In the past couple months, my dog has started having problems with his anal glands. Took him to the vet and had them released. Two days later, it starts up again. Vet told me to try giving him Benadryl. While on Benadryl the past couple days, he has been fine. No issues with anal glands. Does that mean it is his diet that is causing it? Right now I feed him eukanuba lamb and rice (stuck with this since a puppy due to sensitive stomach), 1 greenies each day during the week, and he chews on a Nyla bone occasionally. Not sure where to start, I know that greenies are not the best for him and I could do away with them and start brushing his teeth more often. My first thought was to change his food to a better product. As I started think more into it and trying to eliminate the small thing, I Was thinking of first starting by cutting out greenies. Maybe the nylabone too? Doesn’t seem like the small fragments that break off those bones are very healthy. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Feel bad for the guy when he is scooting his butt on the ground.
My local Aldi’s has just started carrying the Pure Being Natural Dog Food (dry kibble). Although I didn’t buy a bag, what I’m remembering of the ingredients list reflects what Francine R posted on June 14 2016.
Has this been reviewed yet? I didn’t find it with a search.
A few weeks ago I came onto the forum and posted about my 8 year old American Bulldog/Pit mix Chance’s issues with Wellness Core (Diet Formula). He seems to have issues with chicken protein food and I didn’t realize that the Wellness used it until the symptoms started. On the advice from a response I received here, I switched him immediately to Zignature lamb formula. I also had used Zymox on his ear for two days and that seemed to help with his ear itching (he had common infection like debris in his one ear, was shaking his head and licking his paws to the point where they were inflamed).
However, the big guy has been drooling like crazy the past 3 or so days. I checked his ear and while the visible portion seems relatively clear, I used a flashlight to look deeper inside and there seems to be more infectious debris. I totally take the blame because one the symptoms seemed better after the food switch, I assumed the ear issues were due to that and didn’t continue the Zymox. I put the drops in this morning and will continue to do so for the full 5-7 days. He’s still licking his back paws, though. They’ve become red and inflamed. Last night I rubbed Nu-Stock on his paws (which is sulfur based and helps to discourage dogs from licking) but Chance is undeterred and I caught him licking at the top of his front leg this morning.
The ear issues and licking issues are things I’ve dealt with for the 7 years that I’ve had him. He’s prone to ear infections/allergies. And he’s normally a drooling, slobbery mess. But the only time that I’ve seen him drool this much is when a person is eating food in front of him. It’s his ‘feed me this’ drooling. But he’s doing it without the food now. And it seems to go hand in hand with the persistent licking.
I’ve checked his mouth and I don’t see any obvious issues with his teeth or gums (other than being a wet mess). He’s still eating and doesn’t appear to be in any pain opening his mouth or chewing. He’s still playing with his little sister, play fighting in and out of the house. He seems just a bit calmer/quieter like he gets when he has his ear infections/allergy issues (unless food/treats are in play and then he’s super perky).
I called the vet and the tech thinks that maybe he put something in his mouth/ate something that’s causing the drooling. I have an appointment for first thing Friday. I know that’s 3 days away and I’m always one for getting my dogs in asap when they’re sick/injured. But I am literally the only person working at my job until Friday and I’m going to have to get someone to cover for me to allow me to come in late. The vet tech said that they’d squeeze me in if things changed and he appeared to be in pain/have a fever/stopped eating etc.
Has anyone ever had issues with normally ‘drooly’ dogs excessively drooling? He’s been drinking water like normal and I literally watched him this morning to see if he was urinating, and he is. Could it have anything to do with the Zignature food? I’m wondering if it could have anything to do with laundry detergent (I cover the couches with sheets and he’ll inadvertently lick the fabric when he licks his paws. Or if it can all stem from an inner ear infection? But when he’s “sick” he usually acts the part ( he especially doesn’t like to eat which is a big indicator that something isn’t right) and he just isn’t acting sick.
I was going to wash all the sheets and bedding in dye/fragrance free detergent, re-vacuum all the carpets and give both dogs a bath tonight and see if there are any changes. And if there’s still enough light out when I get home tonight, walk around the yard and see if there’s anything out there that the dogs might be getting into.
But what are the odds that the new symptom of drooling has anything to do with any of that?
Hi David – just joined the forum, I have a 6yr4mo Bernese Mt Dog, neutered at 5, s/p last breeding, big weight gain & I’m researching best foods for weight loss – Nike’s been doing the same favoring of his rear R leg, whimpering at times getting up – vet put him on food I really would never in my life use, so am spending hours researching; my breeder fiends have told me brands not listed on dog food advisor; I used Acana Canada based, (Orijen bison as pup)- Nike’s lost 5lbs in 3 weeks, walks & play with his 18 month daughter help too. Still am searching for lower calorie, good protein & lower fat balanced GF dry dog food I feel good about; I also use ground shark cartilage – may sound crazy, but It worked with my 30 yrs of raising golden retrievers when they got older.
Hello all! I’m about to take the leap to switch to raw food for my two dogs. My 6 year old black lab is 90 pounds. And my 5 month old Bernese mountain dog is 56 pounds. I know a little bit about raw diets from research but up until now we have been a strict dry dog food house.
I have a few ideas on some items I want to use. I’m hoping you guys can give me some feedback on my ideas. FYI I’m on a slight budget. That’s part of why I’m doing this so I can see if I can afford it in the long run. None of these items are set in stone. So please please please tell me if there’s something that’s a big no no or if something else instead would be better. With my dogs weights they both require 4 lbs total a day. Around 2 lbs each. I’m gonna start there and figure out if that’s enough for them.
Monday
4 lbs chicken leg quarters
Tuesday
4 lbs chicken leg quarters
Wednesday
3 lbs chicken leg quarters, 1 lb of tripe
Thursday
2 lbs chicken leg quarters, 2 lbs ground chicken
Friday
Whole chicken, split between
Saturday
3 lbs chicken leg quarters, 1 lb cut up chicken liver
Sunday
3 lbs. chicken leg quarters, 1 lb of tripe
Both my dogs have only ever been feed kibble, my oldest for 6 years. So I want to start out slow and simple to see how they do. And with one protein so it complicates things less. I need some feedback for piece of mind. Thanks guys!
