[Patricia A]

Stella and Chewy’s also just came out with a grain inclusive in two proteins.
Stella’s Essentials Wholesome Grains Kibble

Stella’s Essentials with Ancient Grains provide a great solution for pet parents looking for a premium diet that has a variety of wholesome grains including barley, oatmeal, brown rice, millet and quinoa. Our diets are protein-rich, nutrient dense and packed with the finest natural ingredients to support whole body health and best-in-class animal nutrition.
Product Benefits:
Responsibly sourced animal proteins – cage-free & grass-fed
Poultry-free option
Pea-free, lentil-free & potato-free
Wholesome grains including brown rice, pearled barley, oatmeal, quinoa and millet
Made in the USA with no ingredients from China
Rich in Omegas for healthy skin and coat
Strong levels of glucosamine & chondroitin to help maintain hip and joint function
High quality proteins for lean muscle mass
No corn, wheat or soy protein
No by-product meal
Guaranteed Taurine levels
Complete & balanced for all life stages less large breed puppy

[Christopher F]

This product caused a serious adverse reaction in my dog, the company continues to charge my account on a recurring fee.

I tried Nutra Thrive a month ago after reading all of the great reviews and watching a compelling video. Just like anybody who would use this product, my dog’s health is a very high priority. And that’s exactly what this company preys on. People like me who would pay just about anything for my dog’s well-being are complete suckers for this product. It’s a waste of money (there are others that are a fraction of the price) and it’s dangerous. I have the vet bill to prove it.

The first day I added it to his food, I let my dog smell it before I sprinkled it into the bowl. He turned away immediately. It smelled like grass actually. It turned the food a dark green color when mixed in, as well, but I wasn’t concerned about that. My dog was a bit resistant to eat at first, but he acclimated.

After about a week on the product, my dog began scratching persistently, rubbing on furniture, and shaking his head. I didn’t suspect the Nutra Thrive at first, and gave my dog a bath. The bath did not relieve the itching. After three days, the symptoms were so severe, he wasn’t eating or sleeping. I took him to my veterinarian on an emergency visit, and I brought the Nutra Thrive with me, because nothing in the environment or his food was changed, except for the Nutra Thrive. When I showed it to my veterinarian, he told me to immediately discontinue use, and my dog was having a severe allergic reaction. Nutra Thrive isn’t based on science, rather it’s based on Dr. Richter’s personal experience.

He treated my dog with allergy shots and prescribed an ointment for his infected ear. After a few days off Nutra Thrive, he returned to normal, and his ear was healed up in about a week. Luckily, my dog is ok now. Although I have two unopened jars at home, I put this all behind me and moved on, until today.

Today, I received an email, confirming that ANOTHER order (that I DID NOT ORDER) has been shipped. According to USPS, the shipment had not yet been received by USPS when I checked the tracking number., though.

First, I didn’t / wouldn’t order this product again, and I wouldn’t need any, even if I did want to re-order. My dog is 30 pounds. Three jars is a three month supply. So if I were to reorder, I wouldn’t have needed another shipment until September. When I contacted customer service and told them I didn’t order this and my account should not have been charged, they hung up on me – TWICE.

When I called the third time, a gentleman told me that he’d have to send a return authorization form and I’ll have to mail the product when I receive it – even though USPS hadn’t even picked it up from their warehouse yet. I pointed out that USPS shows that it hasn’t even been scanned yet, so it must still be at their facility. He said he’d try a pre-ship cancellation, but didn’t think it would work. (What???)

I explained that I was unhappy with the product, and that it caused a severe reaction in my dog. He said he’s received training on Adverse Event Reporting, but had never heard of any reactions like this. He didn’t take an Adverse Event Report for this event.

I work with the US FDA on a daily basis, and I’m well versed in adverse event reporting requirements. I was surprised that the gentleman who took my call chose not to complete the AER. If your dog or cat experiences any kind of reaction after starting this supplement, you should discontinue use immediately. Adverse reactions to food and food supplements should be reported to the manufacturer AND to the US FDA. If your pet has experienced issues with this supplement, please submit a complaint on the FDA website in the Pet Food Safety Reporting Portal. https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/report-problem/how-report-pet-food-complaint

The customer service representative also told me that I was (unknowingly) subscribed to receive monthly shipments. I never saw anything indicating I would be receiving monthly shipments, or I wouldn’t have ordered it. My bank told me about this type of scam in the past. They see this all the time. Companies will put in the fine print that you’re subscribing to something and you end up with monthly charges on your account.

I only live at the address they’re shipping to part-time. I won’t even be here when it does arrive, so they’ll leave it at the door where it’ll sit for around 10 days, unless it’s stolen first.

My Advice:
1. I do not recommend this product. Please consult your vet and discuss the ingredients before you try this product.
2. If your pet has experienced any type of adverse reaction, please submit a report to the US FDA Pet Food Safety Reporting Portal.
3. If you order anything from this company, be sure to read the fine print. They will charge you monthly. Be prepared to deal with rude customer service representatives, and uncooperative people. The gentleman I spoke with was very polite and professional, although he failed to take an Adverse Event Report, and did not inform me of the 90 Day guarantee.

