PS: I think you asked this question before: /forums/topic/plain-dry-food/
Hi,
What toppers do you guys use to too dry kibble? Right now I’m using some canned dog food as a topper. I like that it’s complete and balanced and I don’t need to worry about unbalancing the diet. Are there any other toppers I could use that wouldn’t unbalance the diet too much? I was thinking of using some sardines a few times a week. Here’s the thing 15% of her diet is currently already compromised of treats, veggies, and supplements. If added the sardines it would bring the percentage up to 25% coming from extras other than kibble/canned. Is this ok to do.. or is this unlamced? I read 15% should be the maximum Amount you should have as extras…I like the idea of sardines thought because it already has calcium in it plus EPA and DHA.
Thanks!
Celeste…Seriously? Have you not read my posts on
this matter? This has been tested and proven by myself, several vets, and many others. The rosemary contained in these treats causes bile dumping (rosemary is known for causing this, as it is a bile exciter). The excessive amounts of bile “dumped” because of the rosemary, causes fismy yellow vomit & extreme diarrhea (often turning hemorrhagic). Continued ingestion of rosemary frequently results in colitis, dehydration, anorexia, and liver/kidney issues that are the end product of dehydration/anorexia. If your dog is having the symptoms described and it is not eating these treats, I suggest you look at the ingredients of everything it is eating, including all dog food and any human foods (many raw chicken & turkey meats for humans contain rosemary) & the majority of canned & dry dog foods also contain it (including “high end” & grocery store brands).
Hello,
I own 2 Pomeranians, Samson and Lacey. They have both gained some weight over the last year, and I’m at a loss on how to slim them down. I already tried restricting treats and cutting back on the amount of food they get, but to no avail. Samson weighs 15 lbs when the vet thinks he should weigh 10lbs. Lacey is a mix, and weighs 21 lbs when she should weigh about 17 lbs. I feed them 2x a day. Samson gets 1/8 cup of dry food with a spoonful of wet, while Lacey gets 1/4 cup dry with a spoonful of wet also. The dry food is California Natural Venison and wet is Wervua.
I try to walk them when I can. In the warmer months, I pretty much will walk them everyday. They are both seniors. Samson is 8, and Lacey 10.
If anyone has any advice, PLEASE help! The vet recommended a low protein diet, but I heard high protein is better… I just don’t know what to do anymore.
We have a boxer mastiff mix that suffered with severe allergies. Allergies to the point that she would bleed and smell horribly of yeast. We took her to a hollistic vet and had allergy tests done, only to find out that she was allergic to literally all foods. We found that Orijen Senior is the only food she can handle. She’s been on Orijen senior for a few years now and is very healthy and has put on some very healthy weight (as she was always very skinny before). We moved to the country approximately a year ago, and have noticed that she can eat horse feed and not break out. (she cleans up the food that the horses drop). So i have determined that her worst allergies are not the grains, but to the starches like peas, potatoes, etc. I am happy with the orijen Senior, but it’s $100 per bag and she goes through a bag a month, along with two other dogs and I have three teens. Can anyone advise me on a quality dry food that contains some grains, but not the starchy vegetables? Thanks!
Hi, I was going through the same thing with my 15 yr. old Cocker, one Vet said food allergies, but restricting her at her old age was not in her best interest. I tried the Honest Kitchen Turkey, still runny poop, I tried the Honest Kitchen poop firmer powder which worked for a short while. I tried Orijen Senior, she didn’t like it. Then she was diagnosed with a heart murmur & while adjusting to that I bought Acana Duck & Pear, she loves it but the runny poop issue returned, back in forth to vet, prescription dog food, dry & canned, she wouldn’t eat most of it. So I started cooking whole turkey breast for her along with veggies, rice, pasta etc added to the Acana….but what really has solved the problem is….1/4 Metronidazole tab twice a day everyday…no runny poop since last Oct. It’s a bitter pill so I put it inside a gelatin capsule & wrap in turkey. Vet is happy with the regimen & when asked if it was Colitis she said “probably”. Now she can eat a variety of things without the tummy noise.
Hi, the Canidae Pure Meadow Senior formula has no Rosemary, it has only 9 ingredients & smells really good, has crunchy kibbles, my boy has been pinching the neighbors dog food when he visits, Canidae sells the smaller bag, maybe give it a try & see if she likes it…
https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products/canidae-grain-free-pure-meadow-dry-formula
Ok. The drooling is back. Noticed last night that he was drooling excessively after dinner and he didn’t want to settle in for the night. So I took him back to the vet today. He has some tartar on his canines (not terrible though) and his gums were a little red but not swollen. He has some ulcer on the outside of his lower jaw. The vet doesn’t think that the mouth is the main issue. Since I started to notice the issues after switching him to Wellness Core Reduced Fat dry kibble, he wants to eliminate the possibility that it’s food related. The vet told me to give him 20mg of Pepcid 2x day for 10 days to see if there is an improvement.