>>>do I get the stink eye if I have the nerve to give them plain dry food!
I’m sure that’s a look my mother was very familiar with when I was young too. š
Yes, simple is good! Mine get a lot of left over vegetables, lightly cooked eggs, raw tripe, sardines and commercial raw mixed in their afternoon meals. The biggest problem is when you start doing this, they expect it. And, boy, do I get the stink eye if I have the nerve to give them plain dry food! 😃
Could it be the goats milk that is causing the diarrhea? I thought milk wasn’t good for dogs and causes stomach upset. Have you asked your vet about the itching dry skin? I’ve read that oatmeal baths are not good for dogs, it causes more problems. Our dog has a chicken allergy so we make sure his treats and food are chicken free.
Our daughters rescue pup had an over abundance of mites which caused severe itching, hair loss and scaly skin. The vet prescribed a new food and medication for 6 wks. Then after frequent skin scrapings determined her cured, but she’s on the special food for life.
“Allergies can be broken down into inhalant, contact, or food allergy origins. Flea allergies, grass allergies, and environmental toxin induced allergies are the most common causes of skin conditions in Cairns. Allergies can be chronic or seasonal. They can be minor or severe in occurrence. They tend to become worse with age. Treatment is much better than in bygone days. Environmental controls, antihistamine treatment, and desensitization injections have made huge strides in the last few years”.
“Glucocorticoids should be used only as a last resort due to serious side effects. Diagnosis and treatment of chronic or severe cases by a Board Licensed Veterinary Dermatologist is recommended”.
(excerpt from:) http://cairnterrier.org/index.php/Static/health
This was copied from a site regarding Cairn Terriers, however, the information applies to all dogs (imo)
Also, you may want to use the search engine here to search “allergies”
Example: Have you consulted a veterinary dermatologist? If the allergies are environmental, changing the diet will have very little to do with alleviating the symptoms.
Environmental allergies tend to wax and wane, without getting Intra dermal skin testing done by a specialist (veterinary dermatologist) itās pretty much impossible to tell what the allergens are, what is working, or not.
And:
What you describe sounds like environmental allergies, food would have little impact, if any, on this condition.
I would continue to work with your veterinarian, however, for best results, I would go to a specialist, a veterinary dermatologist.
Have you tried the search engine here? This subject comes up frequently.
Example: /forums/topic/irritated-skin-food-allergy/
/forums/topic/dog-chewing-nails-till-they-bleed/
āFood allergies are rare. Food sensitivities tend to result in GI disturbances such as vomiting and diarrhea. Environmental allergies tend to show up as pruritus, ear infections and suchā.
āYou could try a limited ingredient grain free food. My dog does well on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea. Wipe down her feet with water and gently dry when she comes in from outdoorsā.
āBathe her using a gentle shampoo, I use Malaseb (see chewy dot com).
I tried all kinds of things times 1 year (including going back and forth to the veterinarian), but, did not get results till I took her to a dermatologist for testing. Allergen specific immunotherapy worked in her caseā.
Unfortunately, steroids and such are often necessary (for brief periods) to stop the suffering and prevent infection.
Allergen specific immunotherapy is the most natural treatment.
Also, I have heard that some dogs do well on apoquel, you may want to consider staying with that, talk to your vet.
I have also heard not to use oatmeal containing products on dogs. Have you mentioned this problem to your vet? We have a 5 yr old dachshund with an itching, dandruff problem. Our vet gave us a non sudsing shampoo to use. You leave it on 10 min before thoroughly rinsing. Plus brushing before hand to loosen up the dandruff. It’s helping but hasn’t cleared the problem. I feel it’s an allergy.
My daughter adopted a rescue puppy last year that had a severe itchy scaly skin problem. After 2 different vets, she found one that solved the problem. The pup had an over abundance of mites on her skin. She was given medication for 6 wks and prescribed a different dry dog food. She is now itch free. I would definetly start with your vet.
My older Pug puts her nose up to everything! any dry food.I finally got her to eat Wellness Core,reduced fat & Wellness Core original.They are a bigger kibble,but at least she eats it.
Hi everyone! Iād appreciate your thoughts on alternating dehydrated food (The Honest Kitchen Beef Recipe) with a homemade nutritionally balanced raw diet.
I have a chihuahua/tibetan spaniel mix thatās 8 month-old and 10 pounds. I rescued him 3 months ago and started out feeding him Taste of the Wild dry food. He was getting cheap/unhealthy supermarket kibble at the shelter. A few weeks ago I switched him over to The Honest Kitchenās beef dehydrated food realizing it is more species appropriate than kibble and just as convenient. That said, I still think a homemade nutritionally balanced raw diet is the optimal option, but I want my dog to adapt to more than one form of food and make it more manageable from a time investment perspective as feeding raw one meal per day would allow the supply to last much longer.
Any thoughts? Is this a good idea?
Thanks in advance!
Hi everyone! I’d appreciate your thoughts on alternating dehydrated food (The Honest Kitchen Beef Recipe) with a homemade nutritionally balanced raw diet.
I have a chihuahua/tibetan spaniel mix that’s 8 month-old and 10 pounds. I rescued him 3 months ago and started out feeding him Taste of the Wild dry food. He was getting cheap/unhealthy supermarket kibble at the shelter. A few weeks ago I switched him over to The Honest Kitchen’s beef dehydrated food realizing it is more species appropriate than kibble and just as convenient. That said, I still think a homemade nutritionally balanced raw diet is the optimal option, but I want my dog to adapt to more than one form of food and make it more manageable from a time investment perspective as feeding raw one meal per day would allow the supply to last much longer.
Any thoughts? Is this a good idea?
Thanks in advance!