[Susan]

Hi Ashley,
sounds like he had bad acid reflux, what he had eaten for breakfast was still in stomach not digested properly & it would of smelt awful so imagine the taste when he brought it up, you should of let him eat some grass not much about 1 mins worth or gave 1 piece of very brown dry toast. .. or give ant acid med Zantac/Pepcid, or 5ml liquid Mylanta would of relieved discomfort straight away…
Why Magnus wanted to eat & eat was to take away the acid taste in his throat & the bad taste after vomiting acid & undigested food that came up his esophagus, bad acid reflux can cause stomach ulcers, burn throat/esophagus & wind pipe when bad..
Next time this happens do you have liquid Mylanta, get small bottle keep in the fridge give him 5mls in a 20ml syringe this helps straight away, then after 20-30mins give him a few plain dry biscuits, or white breed made into toast cut in pieces, or buy Slippery Elm Powder make into a slurry..
Put 1/2 a teaspoon slippery Elm powder in a cup, boil the jug, then slowly add boiling water & stir quickly till you make a slurry, don’t make it too thick cause you need to pull up into a syringe.. you make it thin but not too thin or thick, you don’t make a paste…
Give Slippery Elm Slurry when dog has nausea, has just vomited to line his esophagus & stomach, when he’s mouth licking, swallowing, has upset stomach or diarrhea..

With kibble you don’t want Protein % too low under 25% as the carb % goes up when protein & fat is low low.. High carbs can cause acid reflux as well.. I feed 25% + Protein, 13% max -Fat & Fiber-5% max, Carbs -30% & under.

Have a look at “Wellness Core Large Breed Adult” Patch does really well on Wellness Core L/B & Canidae Pure Wild formula’s for his Acid reflux…
https://www.wellnesspetfood.com/natural-dog-food/product-catalog/core-large-breed-large-breed
Wellness have their “Wellness Simple” formula’s, Patch did well on the Simple Turkey & Potato kibble, I have found Patch does best on Potato Grain Free diets for his acid reflux you just have to work out what agrees best with your dog
Also be careful with Omega Oils, Fish Oil, Salmon, Oil, Coconut Oil, Linseed Oil these oils can cause acid reflux, same with high fiber diets, some of the low fat weight management kibbles are high in fiber low in fat.. make sure you check the fiber stay under 6%
also High Kcals kibbles are very dense & harder to digest, so stay under 370Kcals per cup

also feed 3-4 smaller meals a day, so his stomach isn’t empty too long
I feed 7am, 12pm, 5pm & a very small meal 7-8pm-1/4 a cup kibble..

Here’s the Wellness range, its often on special this is when I buy it, when I have my 25% off voucher.

For Dogs

Here’s the” Acid Reflux in dogs” F/B group, Acid Reflux is very common in dogs, my vet said she see at least 1-2 cases a week, owners don’t know what wrong or happening with their dog.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1635198406751056/

[Patricia A]

I’m on this board frequently and just would like some opinions if these ingredients look okay, good, excellent? As I’ve written on this board ad nauseam I have Chihuahuas’ and use kibble as a small base atop freeze dried in different brands and proteins as well as toppers of home cooked in between, I’ve been using grain free for years so don’t know what to look for in a grain inclusive as this one is.

Responsibly sourced animal proteins – cage-free & grass-fed
Potato-free & poultry-free options
Wholesome grains including brown rice, pearled barley, oatmeal, quinoa and millet
Made in the USA with no ingredients from China
Rich in Omegas for healthy skin and coat
Strong levels of glucosamine & chondroitin to help maintain hip and joint function
High quality proteins for lean muscle mass
No corn, wheat or soy protein
Chicken, chicken meal, pearled barley, oatmeal, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), brown rice, natural chicken flavor, tomato pomace, flaxseed, millet, chicken liver, quinoa, calcium carbonate, dicalcium phosphate, potassium chloride, salt, suncured alfalfa meal, salmon oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), inulin (from chicory root), pumpkin, blueberries, taurine, tocopherols (preservative), thyme, sage, choline chloride, dried kelp, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite, calcium iodate, vitamin E supplement, thiamine mononitrate, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, rosemary extract.

Product Analysis:
Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein (min)25.00%Crude Fat (min)15.00%Crude Fiber (max)5.00%Moisture (max)10.00%Omega 6 Fatty Acids* (min)3.50%Omega 3 Fatty Acids* (min)0.50%Taurine* (min)0.20%Glucosamine* (min)800 mg/kgChondroitin Sulfate*800 mg/kgCalorie Content3,750 Kcal/kg
382 Kcal/cup

No by-product meal
Guaranteed Taurine levels
Complete & balanced for all life stages less large breed puppy

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

[AdinaFay]

Hey all,
Has anyone ever tried or looked into free-feeding supplements to their pooch that’s on a homemade or raw diet? I’m interested in if this has been done before or if there is a specific reason that it is /not/ done. It’s (at least as far as I am aware) standard practice for livestock and horses, and most dogs/cats will already self-regulate to a certain extent with behaviors such as grass-eating.

Background:
After struggling for two years with my 8lb mix’s allergies I’m committing to an elimination diet and, since that will be a long process of me making his meals, am also looking into proper balancing of homemade and raw meals. I don’t want to go a pre-made/balanced route because, at least for the first few months, they would defeat the point of the diet. I understand the concepts of balancing the diet as a whole, took animal nutrition in college, and am confident that I can create a menu that serves him well. However, I also understand how and why the AAFCO standards exist and I like the concept of him having access to additional supplements should he need them without me risking over-dosing him by providing a daily vitamin along with a diet that is well-balanced.

Thanks in advance for any input!

(X-posted in the supplements forum)

• This topic was modified 4 years ago by Mike Sagman. Reason: Fix Duplicate Topic Title

[AdinaFay]

Hey all,
Has anyone ever tried or looked into free-feeding supplements to their pooch that’s on a homemade or raw diet? I’m interested in if this has been done before or if there is a specific reason that it is /not/ done. It’s (at least as far as I am aware) standard practice for livestock and horses, and most dogs/cats will already self-regulate to a certain extent with behaviors such as grass-eating.