In reply to Susan, I don’t think it’s the Zignature, because he started to have the issues while eating the Wellness and I switched him to the Zignature immediately on the suggestion of someone else in the forum. But yes, Zignature has 435 Calories/Cup, where the Wellness Core only has 360. I’m transitioning him off the Zignature to Fromm Gold Weight Management which only is 341 kcal/cup.
If the pepcid doesn’t help, he’s going to do a full blood work up to check his liver and put him out to clean his teeth and do a more thorough check of his mouth, teeth and gums. And if he still has issues, then we’re going to look more closely into his food.
So what I thought was a done deal is back to being a mystery.
Hey everyone. I have wanted to feed my dogs raw for a long time but I don’t think I can afford it. My dogs have always had 5 star rated wet and dry dog food mixed like now I feed them Wellness limited ingredient diet dry and Holistic select wet food mixed in and it costs me about 70 dollars a month but I know raw is much better for them plus I have tried many many kinds of 5 star rated dry and wet dog food an my dogs only eat it cause they are very hungry because they don’t really like any i have tried. I have 2 small dogs both weight about 15lbs. Can anyone tell me a raw or freeze dried food I can feed them that won’t cost me much more than what I’m paying now? Or is that totally impossible to feed them raw or freeze dried for around that same price per month. I am on disability so I have limited income an i cant afford to go much higher. Both my dogs are in pretty good health. My pomeranian is 11 years old and acts like he is 4 years old or less. My shi-tzu is 10 years old and he isnt as active as my pomeranian and he does have some medical issues but the vet says he believes that he was inbred at a puppy mill. Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.
There are a number of 5 star dog foods listed in your editors choice that when clicked on are then 4.5 or even 4 star foods in their descriptions. I would also like to see a few filters since there are quite a few of them to read through. Filter them by stars, raw, wet, dry, performance, maintenance, senior, adult, puppy etc.
Thanks
Royal Canin makes a variety called “Aging 12+” that is lower phosphorus. I buy the bag that has “Mini” on the side of it, which they say is for dogs up to 22 pounds, although any size dog could eat it. The Guaranteed Analysis on the bag says “Protein (min) 24%; Fat (min) 12%, and Phosphorus (min) 0.41%. The bag says it is “Easily rehydrated,” which is good, as our kidney dogs need lots of water. Some brands of kibble just will not soak up water. The prescription Royal Canin dry kibble, variety “A”, lists phosphorus as 0.27%. I have a vet RX for the prescription food, but I have been researching and it seems that protein does not usually need to be restricted until Stage 3 of chronic kidney. So I like that the “Aging 12” has more protein than the Rx food. I bought the “Aging 12+” at Petsmart, but if there is not one near you I’m sure you can buy it from Amazon or Chewy’s. It is very palatable; my Boston Terriers love it. Just be sure you get the “Aging 12” because there are also bags for “8” and “10” (referring to the age of dog, I think) and they are not lower phosphorus.
Hi Corsomomma21-
Too many treats add unneeded calories to the diet and can result in a fat puppy. It is important to train, but not every aspect of training requires a treat. Sometimes praise and pets are the best type of reward. For the times when a treat is really needed as part of her learning an important command such as recalling to you, you can use things that are high value. Cooked or freeze dried organ meats are usually high value. Another good idea is using her food as treats if she turns out to be food driven. You can keep track of how many pieces of dry food you use as treats and subtract that from her meals so you keep the calories down.
Also congrats on the Corso puppy! Between pitbulls and Corsos those are the two breeds I’m most passionate about. I’ve already got my Corso breeder picked out for when we upgrade to a larger house.
-
This reply was modified 8 years, 9 months ago by
pitlove.
Hi Elaine. I was wondering how much that answers dog food costs you per month to feed your dogs? I am on limited income. I have 2 small dogs both about 15 lbs. I spend approximately 60 bucks a month to feed my two dogs dry food with wet mixed in.
My 7 year old Westie was using Orijen for around 6 years. I’ve been rotating between adult and regional red for a couple of years without any issues. After opening a bag of the “new” original formula from Kentucky he got a terrible case of diarrhea which didn’t go away until we stopped giving him that food. He’s currently having boiled chicken, rice and some pumpkin and doing okay. Reading up on different dry foods to use. Anyone try Farmina?
Vet said that since the Benadryl worked, it should be due to environmental allergies. She said Benadryl does not help with food allergies. They recommended that I give it to him for a period of time and then stop and see what happens. Hopefully it will go away in a month or when the season changes.
I know most people turn up their noses at it, but Pedigree has worked wonders for my older dog who had so many health issues going on at the same time, one contributed to the worsening of another, until he was diagnosed with kidney disease about three months ago. He had chronic (i.e., daily) diarrhea, abdominal pain, and was urinating blood at one point. After the diagnosis of kidney disease, he was on Hill’s k/d canned and a specially tailored home made diet for renal patients. It was expensive, time consuming, and honestly, even on boiled chicken and rice he had issues with soft, frequent bowel movements 🙁
At the recommendation of our Vet, we substituted the k/d for dry Pedigree Lamb & Rice.
Moose’s problems started around December of 2015. From that point until late January of 2017, he hadn’t had a single normal bowel movement. He was going quite often, but the first day we mixed in Pedigree with some home cooked, he went the entire day without having a poo accident in the house. When he finally did go, his stool was normal, hard and formed, passed without any pain.