Hi everyone. I always feed my dogs the best rated 5 star dog food but i have yet to find one that my dogs will eat without me having to add something else to it like 5 star wet food. My dogs are pretty picky i guess but I have yet to find a 5 star rated dry dog food that my dogs really like. Does anyone know of a 5 star rated dry dog food that dogs really love? Or is that not possible? Any help would be appreciated. I usually just add wet dog food to the dry and i have to make sure the food is actually wet from the wet food or i have to add a little water because my dogs will just eat the wet food off of the dry food and then spit the dry food out. So if anyone knows of a 5 star dog food that dogs really really like please let me know? Or something I can add to it which is also good for them that will make them eat it lol? Sometimes I add tuna to their food but not more than a little bit and only about once a week because of the mercury content in tuna.
Anyway thanks for the help ahead of time.
Hi all,
I’ve been searching the forums for info on how we can calculate the ratio of dry to wet food (or other mixers) for those who like to mix it up. I want to make sure I can calculate correctly so the meals remain complete/balanced without adding too many calories. Do people just rely on the caloric number to determine the ratio, or do you calculate other percentages as well?
I looked online for a calculator online that can do this and only found one by Merrick. They have a very clever calculator that can help you figure out the proper ratios of their dry/wet/mixers in order to ensure a balanced meal. BUT, given they’re owned by Purina now (AFAIK), I’m unlikely to use their dog food any time soon. I would likely use Acana for dry food and whatever 5 star brand for wet (and 5 star brand for raw mixers), so there’s no doubt I’ll be using various brands to put a proper diet together.
P.S. I read the editor’s quick suggestion on how he adds 1/4 of a can of a singular meat wet food to dry food, but didn’t indicate how much he reduces dry food to compensate for calories, or if he does that at all.
Thanks for any advice or suggestions!
I found in some stores have Sardines in water with no bones. They are harder to find then with bones but it’s worth it.
What I do is by the Pollock or Salmon oil in a pump. I had it to their dog food once a day. How much depends on their weight. I usually do it in the Am as breakfast. This is a mixture of dry and little wet and the oil. This way I know they are going to eat it all. I just can’t let it sit in a bowl all day. Not sure if an issue or not but it’s a me thing.
But my girls are always waiting and pushing me to make breakfast in the morning. So they seem to like it. I’ll also do a treat and just put a little of canned plain chicken on it too. A little treat at times. Not much at all, less then a 1/8 cup worth for each and I got a 60 + and 50+ dog.
So there are options out there. You just got to find what works for you and that your little one will like.
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This reply was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by
Kirstie M.
I always recommend the honest kitchen. They will make a custom food for you if needed. I live their no grain dog food. You can get it with meat or without to add your own to. They may have dry food alsi, I’m not sure. I don’t and wouldn’t feed dry.
Ive been feeding our girl the racheal ray 6 ingredient all natural stuff for a good while. Well she started having bile issues, not eating, etc maybe 2 weeks ago. Took her to the vet, they gave her fluids and 2 meds, one for nausea the other to stimulate her appetite and told us to feed her boiled chicken and rice. We did that, did the meds, tried to reintroduce some whole foods dry food, she started getting diarrhea all over the place 2 days ago. Took away the dry food, no more diarrhea. Are we stuck on boiled chicken and rice now? Is something else going on?
I am a raw feeder, so I can’t suggest much in the way of kibble but I have noticed that there have been some tummy-related complaints with Blue Buffalo. This isn’t to say it’s a horrible food, it’s just that some dogs seem unable to utilize it as they should.
I know that Wellness has a very limited ingredient line (4-5 ingredients only) that can be of a big help when it comes to food intolerances. (I believe most of the line includes novel protein sources like duck, etc.)
http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/categories.aspx?pet=dog&cat=3#Simple Dry Limited Ingredient Diets Dog Recipes
I don’t believe it’s formulated for seniors, but it’s just my (personal) opinion that senior diets are kind of gimmicky unless there’s a serious medical reason that specifies a low(er) protein diet.
Fromm is an excellent company that, if I fed kibble, I would feel 100% comfortable feeding. They have a beef formula, no chicken.
https://frommfamily.com/products/four-star/dog/dry/#beef-frittata-veg
Also, it might be worth checking into giving this dog some probiotics and/or digestive enzymes to help digestion. The metronydozale is a helpful drug in this instance and can stop the problem in it’s tracks, but re-feeding her gut with beneficial bacteria might help even out the occurrences of diarrhea. Both probiotics and D.E’s can be VERY helpful when transitioning a dog with a sensitive gut over to a new food, too, so that might be something to consider.
I don’t know if you’ve ever given her pumpkin, but many people swear by it to help with chronic diarrhea and firming the stools.
Hope this is helpful.
I have had Boxers for years and I know only too well those sensitive guts. Right now I have a 9 1/2 y/o and I feed Canine Caviar Limited Ingredient Free Sprit and Nature’s Logic Canine Chicken Meal Feast. I look for dry foods without peas,legumes or beans of any kind. I find that with the newer formulations of even Champion Pet foods (Acana and Orijen) these are being added and are in the first 3-5 ingredients and so many dogs are just incapable of digesting and utilizing legumes. I fed Acana for many years but I do not anymore. I love the company and their transparency and their mission statement.
May I ask how you feed,i.e.: twice a day or are they given food to free feed throughout the day? I’ve had a lot of Boxers which also include over 60 rescues and Boxers live to eat….unless they are ill. They do best with two feedings a day 10-12 hours apart. My hunch is that your guys just may have residual upset stomachs and hence why they are spitting food out
Hi, I’m not much of a meat eater, I can’t stand the smell & all the blood with red raw meat, I eat white meat like fish & chicken only & I make Patch lean pork or beef rissoles, I would never deprive my Patch from eating meat, a dogs digestive tract is short & made to digest a raw diet where our digestive tract is long & heaps bigger & can handle all the grains, carbs etc in our diet…..