Background:
After struggling for two years with my 8lb mix’s allergies I’m committing to an elimination diet and, since that will be a long process of me making his meals, am also looking into proper balancing of homemade and raw meals. I don’t want to go a pre-made/balanced route because, at least for the first few months, they would defeat the point of the diet. I understand the concepts of balancing the diet as a whole, took animal nutrition in college, and am confident that I can create a menu that serves him well. However, I also understand how and why the AAFCO standards exist and I like the concept of him having access to additional supplements should he need them without me risking over-dosing him by providing a daily vitamin along with a diet that is well-balanced.

Thanks in advance for any input!

[Ryan K]

Hi Laura!
My dog has been off and on with his hacking Since that initial posting. My vet and I are both inclined to think the cause of his discomfort and hacking is reflux. I actually had a few months Problem free after my cousin mentioned I had way too many plug in air fresheners (the bath and body works wallflowers) in my outlets. I didn’t realize I had one in every room. She said that caused her coworkers cat to be violently ill. When I removed them my dog was literally problem free for three months before “relapsing” about two two months ago. I did test out the wallflowers again though when he had had a few days of no symptoms and it almost instantly flared him up so I believe there is an element of respiratory distress from those fragrances but I also believe it’s a lot to do with what he eats. I have had him on Science Diet Low fat ID and that seems to help. When he gets a flare up of his ravenous licking I give him a half of a Pepcid and omeprozole (at different times during the day). I notice when he gets into a licking fit the most relief he seems to get is honestly letting him go bonkers eating grass outside until he feels better. This usually takes about 25 minutes of him ravenously gulping them down but then he calms down. Sometimes feeding him toast helps too. It’s something in his stomach and keeping it full seems to help. I think he gets reflux from his grazing habits. He doesn’t fill his stomach up with big meals so the acid builds up and overflows. That is my guess and my vet’s too. I should note that I haven’t had any extensive testing done on him…simply bloodwork and physicals. Sadly, he slipped a disc again a month ago and has been on confined bed rest which has been so hard. He hates it. But, he is walking which is great. It’s very scary to see him in pain like that from his back. The pain meds are also an insane trigger for his stomach being upset. I hope this update gives you some insight. Thanks for the link! I am bookmarking it now to read when I get back home! 😀

[Christie B]

Not quite sure what I have all figured out since my question was about whether eating the same food for long periods of time can cause stomach issues.

If it’s about the grass eating, I added it to specify that in addition to eating grass to induce vomiting when their stomachs are upset (which for my 1 dog is 1-2 times per month and the other almost never has any issues), my dogs usually eat grass daily. Which is something I had the vet check out and confirm that they were healthy and it was fine.

But thank you for the Fromm recommendation! Is there a particular Fromm formula that works best for you?

[Christie B]

I already discussed grass eating with my vet. Some dogs just like to eat grass he said, his dogs included. However, he cautioned that if you have a dog that normally does not eat grass, then eating grass is a sign that the dog has a stomach issue and is trying to induce vomiting.

My mother’s dog never ate grass. But all of a sudden she’s eating grass, vomiting, eating more grass, vomiting, licking floors/carpet…

She needed surgery because she had an intestinal blockage. Turns out she was sneaking in the back room and started to literally eat the fibers of a throw rug. The vet saved the contents of her stomach. It was unreal how much stuff was in there. It literally looked like she had swallowed a mop head.

But my dogs have always eaten grass. Actually, my 1 dog always ate grass from the time I adopted him. When I adopted my other dog 6 years later, she never ate grass (she was 14 weeks old when I adopted her). She would follow my older guy around and do what he did. She started to copy his grass eating habits. Now they go out together…it’s amusing to watch.

And yes, they’ve also eaten it with an upset stomach to induce vomiting or I’ll notice it in their poop.

But sometimes they’re just hanging out in the backyard running around and playing and wind up wandering over to some taller blades that the lawnmower missed and lazily chew away.

My vet said it’s fine as long as their blood results are good and they appear to be eating fine. And when my big guy has an upset stomach episode I can tell by his body language that it’s going to be a bad night for him

[anonymous]

Eating grass is a red flag that something is wrong with the dog!
The only dog I ever had that did that (more than just once in a blue moon) died young of an aggressive form of cancer.
I am talking about a span of dog ownership over 30 years.

[crazy4cats]

Have you tried buying smaller bags? Maybe he is hyper sensitive to the food at the bottom being stale or rancid. My dogs love eating grass and there is nothing wrong with them. I am on a DCM Facebook site where thousands are switching to Purina ProPlan Sensitive Salmon with excellent results. I feed mine Purina PP Large Breed Weight Management and I couldn’t be happier. Good luck!

[anonymous]

Dogs eat grass because they are nauseous, they are trying to induce vomiting. It is not normal to eat grass. I would try to stop them.

I would talk to your vet about prescription food/therapeutic diet. That is if the Purina Pro Plan Focus doesn’t do the trick.

Also, more diagnostic testing may be indicated to get to the cause.

Visit this site (link below), use the search engine to look up various topics, nothing is being sold at that site.

More Nonsense from Holistic Vets about Commercial Therapeutic Diets

[Christie B]

My American Bulldog mix has a history of occasional stomach upset that causes excessive drooling that I have to use Pepcid to treat. I thought it was pretty random, usually occurring 1-2 times a month. But I’ve noticed that it tends to happen as we get towards the end of a large bag of dry food (my vet had suggested rotating every 1-2 bags). Rotation helped a lot, as did avoiding chicken.

