen treats your initial day.

https://www.wpblogging360.com/dofollow-forum-sites-list-high-pr/