I live Australia & most people feed their pets raw kangaroo mince, raw off cuts added with their dogs kibble as well as raw meaty bones for their teeth, chicken bone is the softest bone & easy to digest…or they added the Pre-made Big Dog Raw formulas or the Dr’s B Barf Pre-made raw formulas or some pet shops make their own pre-made raw meals you just thaw & put in her bowl + kibble….
Cause your girl has never eaten a raw diet & is 7yrs old maybe look at the pre-made formulas that have leaner meats & are lower in fat around 3-4% in fat that’s around 11%-16% fat when converted to dry matter (Kibble) same amount of fat she’s eating at the moment 15% fat…Wet tin food when you see 5%min fat on wet tin can 5%min is around 20-25% fat when converted to dry matter & was a kibble ….Some people say not to feed kibble & raw together as they digest at a different rate but everyone I’ve spoken with at the dog park & when Patch was going to his behavior training school seem to all mix kibble with the raw diet & have no digestive problems feeding kibble + raw meat to their dogs….I suppose it depends on the dogs……
I ended up contacting a animal Naturopath when I put Patch on a raw fresh home made diet cause of his IBD & skin allergies, he was 6yrs old, we started with lean human grade kangaroo mince, not pet shop kangaroo mince added 1-2 spoons of blended raw veggies broccoli, carrot, celery & apple + 1/2 teaspoon probiotic +1/4 teaspoon DigestaVite plus powder to balance the meal cause it had no bone or any organ meat in the beginning cause of his IBD, I didn’t want him to get diarrhea, then I noticed about 1 hour after eating his breakfast he was regurgitating water + digested raw up into his mouth after burping causing acid reflux, so we stopped the blended veggies but he still was burping up water, I had to give him some of his regular kibble to wash the acid reflux back down his throat & he seemed heaps better…… cause of Patches IBD bad acid reflux the raw diet didn’t work for my Patch but my kitten/cat 11months old is feed a pre-made cat raw diet + kibble in separate bowl + 1/2 a chicken wing 3 times a week, if I don’t give her any kibble she pinches Patches Taste Of The Wild kibble….
Do you rotate your kibbles? try the TOTW Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb, it has the same fat & Protein% as the TOTW Pacific Stream, Smoked Salmon & their mouth doesn’t smell of fish after eating the Roasted Lamb & Patch seems to prefer the Roasted Lamb….
It will all depend on the boarding kennel if they will feed your dog a raw diet normally most boarding kennels just say bring all ur raw pre made & made up in daily sections etc or just before she goes to boarding kennel put her back on her kibble 1-2 weeks before she’s due to go to the boarding kennels & just pack enough frozen raw meaty bones to be given 2 to 3 times a week, I’m pretty sure the Boarding kennel will thaw & give the raw meaty bone …
My boy was biting the raw bone a few bites then gulping the whole raw meaty bone & swallowing big pieces of bone, when I first rescued him, that’s when someone told me chicken frames are the best to feed, the bone in the chicken frame is very soft & flexible & cleans their teeth, so if she is a gulper & swallows any big pieces of bone in the beginning maybe try the chicken frames from supermarket, they digest easier, I use to feed chicken necks but my vet said to stop feeding the chicken necks as they have very sharp pieces of bone & are full of fat, with no meat. In Australia our supermarkets sell chicken necks, chicken frames & brisket bones also turkey legs are nice & big just remove the inner sharp bone…your dogs teeth will clean right up after eating meaty raw bones, my last cat had heaps of tarter on his teeth & to clean his teeth was going to cost $450 to clean & remove any teeth if needed was an extra $50 per tooth, the vet said start giving him a chicken wing for breakfast & his teeth cleaned up….
I have a five month old Cavapoo who was started on Diamond Natural Dry Puppy food and we have changed her to Orijen puppy which she likes and it seems to agree with her system. I called Champion about two months ago and asked them what the difference between the Kentucky and Canadian plants. Their response was the type of local fish they put into the recipe, other than that they insisted the USA products were “cooked” the same.
My vet diagnosed our 11yr Wheaten with beginning stages of kidney disease. She said, at this point he doesn’t need meds and said a new dry food with low protein would work fine. She suggested Royal Canine. I think it’s a prescription food. My dog was eating Acana dry and loved it. I looked at Neo but it wasn’t rated very well. Recalls and foods “made” in China concern me. Can anyone recommend a dry food for me? Prefer something I can get without a script but will consider something that does. I just want a good food. Pricing is not really a concern because I’ll be willing to give my pet the best.
I can’t answer your questions but wanted to say that dogs with UTI’s need a lot of moisture: canned food is best; if you can’t feed only canned, add some to the dry food along with some water. Allow ample opportunities to urinate as well.
My dog has recurring urinary tract infections. One possible treatment offered by my Vet is to switch to a food with no or low added minerals, to help avoid stones in the bladder if that is the cause (bladder ultrasound showed no stones). He suggested one of the Science Diet Vetiranary formulas. I don’t care for Science Diet. I found Acana Singles (USA) has only zinc added and Carna4 has no added vitamins and minerals. Can anyone recommend other dry dog foods with no added vitamins or minerals that are recommended by Dog Food Advisor??
Two weeks ago my 11 yr old Aussie started having trouble breathing, loss of appetite, and throwing up water/bile so I took her to the vet. They performed many tests and a preliminary diagnoses is pulmonary hypertension and a possible lung infection or worst cancer. The results are still out but she is on heart medication, a steroid, meds to open her airways, and an antibiotic. I was having a hard time getting her to eat so getting her to take her meds has been difficult. I tried turkey, peanut butter, hiding it in hamburger but she would not eat so she wasn’t getting her meds. I would have to put the meds down her throat but that usually would end up poorly. Finally I tried cheese and she is now taking her meds. She will also eat apples but she turns her nose up to my homemade food (hamburger, lamb, rice), she also turns her nose up to the lamb wet food, and her dry food. Just looking for suggests to get her to eat, she has lost quite a bit of weight but she is still within her normal weight. Should I just not worry that she isn’t eating enough at this point? She is feeling better, maybe her appetite will return?? What should I be feeding her when it returns? Thanks so much
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This topic was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by
Lisa T.