It seems that issues starts once we’re a few weeks into a bag of food. Picking up stools yesterday, I noticed that they were pretty soft and one had mucus inside. Both dogs have been going to town on eating grass, but that’s pretty normal for them (and I don’t use any chemicals on my lawn or garden). Could it have something to do with sticking with the same formula for too long? I’ve been rotating every 2 bags, but maybe I should rotate every bag instead…

My vet also suggested Purina Pro Plan Focus Adult Sensitive Skin & Stomach Salmon & Rice Formula .
Do any of the ingredients look suspect?

Salmon, barley, ground rice, canola meal, oatmeal, fish meal (source of glucosamine), animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols, brewers dried yeast, salmon meal (source of glucosamine), natural flavor, sunflower oil, chicory root inulin, salt, fish oil, Vitamin E supplement, niacin (Vitamin B-3), Vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate (Vitamin B-5), pyridoxine hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), folic acid (Vitamin B-9), Vitamin B-12 supplement, thiamine mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Vitamin D-3 supplement, riboflavin supplement (Vitamin B-2), menadione sodium bisulfite complex (Vitamin K), biotin (Vitamin B-7), potassium chloride, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (Vitamin C), and choline chloride

[joanne l]

It is really soft like mushy, hard to pick up on grass. I say I only gave him about 10 kibbles with 1 1/2 cups of his regular dry food. I have not changed foods in a while, he has been eating holistic select dry food since January. I talk about a new foods but haven’t decided yet. This was my first attempt. I have nutrisource in mind if this doesn’t work. I do change wet foods but I know that is not a problem. I been using the same ones for years.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 6 months ago by joanne l.

[joanne l]

Well put, I also agree about the fiber, especially rice bran!! If my dog eats a food with rice bran his stools are terrible. I steer clear of that ingredient. Also, yes dogs poop 3 times as much with a high fiber and that is not good. I agree totally. Some of these companies have like 6 to 8 % fiber and that is way too much for us. I go with 3 to 4% for maximum. Too much stool out put more lost nutrients. Like you said.

I just read about wolves, how they get their fiber. I couldn’t believe it, but they get their fiber from fur and feathers. This is true I will try to post the articles. I checked a few and all said the same. They said, “wolves eat bones with fur on them and there are two reasons fiber and it protects their stomachs from sharp bones. Very interesting. They also eat grass to purge an upset stomach. It is so interesting how natural provides them with everything they need. So wolves don’t eat fiber foods that dog food contains. We would say yuck to feathers and fur, but it is fiber and protection to the wolf.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 7 months ago by joanne l.
• This reply was modified 6 years, 7 months ago by joanne l.

[anonymous]

For best results I would go to a veterinary dermatologist, especially if this is becoming a chronic condition and has not responded to treatment by the regular vet. The veterinary dermatologist can do skin testing to identify the environmental allergens responsible then they will discuss treatment options.
If you suspect food sensitivities then the only way to rule out is to have the vet prescribe hydrolyzed food, difficult to follow, commercial brands do not compare.
There is no cure for allergies but there is effective treatment and management.

https://www.acvs.org/small-animal/otitis-externa excerpts below, click on link for full article

Otitis externa is an inflammation of the ear canal. Because dogs’ ear canals are L-shaped (Figure 1), fluid does not drain easily from canal openings. Additionally, the lining of the ear can become inflamed and thickened, blocking air and fluid flow in and out of the canal. Animals with otitis externa can also develop otitis media (middle ear inflammation). Similar to the problem seen in children (especially after airplane flights), fluid can build up behind the ear drum, causing pressure and pain. Otitis externa and media are common conditions in dogs, particularly in specific breeds such as the Cocker spaniel and German shepherd.
In puppies and kittens, otitis externa is often caused by ear mites. These tiny parasites cause terrible itching and a thick brown discharge. In adult dogs, the most common underlying cause is allergies- sensitivity to something in the environment or to food. In older animals, tumors can cause blockage of the ear canal and secondary infection. Other predisposing causes may include foreign bodies (such as grass seeds), or small ear canals (often seen in Shar peis) or long floppy ear flaps (for example, Basset hounds) that prevent air flow. Hormonal problems, such as poor thyroid function, or other underlying skin disorders may also be present.

[Susan]

Hi Denis,

Sound like your GSD had a Furunculosis on his bum, my boy has IBD, Seasonal Skin Allergies (Summer/Autumn) & he has food sensitivities, food allergies are rare & the dog normally will suffer with IBD when he/she suffers with food allergies..
Anal furunculosis is a chronic, progressive inflammatory disease of dogs that results in ulceration and inflammation in the area surrounding the anus.

Here’s link – “What is Idiopathic Furunculosis (German Shepherds)?”
https://wagwalking.com/condition/idiopathic-furunculosis-german-shepherds

If your dog is eating the Hills Z/d vet diet, after 1 month if he is doing firm poos, no farts, no skin problems & he is doing really well this is when you start a food elimination diet & try too work out what ingredients your dog is sensitive too?? that’s if it is food related?? its Spring in America it could be environment allergies or his immune system is crashing from Allergies or vaccinations?? it takes a while doing food elimination diets, 1 month to trial 1 new ingredient at a time to his Hypoallergenic vet diet, it can take 20mins up to 6 weeks for the dog to react, with itchy skin, ears, red around mouth, paws, gas/wind/farts, vomiting, itchy yeasty ears, skin, anal gland problems take a bit longer 4-7days when dog is reacting to an ingredient..
I found Patch reacted within 20mins of eating raw or cooked chicken, when he eats grains & carrots he took up to 5 days to react with sloppy yellow poo, farts & yeasty smelly skin & ears…
Results are 100% correct with food elimination trial. Blood, Fur& Salvia testing can give false positives results, they’re a waste of money also it’s best to do food elimination diet in the cooler months when allergen are lower, its hard in Spring & Summer as your dog might be itchy cause of a plant, tree, grass, flowers, pollens in yard or next door & you think its what he’s eating & its not, keep a diary you will start to see a pattern with Seasonal Environment Allergies, also baths weekly, baths are best to wash off any allergens on skin, paws head etc ….
I wipe Patch down with baby wipes days I don’t bath him, read the ingredients in the baby wipes & get the baby wipes that have Aloe leaf abstract in them, also Patch was getting furunculosis on bum & paws, when his immune system was down, when I first rescued him, so now after he poos I always wipe his bum with baby wipes & I wipe down his paws when he walks on wet grass or freshly cut grass he gets red paws..