He’s been to the Vet since starting out on it, and his BUN & blood creatinine levels drastically improved.
The Lamb & Rice food is 21% protein/10% fat/0.8% phosphorous. I know the ingredient list isn’t fancy, but the food is made from American sources and has an excellent balance of nutrients. I’ve since switched my other dogs to it. The 10 year old with allergies and very bad problems with reverse sneezing has seen a DRASTIC reduction in breathing issues. Her tear stains are not gone but visibly lessened, and an old ear infection that never responded to antibiotics has cleared up. Needless to say, I’m very happy with the quality of this brand, even though it’s something I wouldn’t ordinarily have tried.
Anyone know of a 4 star or higher rated dry food that has small kibble that’s not actually suited for small breeds. My 105 pound American Bulldog mix and 45 pound Catahoula Leopard Dog mix are so particular when it comes to their food.
One day were were out visiting a friend, who on the advice of her vet, feeds her 40 pound mixed breed Purina One (she’s now overweight…I’m not surprised). My dogs zeroed in to her food bowl. Now I know the Purina isn’t good quality, and it was probably the additives that made the food taste good. But they also seem to like the smaller, irregular shapes of the kibble.
All of the kibble that I’ve run across is pretty big, not an issue for my American Bulldog, but my Catahoula isn’t as enthused with it.
I’ve pretty much concluded that all of the itching/licking/ear issues aren’t food based. I’ve done elimination tests. During the last bout of issues, I switched immediately to Zignature based on a suggestion in this forum. Neither dog ‘loves; the kibble and I have to add apples and sardines just to get them to eat it. The itching seems better, but I’ve also been treating my dog’s paws with OTC meds that appear to be working, so I don’t know if the food helped or not. I’ve tried a dozen different food brands, mixing up the main proteins, and there doesn’t appear to be a big difference between them. The itching/ear issues just seem to pop up at random.
My dog is American Bulldog/pit mix and I’ve read that they’re just predisposed to itching and ear issues. As long as I catch flareups early in the game, I can usually treat the symptoms.
I read that you can give a dog benedryl for environmental allergies, but I’m always wary of giving them anything made for humans. Is it really safe? My vet always just wants to prescribe general antibiotics to clear the ears but the OTC drops work just as well for a fraction of the cost.
Hi Kylie: I have no experience in wet food for yeasty dogs so I can’t help with that. I Tried keeping my dog away from various ingredients but no luck. I tried feeding Darwins raw but no change. My holistic vet suggested a raw with no produce and that worked, for him. All dogs are different. He had one ear infection in recent ears and we think it was due to humidity. He does groom himself often and sometimes he licks a sore in between toes. He has that now.
A grain free low carb food may be worth a shot. Keep in mind, you need to give him no treats, just his food. Keep a journal.
I dont know exactly what causes my dogs issues but a change to raw worked for him. I can deal with an occasional ear infection due to humidity and paw licking is fine, unless he’s causing damage which is happening now. I *think* that is due to heat in the house causing dry skin and boredom.
From a previous post:
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)
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) it’s 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.
Example: /forums/topic/irritated-skin-food-allergy/
/forums/topic/dog-chewing-nails-till-they-bleed/
“Food 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 such”.
“You 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 outdoors”.
“Bathe 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 case”.
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 talking to to your vet about that.
I am new to the site and wanted some insight on dog food. I have 3 pugs 10,9, and 4 years old. My 4 year old itches constantly and I have taken her to vet 3x with no answers. I think my first step may need to change her food and I am at such a loss on where to begin. I feed them dry blue buffalo now.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks
Shannon
“He has been to 3 different vets in my area and they all either just want him to stay on benadryl or give him steroid injections”.
Just wanted to add my 2 cents, while you are waiting for Marie to respond.
Sometimes steroids are necessary (temporarily) to stop the suffering and risk of infection until an accurate diagnosis is made. Sounds like it could be environmental allergies which are unrelated to food.
Has your vet referred you to a veterinary dermatologist? That is where I would start.
Have you checked the search engine here, example:
/forums/topic/candida-in-dogs/
/forums/search/allergies/
Hello InkedMarie
You seem very knowledgeable in the topic of dogs with yeast problems so I thought I’d ask you where to start. I have a 5 year old rat terrier who suffers from constant yeast infections in his ears. He also randomly has problems with his paws and dry itchy red skin. He has been to 3 different vets in my area and they all either just want him to stay on benadryl or give him steroid injections. I have been feeding him diamond naturals chicken and rice formula. After reading lots of different posts in here I would like to switch to a grain free low carb food. Do you think I should start with one on this list or should I try a wet dog food that contains no starches? I keep reading conflicting info about how I should use a wet dog food with no starches to help combat the yeast. Thanks for all the info.
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. 😀
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) it’s 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/
“Food 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 such”.
“You 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 outdoors”.
“Bathe 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 case”.
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! 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’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 8 years, 9 months 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 8 years, 9 months 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, puréed 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.