My little dog eats canned food. I have 4 or 5 brands I rotate, opening a different brand as each can is finished, so every other day or so. This has made her very tolerant to quick changes in food without the resulting gas and diarrhea. I can even add sardines, egg, or other toppers here and there with no problems.
My big dog eats dry food with daily toppers that I try to switch up frequently (eggs, sardines, chicken hearts,sweet potatoes, purĆ©ed spinach or kale). I buy her kibble in 30 -40 lb bags because it’s cheaper that way, and change to a new brand of food as each bag is finished. When I’m down to the last 1/5 or so of the old bag I mix it 50-50 with the some of the new food. Seems to be working ok, no diarrhea or anything, however I still haven’t found a food that gives her real firm poops. She seems to do better with fish-based kibble, but the brand she did the best on , Holistic Blend Marine, jumped in price from $60 to $80 something, so I’m experimenting with other fish based kibbles but so far I haven’t had has as much success as I did with Holistic Blend.
Hi! I’m a retired scientist (biology/ecology) and I’m interested in this topic because my 8 year old Chihuahua, Poncho, has been diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis and we’ve started him on a low-fat diet, Royal Canin Gastrointestinal, low fat canned and kibble, the only brand my vet carries for this. Like some of you, I was also not happy with the ingredients with “animal bi-products” high on the list, but was going to use the product until I could find a better one. Then I saw comments by some of you about increased urination and I cancelled the order I placed today for monthly repeat delivery of a a 24-can case from Pet360.com (great prices!) so I could research this a little more. Even in the two days I’ve had Poncho and his brother, Tank, on this food, I think I’ve noticed them peeing more, too. Then, in thinking about the issue a bit I have this question for you:
Have you noticed an increase in water INTAKE?
It occurred to me that the explanation may be as simple as “this food makes them more thirsty than other, “regular” foods”. This makes sense to me when I think about the thick, gummy consistency of the canned food. With less protein and fat than regular foods, this food is like eating a dry piece of very dense bread. It’s a thought! It would be a nice benign explanation that could put our minds at rest about it. Maybe we can all watch water intake and see if there’s a noticeable increase… Anyway, there is still the food quality issue with its ingredients, so I think I’ll continue to look for an alternative. I’ll be keeping an eye on this thread for your ideas and suggestions about this dog food, too. Thanks for being here! š
I ordered a bag of the lamb formula from Chewy (the one local store that I found who carries the brand only has the multi protein formula that has turkey in it).
I looked at Zignature’s website and the food does look good. My only concern is intestinal issues if I switch them cold turkey. Zignature states that dogs can usually switch immediately with no issue, but I don’t know what’s worse: possible stomach pain/diarrhea with both dogs or the skin/ear itching with my big guy (I have been using OTC cortisone eardrops and the ear looks 90% better).
I literally have enough Wellness dry food for 2 more feedings…do I buy another small bag of it to transition with or take my chances when the Zignature arrives tomorrow?
And does anyone have suggestions for toppers? My dogs are super picky eaters. Neither dog likes kibble very much. One of the reasons (according to the vet) that both gained weight last year was due to me mixing in canned (quality) dog food. Or do I just feed the dry solo and hope they like it and if not leave it until they get hungry enough to eat it?
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This reply was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by
Christie.
My 8 year old American Bulldog/Pit mix is 115 pounds and my 2 year old Catahoula Leopard Dog Mix is about 45 pounds. My vet thinks their healthy weight should be around 90 and 35 pounds, respectively. To address the weight issue, I slowly transitioned both dogs to Natural Balance Fat Dogs, because it had much lower calorie counts than other reduced fat/weight loss foods. My big guy has had some issues in the past with food allergies and I noticed that within a few weeks of eating the new food, he was having issues with his ears and licking his paws. I looked up the food on this site and saw that the carb percentage was very high and my vet had said in the past that high carb foods can cause allergy induced ear infections.
I tried transitioning to Wellness Core Reduced Fat with the same results. I don’t know if he has a poultry allergy or just a chicken allergy but both of those foods list chicken and turkey as main ingredients. And I have yet to find a quality dry food weight loss formula that uses a different protein source (and yes I do know that chicken and turkey are the leanest animal protein choices)
Does anyone have a suggestion? I was going to just try transitioning to a quality food (maybe the beef based Victor hero) and just limiting the amount of food that they consume. Both dogs prefer smaller sized kibble and I heard Victor is pretty small.
Melanie:
If the Kangaroo diet was helping, is there any way you could get another novel protein source that your dog has not had (venison, rabbit, etc?) There are some dry and canned varieties on the market that might fit the bill, as well as some pre-made raw diets (many raw food suppliers have exotic proteins–my cats vote for Hare Today’s rabbit chunks.)
One of my dogs had seasonal allergies completely unrelated to food. We did the testing route, and while identifying at least some of his triggers certainly helped it wasn’t a cure all. For awhile we did allergy shots and prednisone. It lasted 4-5 days and he’d be miserable for the rest of the month. As he got a little older, we worked for a few years with a wonderful vet on building a healthy immune system any way we could. We added a few things (mostly in the form of probiotics and other nutritional supplements, as well as medicated baths, etc). More importantly (I feel) is that we subtracted things that we suspected could possibly be linked. We gave him only clean, filtered water. We stopped using fabric softener (that helped tremendously!), and stopped giving annual booster vaccines (he was older, even our allopathic vet agreed with us on this) and stopped using flea prevention on him (as it seemed to be doing no good anyway). We let his immune system rest as much as we could. I can’t say it “fixed” him and I can’t put my finger on the one thing we did that did the most to help, but it seemed that the combination of factors helped him build an immune system that knew what it was doing. He had occasional break-outs, but I’d say he was 85-90% better. Just my personal experiences of course. I wish you luck with your little dog.