Get some “Sudocrem” its an anti-fungal, anti bacterial healing cream, for Dermatitis, Eczema, Nappy Rash, Pressure Sores, if you live US look on Amazon & I’ve read Walmart has started to sell Sudocrem, its an excellent cream… it heals sores, cuts, red paws, thinning of fur on head, excellent for itchy bum, when they scoot (bum surf)
Make sure his immune system is healthy & its best to see a Dermatologist as they specialize in skin..

Look at “Adored Breast” Healthy Gut & Love Bugs (Pre & Pro Biotics) made by Julie Anne Lee

Please watch these videos below when you have the time, Julie explains what might be happening with your dog.

Here’s Julie Anne Lee – Allergies, Skin Disease, or Autoimmune – PT 1

Here’s Julie Anne Lee – Allergies, Skin Disease, or Autoimmune – PT 2

[Susan]

Hi Rose,
I have a Staffy who suffers with IBD, Helicobacter, bad acid reflux, vomiting nausea, have you asked vet to do Endoscope + Biopsies to see if she has Helicobacter or Ulcers??
Vet needs the biopsies results then he’ll have answers or ask vet can he prescribe you the Triple Therapy meds that kills Helicobacter its – Metronidazole, Amoxicillin taken every 12 hours with a meal & 20mg- Omeprazole (Prilosec) taken in morning once a day or I give Patch Pantoprazole-20mg now, Dog takes the Triple Therapy meds for 21 days & when the Metronidazole & Amoxicillin is finished you continue giving the PPI – Omeprazole or Pantoprazole 20mg…
research shows the Helicobacter cant live in the stomach when taking a PPI…

after 1 year Patch on 20mg-Omeprazole Patch started gulping grass, vomiting, feeling sick he got really bad the Omeprazole wasn’t helping him anymore so we did another Endoscope + Biopsies & Patches Wind Pipe & Esophagus was red & inflammed & his back teeth had Gingivitis from the acid coming up his esophagus, then I asked the vet can we change his PPI (Omeprazole) to Pantoprazole what I take for my GORDS when I tried the Omeprazole it didn’t help me either, when we did another Endoscope + Biopsies in January 2018 vet said Patches Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES) flap isn’t closing properly & the acid is washing back up his esophagus & the Pantoprazole seems to work best for LES….

I wouldn’t be feeding the vet diets they made Patches Acid reflux worse as they are high in, carbs, Omega oils this can make the acid reflux worse + the high carbs & grains are no good for acid reflux…
Look at “Wellness Simple” Turkey & Potato kibble or a Limited ingredient single protein kibble that has potato or sweet potato & not high in carbs-30% fat-13% max, fiber-5% & under, & feed 4-5 smaller meals a day 7am, 9am, 12pm, 5pm & 7.30pm & if you can feed some cooked meals say for Lunch lean white meat -Turkey breast + 1/2 boil sweet potato pieces & freeze the sweet potato pieces, they freeze & thaw really well, then I thaw 1 pieces & mash on a plate & warm 7sec in Micro wave when Patch seems unwell the Sweet Potato soothes the esophagus & stomach….

Go Health food store & buy “Slippery Elm Powder,” add 1/2 a teaspoon to a cup, boil the jug & slowly add boiling water & quickly stir & make a slurry paste thick but thin enough so you can pull up into a 20ml syringe pull up 4ml of the slippery elm paste/slurry& put syringe in side mouth towards dog back teeth & push she will swallow it, give 20mins before meals or after she has vomited up all the acid the slippery Elm will line & protect her esophagus & wind pipe + stomach..
I give Patch those Quick Eze Rapid Chews Forest flavour, I cut 1 in 1/2 & wrap the other 1/2 up for next time & Patch chews & chews the Quick Eze, years ago I was giving him Liqiud Mylanta 4mls in syringe keep the Mylanta in the fridge so it soothes the throat, esophagus & stomach.. I’m wondering when she coughing is she naturally coughing up the acid from wind pipe this is what Patch was doing..
Maybe find a better vet that will help, my vet said they get in at least 4-5 dogs in a week who are suffering from bad acid reflux, vomiting etc, a diet change to home cook would be best or like I do I feed 3 meals a potato or sweet potato kibble & the other 2 meals cooked lean meal with boiled sweet potato & a lean white meat, just till she is stable then start looking into balancing her diet, my vet said they can go 2 months without balancing the diet…

She definitely needs an acid blocker & some Metronidazole, the Metronidazole will kill the helicobacter, its sound like Helicobacter, need a gluten free diet, no sugar carbs as the Helicobacter thrives on sugar..

[Lacey L]

I have a 7 year old golden retriever, Tucker, who is picky and has acid reflux. He’s always been very sensitive to foods ever since he was a puppy. I tried literally 20 different foods, all of which gave him very loose stools, until he finally did well on Kirklands signature and he has been on that ever since. I tried switching proteins within the brand because I read that is healthier for them but he didn’t like it.