The Wellness Complete Health Natural Dry Puppy food is made from natural ingredients and designed to provide everything that your growing Lab needs. Some of the benefits of feeding your lab this puppy food are bone and teeth strength, energy and vitality, brain development, healthy muscle growth and optimal nutrition absorption. Aside from these amazing benefits, it has a great taste that puppies love.
According to reviews from Lab puppy owners that have bought this puppy food, they feel it is a better quality puppy food than most other brands out there, since it contains actual ingredients instead if filler. One of the first signs that any puppy or dog food has too much filler is very frequent and more stools from your puppy. The consistency of stools may even be loose or runny and this is how you will know that the filler is simply passing through your puppyās system. You will also need to change his diet immediately.
Read more at https://petloverguy.com/best-puppy-food-for-labs/
There are various types of dog and puppy foods out here. You can choose to feed your dog dry dog food, canned dog food or natural food. It all depends on your discretion as a puppy owner and also your dogās needs.
Like humans, dogs are all different. So what works for one puppy might not work for another and what tastes good to one puppy may not taste good to another. Luckily, there are enough choices on the market for you to chop and change your dog food, until you find the right one.
It is also vitally important that you do research on the breed of your puppy and give him dog food accordingly. Each breed has its own unique genetic makeup and some breeds are pre-disposed to certain diseases and medical conditions.
So if you know that your Lab has more body fat than muscle and is prone to obesity, you will invest in puppy food that is low in fats and carbs but high in calcium and fiber. This ensures that your puppyās diet is complete, balanced and nutritious enough to keep him happy and healthy.
Read more at https://petloverguy.com/best-puppy-food-for-labs/
I am going crazy going through dog food websites looking for a good quality low protein, low fat, low phosphorus diet for my miniature schnauzer.
As a breed, miniature schnauzers need a low fat food because they do not digest fat well – my rule of thumb has always been <15% fat.
Now I need a low protein and low phosphorus diet as well as she has recently been diagnosed with renal disease. The canned prescription renal diets have too much fat for miniature schnauzers – I do not want to throw her into pancreatitis and quite frankly, she will not eat the canned renal diet without me force feeding her – that is not a long term solution as it breaks my heart when she sees me coming with her food dish and runs away. It seems like all of the renal diets compensate for low protein by increasing fat and for miniature schnauzers that just doesn’t work – the dry food I looked at had brewers rice as first ingredient and chicken fat as the second and was above my rule of thumb for fat at 16%.
I am hoping that someone can point me in the direction of a good quality low protein, low fat, low phosphorus diet. It is clear that she prefers kibble as she will by-pass a bowl of wet dog food and eat the kibble next to it.
Thanks for the tips! I’ve definitely noticed a lot of people mentioning Zignature with high favorability. I’ll keep that on my short list. We ended up visiting a couple local retailers, one pet store and one natural food who was the local Annamaet reseller who had about a 5′ section of shelving dedicated to kibble and I think there was one bag of Annamaet along with Acana and Origen. At the pet shop we narrowed our choices down (since we wanted to start them on something else to replace the Pro Plan sooner rather than later) to Wellness and Nutro. Since Wellness still had chicken and Nutro did not we went with the Nutro. That may not be the long term solution but after a couple of days they are likely what little we’ve mixed in so far.
We also picked up a coconut oil based canine skin lotion the pet shop recommended. We’re on day two of that, plus the weather here is much improved from a dryness perspective, so hopefully we’ll see some results soon!
I joined looking for some advice on senior dog foods. Our senior is about 12 – 13 years young and is a 14 lbs poodle/bichon mix – or something thereabouts. She is used to walking 3 – 5 miles per day and is out in front, not being pulled along so she seems to be enjoying it. She was eating a dry Wellness adult dry and wet mixture. Vet suggested she get on a senior diet and we did this about six months ago – again Wellness. Since then she has had two UTI’s. Urine pH was 8.5 on the current one. Vet was concerned that we were perhaps not getting a good urine sample so we had some draw from he bladder and it was consistent with the “caught” urine. Also had her bladder ultrasound to check for stones or a tumor. Nothing (good news!) Granted this is my first day of looking around on the site but i see nothing specific about selecting a senior food. Did I miss it?
FAQs about house dust mite and storage mite allergies
By bringing pets into our homes, weāve increased their exposure to these common skin irritants.
Mar 01, 2013
By Alice M. Jeromin, RPh, DVM, DACVD
DVM360 MAGAZINE
Excerpt from above article below, unable to provide direct link, if you google DMV360 MAGAZINE and then search “dust mites” at the search engine at that site it will take you to the full article.
Where are storage mites commonly found?
These particular mites (Tyrophagus putrescentiae, Lepidoglyphus destructor, Acarus siro) are present in dry foods, cereals, grains, straw and cheeseāi.e., substances that can get moldy. Like dust mites, storage mites can cause nonseasonal signs, including pruritus, erythema and recurrent otitis in dogs and cats. They’re well-known in humans for causing asthma and allergic rhinitis (“baker’s lung”).
Data have shown that storage mites live in conjunction with house dust mites and can be found in bedding, mattresses, upholstered furniture and fabrics. One study in humans found storage mites to have overtaken dust mites as a leading source of allergy.
A popular misconception is that storage mites are present in bags of food or cereals from the manufacturer. In one study, out of 10 bags of dry dog food, one was found to have storage mites, but the rest developed the mites after being in the owners’ homes.2
Where are storage mites commonly found?
These particular mites (Tyrophagus putrescentiae, Lepidoglyphus destructor, Acarus siro) are present in dry foods, cereals, grains, straw and cheeseāi.e., substances that can get moldy. Like dust mites, storage mites can cause nonseasonal signs, including pruritus, erythema and recurrent otitis in dogs and cats. They’re well-known in humans for causing asthma and allergic rhinitis (“baker’s lung”).
Data have shown that storage mites live in conjunction with house dust mites and can be found in bedding, mattresses, upholstered furniture and fabrics. One study in humans found storage mites to have overtaken dust mites as a leading source of allergy.