I work at a Pet store and decided to try him on Activa because it is a customizable food I could had probiotics and glucosamine to as well as salmon oil for his coat. It was then I discovered he is Very allergic to salmon. So I put him back on Kirkland. Throughout the years his regurgitating food at night happened pretty frequently at times. Then he started the gulping, freaking out, drinking tons of water, pacing and wanting to eat grass. So I started giving him tums until it wasn’t enough and the vet suggested prilosec which helps 70% of the time but the other 30% it doesn’t help at all. He never gets table scraps and rarely gets treats but when I started him on the prilosec I would give him a tiny bit of peanut butter to put the pill in. My fiancé said the peanut butter might do it so I’ve switched to cheese instead and I’ve switched him to Pepcid AC complete. It’s only his second day on that but it seems to be helping.

His latest bout of acid reflux was pretty severe so I put him on small meals of chicken and rice throughout the day which helped but as soon as I put him back on his kibble he got the acid reflux back so he’s back on the chicken and rice.

I work and can’t cook for him forever and he’s a 90 lb dog (not overweight.. He’s actually thin) so I can’t afford raw or canned so I want to find a dry kibble for him to try that would prevent acid reflux. I’ve researched alot and was excited to try the nature’s Select lamb but I gave him a few kibble but he didn’t like it!! So I’m thinking of trying taste of the wild lamb next and if he won’t eat that then try the chicken flavors. I also read soaking in bone broth is good?

Any other food suggestions in case he doesn’t like the totw? Also as I said I work, so would having him grave all day be a bad thing? He is not an over eater at all. When I feed him breakfast alot of times he’ll just snack on it here or there anyways.

[Christie B]

Eh, I don’t know if the current topper that I made is going to work. Dogs love it, yeaterday after dinner, my dog started to lick his chops and drool. I gave him a Pepcid and thankfully he didn’t go full blown miserable drool machine. He slept fine, and ate his food this morning. Then right before I left for work, I notice that he was doing that gulping/I’m about to vomit motions. So I let him out and he made a beeline for dead grass to eat. I felt bad needing to leave, but have him Pepcid and crosses my fingers that I wouldn’t have to clean up vomit when I got back home. I checked on him periodically through the day with the pet cam. He was excited to see me when I got home. Fed him, but used a bit of canned salmon instead of the homemade food. And a short time ago he made the vomit gagging routine but no vomit.

Maybe the toppers are too rich for him to stomach.

Back to the drawing board.

[Cameron M]

Hi,
perhaps read my post to Patti. You mention the fish kibble seems to work best..maybe it is the protein? I assume the others you tried had protein other than fish – such as the chicken you mention or beef which is common?

My gal seems to do equally well on either grain free or regular salmon based food. beef seems the worst for her. Due to the concerns regarding “grain free” I am trying the regular salmon based food.

Also – I have learned that only a small percentage of dog allergies are food based with the majority being caused by environmental triggers just like humans. Grasses, pollen and even dust triggers reactions in effected dogs.

I hope your issue is easily resolved and hey a 3.5 star food isn’t necessarily bad. The reviewers tend to place emphasis on protein content etc…and frankly I try to have a lower but high quality protein percentage so as to avoid kidney issues later in life.

Solid Gold has a great Salmon based dry kibble but since the protein is only 21% it has a lower rating. Just food for thought. ( and btw I am not pushing a certain brand…I used to stand by Solid Gold but haven’t checked…they may be sold out to some super large corp now? And I do realize marketing image is always in play)

Cameron

[Cameron M]

Hi Patty,

When I got my rescue Cocker Spaniel she was a mess – ear infections due to neglect, her improperly cropped tail ( looks like a done at home job…yikes) was swollen and split in two actually. She had bouts of rubbing her butt on the floor due to what think was an itch..

Long story short a Vet suggested perhaps some of the issues was due to a food allergy. I immediately jumped on the grain free train and the one I picked happened to be salmon based and lower in protein ( for a 7 year old dog). Her conditions did seem to improve.

The other day at a great new vet the doctor told me how much she was AGAINST grain free dog food as it can cause heart issues and she stated that usually a dog’s food allergy is due to the type of protein vs the grain.

It makes perfect sense to me and if you think about dog’s wild cousins (Wolves and Coyotes) they all eat some amount of grain…if they catch a rabbit or deer or mouse usually the prey has some grain in it’s stomach…right? This tells me a dog’s digestive system is probably geared to eating some amount of grain..perhaps not massive amounts though.

This differs greatly from say a cow which developed solely from grass eaters. There was not massive corn fields or wheat fields growing across the plains of Europe or America when cows were bred to what we have today and I have heard that the cattle industry is the single largest user of what is basically Tums to settle the cow’s upset stomach when it is forced to eat corn to fatten up.

All said and done I suspect my pup’s allergy was the protein vs the grain. I have switched to a regular salmon based dog food and she seems just fine and dandy. I will repost if her allergy returns.

Hope this helps a bit!

Cameron

[Kim P]

I’m continuing my hunt for the right food for my 11 yo border collie who recently had silica stones removed. It’s incredibly difficult. Some of the foods suggested here by members contain many of the ingredients that should be AVOIDED in the food that you choose to feed your pet. Here is a list:

From: https://franklintnvet.com/canine-silica-stones/

Feeding to Prevent Canine Silica Stones & Crystals
Eliminate foods containing whole grains. Or, if you feel you must include whole grains in your dog’s diet, check the silica content at the USDA food ingredient website.
Certain natural diets also contain silica. Diets containing substantial corn gluten feed (not corn gluten meal), or intact grains (with hulls) often contain silica. Always read your labels!
The following is a list of foods known to contain silica. Avoid all foods on the list!
Bell peppers
Soybeans
Oats
Brown rice
Barley
Burdock root
Apples
Oranges
Raisins
Grapes
Cucumber
Hemp leaves
Horsetail
Marjoram
Spinach
Radish
Romaine lettuce
Tomato
Nopal cactus
Peanuts
Almonds
Millet
Flaxseeds
And don’t let your dog eat grasses, woody plants, and dirt. Silica uroliths are common in range cattle and sheep that consume forage grasses, which have a high concentration of silica.
Avoid using antacids containing magnesium trisilicate.
Be cautious using dietary supplements, homeopathic remedies, and medicines containing silica. Always read the ingredient label!

[Susan]

Hi Christine,
What symptoms does your dog suffer with?? IBS stomach/bowel symptoms or just has skin allergies??
He might have Seasonal Environment Allergies, now he’s doing better cause it’s Winter & plant/trees in your yard or neighbouring yards aren’t flowering etc
You will know when Spring & Summer come back around keep a diary..
Or he was sensitive to ingredient in the grain free food, my boy can NOT eat a G/F kibble that has Tapioca, he starts to smell yeasty, scratches, itchy, scratches bum on carpet, Lentils cause bad gas, wind pain then has diarrhea, when he eats Barley he gets yeasty smelly skin, yeasty paws & sloppy yellow poos, rubs bum on ground, Corn Gluten causes yeasty smelly skin, paws, sloppy poos then diarrhea & rubs bum on ground, Oats = yeasty skin, paws & sloppy yellow poos, rubs bum on ground, Carrot cause itchy ears, shaking his head/ears..He doesn’t do well on any grain formula’s..

When he eats a grain free dry kibble that has Potato, Sweet Potatoes, Chickpeas further down the ingredient list his IBD & skin goes really well thru the Winter months then when Summer comes around something in the environment causes bad skin allergies, I know grass & wet grass is 1 allergens he suffer from, he goes down hill with itchy skin, red paws, whinging & he’s eating 1 of the same G/F foods he did well on thru Winter months, I rotate his G/F foods, Wellness Core, Wellness Simple Turkey & Potato & Canidae Pure Meadow Senior & Canidae Pure Wild Boar all Grain Free formula’s.

If a dogs diet has too much Omega-6 & is way too low in omega-3, the omegas need to be balanced properly then the dog will suffer with skin problems…
eg-Omega-6 Fatty Acids-2.80% Omega-3 fatty Acids-1.00%,
Omegs-3 should be nilly 1/2 of what the Omega-6% is…

Pet foods that are AAFCO aproved means nothing as some are NOT balanced properly… this is 1 thing Susan Thrixon pointed out in her recent link
“DCM Study Misses the Big Picture”
By Susan Thixton – December 14, 2018

DCM Study Misses the Big Picture

If he’s doing well on Blue Buffalo feed it but I would also rotate & feed another brand that has similair ingredients as the Blue Buffalo he does well on has. This way if there is something wrong with a certain batch, or its not balance properly etc he isnt eating the same dry dog food 24/7 also if ever something happens you know of another brand you can fall back onto..

[Christie B]

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

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

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

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

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

No more issues.

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

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

[Hav mom]

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

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

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

[joanne l]

Hey everyone I have an idea, since all legumes are so out of the ball park for any animal to eat, lets just not feed it for that reason alone. Grains are really not unusual for animals to eat if you think about it. Wolves eat certain grass, could be wheat grass and others who knows. If you think about it, what animal eats legumes? Horses eat hay and some vegtables, deer’s eat berry’s, grass, corn and so forth. Rabbits eat lettuce, carrots and so forth I think you get my drift. However, what animal eats legumes??? It is just an idea since this whole thing is uncertain, this is my idea just not to feed it for those reasons alone. Furthermore there are people who say the same about grains, how they are not species appropriate, but how come they are feeding legumes??? Even squirrels don’t eat beans.
Here is another article about beans: ttps://paleoflourish.com/paleo-why-legumes-are-bad

• This reply was modified 7 years ago by joanne l.
• This reply was modified 7 years ago by joanne l.
• This reply was modified 7 years ago by joanne l.

[Susan]

Hi,

How’s his bum?? did you apply a cold press, lay him on his side & relax him, apply & hold a few cold baby wipes on his bum for a few mins, then apply some Bepanthen soothing baby cream..
or get some Betadine & soak a few tissues in Antiseptic Betadine solution & hold on his bum for a few mintues & watch he doesnt lick, the Betadine will relieve his itch & reddness..

The food has to agree with your boy, what you like & think is good, these ingredients may not work aswell for your boy, or what might work for 1 person dog may not work for your boy & when a food doesn’t agree with someones dog they normally post bad things about that brand of food & its not the brand of food that’s bad, 90% of the time it’s the person dog who’s sensitive to an ingredient lol..

He seems to be having problems with Purina, time to move onto another brand, you normally know within 1 month if a food is going to work for the dog…

“Victor” has their Select Lamb Meal & Brown Rice.
alot of people say good things about Victor, the “Victor Select Chicken Meal & Brown Rice” formula has the best ingredients out of all the Select formula’s & it has no Oatmeal or Barley, look for LID formula’s that have no Oats or Barley, no ingredients that are in his Purina formula..Maybe no Lamb aswell??
Can he eat Beef, Pork, Chicken?