A popular misconception is that storage mites are present in bags of food or cereals from the manufacturer. In one study, out of 10 bags of dry dog food, one was found to have storage mites, but the rest developed the mites after being in the owners’ homes.
Excerpt from http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/faqs-about-house-dust-mite-and-storage-mite-allergies?id=&pageID=1&sk=&date=
Where are storage mites commonly found?
These particular mites (Tyrophagus putrescentiae, Lepidoglyphus destructor, Acarus siro) are present in dry foods, cereals, grains, straw and cheeseāi.e., substances that can get moldy. Like dust mites, storage mites can cause nonseasonal signs, including pruritus, erythema and recurrent otitis in dogs and cats. They’re well-known in humans for causing asthma and allergic rhinitis (“baker’s lung”).
Data have shown that storage mites live in conjunction with house dust mites and can be found in bedding, mattresses, upholstered furniture and fabrics. One study in humans found storage mites to have overtaken dust mites as a leading source of allergy.
A popular misconception is that storage mites are present in bags of food or cereals from the manufacturer. In one study, out of 10 bags of dry dog food, one was found to have storage mites, but the rest developed the mites after being in the owners’ homes.
Above is an excerpt from: http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/faqs-about-house-dust-mite-and-storage-mite-allergies?id=&pageID=1&sk=&date=
Environmental allergies tend to wax and wane, so, you may think a diet change is working….
Also the storage mite is in the same family as the common household dust mite that exists on the skin of all living things and is constantly being shed (airborne) including you.
Often the dog has allergies to both, not just one.
Below is an excerpt from an article that you may find helpful http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/faqs-about-house-dust-mite-and-storage-mite-allergies?id=&pageID=1&sk=&date=
Where are storage mites commonly found?
These particular mites (Tyrophagus putrescentiae, Lepidoglyphus destructor, Acarus siro) are present in dry foods, cereals, grains, straw and cheeseāi.e., substances that can get moldy. Like dust mites, storage mites can cause nonseasonal signs, including pruritus, erythema and recurrent otitis in dogs and cats. They’re well-known in humans for causing asthma and allergic rhinitis (“baker’s lung”).
Data have shown that storage mites live in conjunction with house dust mites and can be found in bedding, mattresses, upholstered furniture and fabrics. One study in humans found storage mites to have overtaken dust mites as a leading source of allergy.
A popular misconception is that storage mites are present in bags of food or cereals from the manufacturer. In one study, out of 10 bags of dry dog food, one was found to have storage
Hi John L-
The Editor’s Choice is a list of bands. Any of the brand’s flavors or recipes would be included. That being said, make sure you choose one that is appropriate for large breed pups. The calcium amount is crucial for them while growing. There is a great article on this subject on the review side of this site. I frequently feed my two labs Whole Earth Farms. I think their puppy food is ok for large breeds. Please double check though.
The weather is probably a big factor with the dry skin. I give my adult dogs a can of sardines per week. Maybe split the can for your two if you want to try it out.
Good luck with your new bundles of joy. Got mine together too. They are littermates and there was certainly never a dull moment for a couple of years. Good and bad, they are literally inseparable now. They love each other, but at the same time, insanely jealous!
Again, check out the large breed puppy article and have fun with those pups!
Hi. I have a 2 1/2 year old lab who itches constantly in the face, behind his “elbows” and between paws. He would scratch his face so badly, it would bleed. I had him allergy tested a year ago and he tested extremely allergic to storage mites. I had never heard of them before but they are little bugs that live and breed in dry dog food. There is nothing you can do to get rid of them, even the limited ingredient foods have them, so I started cooking homemade food for him. It made HUGE difference. Then, when, due to a busy lifestyle, I couldn’t cook for awhile and started him back on kibble – his itching started up again. So maybe give a try to homemade food. I used potato, sweet potato, frozen veggies (carrots, peas, kale, spinach), ground turkey. And add a supplement for vitamins. You could also try raw or freeze dried food, but I couldn’t afford that so I got busy in the kitchen! Good luck!
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This reply was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by
Natasha C.
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This reply was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by Natasha C.
What you describe sounds like environmental allergies, food would have little impact, if any, on this condition.
I would continue to work with your veterinarian, however, for best results, I would go to a specialist, a veterinary dermatologist.
Have you tried the search engine here? This subject comes up frequently.
Example: /forums/topic/irritated-skin-food-allergy/
/forums/topic/dog-chewing-nails-till-they-bleed/
āFood allergies are rare. Food sensitivities tend to result in GI disturbances such as vomiting and diarrhea. Environmental allergies tend to show up as pruritus, ear infections and suchā.
āYou could try a limited ingredient grain free food. My dog does well on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea. Wipe down her feet with water and gently dry when she comes in from outdoorsā.
āBathe her using a gentle shampoo, I use Malaseb (see chewy dot com).
I tried all kinds of things times 1 year (including going back and forth to the veterinarian), but, did not get results till I took her to a dermatologist for testing. Allergen specific immunotherapy worked in her caseā.
Unfortunately, steroids and such are often necessary (for brief periods) to stop the suffering and prevent infection.
Allergen specific immunotherapy is the most natural treatment.
Also, I have heard that some dogs do well on apoquel, you may want to consider staying with that, talk to your vet.
Per the search engine here:
What you describe sounds like environmental allergies, food would have little impact, if any, on this condition.
I would continue to work with your veterinarian, however, for best results, I would go to a specialist, a veterinary dermatologist.
Have you tried the search engine here? This subject comes up frequently.
Example: /forums/topic/irritated-skin-food-allergy/
/forums/topic/dog-chewing-nails-till-they-bleed/
āFood allergies are rare. Food sensitivities tend to result in GI disturbances such as vomiting and diarrhea. Environmental allergies tend to show up as pruritus, ear infections and suchā.
āYou could try a limited ingredient grain free food. My dog does well on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea. Wipe down her feet with water and gently dry when she comes in from outdoorsā.
āBathe her using a gentle shampoo, I use Malaseb (see chewy dot com).
I tried all kinds of things times 1 year (including going back and forth to the veterinarian), but, did not get results till I took her to a dermatologist for testing. Allergen specific immunotherapy worked in her caseā.
Unfortunately, steroids and such are often necessary (for brief periods) to stop the suffering and prevent infection.
Allergen specific immunotherapy is the most natural treatment.
Also, I have heard that some dogs do well on apoquel, you may want to consider staying with that, talk to your vet.
“….my almost 2 year old, female German Shorthair Pointer is suffering from a skin condition that causes her to scratch behind her ears with such force that she’s losing her fur in that area and now the same itch is beginning under her legs. I’ve taken her to the Vet twice, switched to a grain free food and now a limited ingredient grain free food will be started soon, the Vet asked me to try daily doses of Benadryl and while it was a temporary fix, it’s no longer working as well as when I first started dosing her. The Vet has now suggested that I try Claritin but I feel as if continuing to try over-the-counter drugs is not the answer, I feel that the answer lies in getting to the bottom of what’s actually wrong, in other words, a real diagnosis and I’m just beginning to research skin testing methods and any holistic methods that may be available. I’m wondering if any of you have had similar issues with your own dogs and if so, if it was food related, what was the solution and also if anyone has tried a holistic method of solving a skin issue. Thank you very much for your attention to my thoughts and questions!”
I think dryness can be seasonal and linked to the colder dryer air. That being said it is not always the protein either,meaning salmon does not always offer a higher fat content (which would affect the skin). Larger breeds can do well on adult formulas too…this allows for slower growth. There are many brands which a great,Pure Vita,Canine Caviar,Fromm and I have even heard good things about Victor or Costco’s brand of dog food. Adding some fish oil to the existing food may be a way to go too
We recently adopted two 12 week old lab mixes, currently on Purina Pro Plan. Both have VERY dry skin. Vet agrees to switch food, trying a salmon based food, as a good step since there was no sign of any other cause. Looking over the EC puppy lists most seem to be chicken based. Is it safe to stay within the brand and family of food choosing a salmon based variety instead? Anything else I should look for?
Hi, have you tried another dry kibble with lower fat% & a different protein with limited ingredients, also is his kibble a fish kibble??
My boy is 8yrs old & went off any kibbles that is fish/salmon, he seems to get acid reflux from the fish kibbles now, especially when they have fish or salmon oil, he grinds his teeth he has IBD, over the years I’ve learnt what all those weird things he does mean…..
As dogs & humans get older we don’t make as much hydrochloric acid in our stomachs, it’s called “Hypochlorhydria” low stomach acid, so it can be harder to digest food & food sits in stomach causing acid reflux…
I would not be feeding the Raw Hide, google, “how is Raw Hide is made”, Rodney Habib has a excellent video, it will shock you.
Can you cook a cooked diet for him, even if you buy tin tuna in spring water & add boiled sweet potato & veggies a couple days a week & the other days buy lean grounded pork or lean beef mince…. I make rissole, I add 1 whisked egg to 1kg (2lbs) lean pork mince or lean beef mince, finally cut up 1/3 to 1/2 a cup broccoli, 1 teaspoon finally cut up parsley, 1 grated carrot mix all together & make 1 cup size rissoles & bake in oven on baking tray 15 mins into baking take out drain water/fat & turn rissoles over put back in oven, I boil sweet potatoes & freeze the rissoles & sweet potatoes in sections…. When a dog stops eating something is wrong & its normally their stomach or pancreatitis… he’s telling you this kibble is no good & would prefer to go hungry then have his pain or acid reflux or have whatever he’s getting… If they could talk life would be so much easy, I would not want to be a vet, a lot of the times test results don’t show anything wrong, & its a guessing game until you work out a diet that agrees with him….
I have a 12 year old German Shepard/Lab mix who is allergic to wheat and chicken. We’ve been feeding him NurtoSource for a couple of years now, mixed with wet food. Up until recently he’s always been a hardy eater. But lately he’s been turning his nose up at his kibble. He’ll still eat the wet food, cooked veggie and rice, and likes to chew on toys and raw hides, so I don’t think its a lack of appetite issue or a problem with his teeth. Has anyone else run into an issue like this before? My vet doesn’t even know what to make of it.
Hi Ryan, sorry about your little dog losing a leg, lucky the other dog couldn’t get thru the fence all the way there may have been a different outcome….
Start looking for LOW CARB kibbles, high protein, low fat kibbles & wet tin foods….a lot of Hills, Royal Canine & Purina formulas are very high in carbs causing the dog to gain weight….
This is how you find out the carb % in a kibble, find & add the Protein% + fat% + fiber% + moisture% + ash%, if there’s no ash % just add 8% for ash, add all together now take away score from 100 & you have the carb% in that kibble, try & stay under 40% for carbs under 30% would be better…..dogs have short digestive tracts made to digest meat not high carb diets, over the years our dogs have become accustom to these higher carb diets but some dogs just don’t do to well…
Hills prescription vet diet has a new low carb-36%, weight loss & joint care kibble & wet tin food on the market, called “Hills Metabolic + Mobility Canine” for weight & joint care & in the Wet tin Metabolic + Mobility wet tin canine vegetables & Tuna stew.. http://www.hillspet.com.au/en-au/products/pd-canine-metabolic-plus-mobility-dry.html
If you want a grain free kibble & wet tin food look at the Salmon/Whitefish formulas the omega 3 will be higher so better for joints, heart, brain, skin & coat…
“Holistic Select” has a really good Senior Health kibble has everything for aging dogs, easy to digest the kibble size is nice & small & the fat & fiber % is lower then the Hills Metabolic + Mobility Care formula…you can rotate between the 2 formulas & see which gives better results.. http://www.holisticselect.com.au/recipes.aspx?pet=dog
2 months, 1 week ago