I’d try the Victor Select Chicken Meal & Brown Rice it has Lamb Meal in it aswell. Chicken formula’s seem to have more meat & better ingredients.
https://victorpetfood.com/products/chicken-meal-brown-rice-formula

“Nutro Wholesome Essentials” Large Breed Adult Farm Raised Chicken
The LID Lamb & Rice formula worked for Patch, years ago, he was doing small firm poos only 1 or 2 poos a day. It only haa about 3-4 ingredients

“Farmina” Lamb & Blueberry Adult Medium
https://www.farmina.com/us/eshop/dog-food/n&d-ancestral-grain-canine/120-lamb-&-blueberry-adult-medium.html

“Eagle Pack” Large/Giant breed Adult.
http://www.eaglepack.com/product-orignal-dog.aspx?product=85#.XAH-hvZuI5s

“Pro Pac Ultimates” Lamb Meal & Rice.
Made by Earthborn Holistic
https://www.propacultimates.com/dog-food/lamb-meal-brown-rice-formula/

“Sportmix Wholesome” Large Breed Adult.
Made By Earthborn Holistic
alot of people have good results if their dog has sensitive stomach/blowel..
https://www.sportmix.com/dog-food/wholesomes/wholesomes-large-breed-chicken-meal-rice-formula/

“Holistic Select” Lamb Meal & Rice
but I think Holistic Select has way too many ingredients & probiotics, too many ingredients is opening the door for more reactions your boy might have & you wont know which ingredient it is..

You can always return the kibble or you might “find” a formula that agrees with him??
You wont know until you try, maybe look at a Chicken Formula, I wonder if he’s reacting to the lamb but there’s not much lamb in the Purina formula he’s eating, its seems to have more Oatmeal & Barley then Lamb, this is probably the problem??
His bum would be painful & sore so they lick & the more they lick & lick the same spot their tongue strips their skin..
I had a cat years ago, he had a small sore, probably was a Hot Spot, he licked it that much I had to take him to the vet to be stitched up, he made the sore triple the size..

I came home from shopping last week & Mr Patch had licked & licked his back paw inbetween his toes, he could not walk for 2 days limping on 3 legs & had to wear a shoe on his sore paw, the nut gave himself a red ulcer from licking in the same spot for 1 hour… Grass Allergies

[Susan]

Hi Joanne,

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

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

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

[Susan]

Hi Joanne,

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

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

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

[Susan]

Hi Athony,
Your dogs probably have Environment allergies, my boy has Seasonal Environment allergies & food senitivities, they both normally come together…
I’ve worked out my boy food sensitivities & I’m in a routine for his environment allergies weekly baths in a medicated shampoo, twice a week when he’s really itchy, I use Dermcare Malaseb medicated shampoo, it relieves Patches itchy skin & paws & kills any yeast or bacteria thats on his skin & paws, he feels heaps better after his baths & Ive washed off allergens & dirt, then I use baby creams for his paws, “Bepanthen” soothing antiseptic cream for red rash on stomach from grass & “Sudocrem” on his paws to protect against the allergens, (grass).
I also use baby wipes to wipe him down after being outside…

If you want a diet thats ethically-sourced, organic/certified chemical free you’ll have to feed a raw diet, organic meats & vegetables humans eat.. if you live in Australia, then I’d recommend “Frontier Pets” dehydrated raw, it’s free range, organic meat, eggs & veggies..
I’ve heard “Answers” fermented raw is very good quality but expensive you could just buy their Goats milk as this will strengthen your dogs immune system also Vitamin C & Krill Oil added to your dogs diet..
The only other thing you could do is see a good Animal Dermatologist & have a “Intradermal Skin Test” done to see what are your dogs are allergic too in the environment then they get “Immunotherapy injections”

As the dog ages their allergies get worse, Patch is doing really bad this year at the moment its Spring & we’re having 4 seasons in 1 day some days, no wonder more & more dogs are suffering with allergies now….
Good-Luck

Have you tried “Cytopoint Injuctions” a few people say Cytopoint injection have helped their dogs they last 4-8 weeks depends on the dog, Cytopoint has less side effect then Apoquel..
Dog will have better quality of life relieving their itch, we dont have Cytopoint in Australia yet, we have Apoquel tablets, I bought 2 weeks worth but I haven’t used them yet, my vet said I can start giving Apoquel twice a day with his meals then once he stops his itchying reduce to just 1 Apoquel tablet a day, then 1 Apoquel tablet every 2nd day, a few of my vet dog owners are doing this then stopping the Apoquel & see how the dog goes in the cooler months..

[Susan]

Hi Athony,
Your dogs probably have Environment allergies, my boy has Seasonal Environment allergies & food senitivities, they both normally come together…
I’ve worked out my boy food sensitivities & I’m in a routine for his environment allergies weekly baths in a medicated shampoo, twice a week when he’s really itchy, I use Dermcare Malaseb medicated shampoo, it relieves Patches itchy skin & paws & kills any yeast or bacteria thats on his skin & paws, he feels heaps better after his baths & Ive washed off allergens & dirt, then I use baby creams for his paws, “Bepanthen” soothing antiseptic cream for red rash on stomach from grass & “Sudocrem” on his paws to protect against the allergens, (grass).
I also use baby wipes to wipe him down after being outside…

If you want a diet thats ethically-sourced, organic/certified chemical free you’ll have to feed a raw diet, organic meats & vegetables humans eat.. if you live in Australia, then I’d recommend “Frontier Pets” dehydrated raw, it’s free range, organic meat, eggs & veggies..
I’ve heard “Answers” fermented raw is very good quality but expensive you could just buy their Goats milk as this will strengthen your dogs immune system also Vitamin C & Krill Oil added to your dogs diet..
The only other thing you could do is see a good Animal Dermatologist & have a “Intradermal Skin Test” done to see what are your dogs allergic too in the environment then they get “Immunotherapy injections”

As the dog ages their allergies get worse, Patch is doing really bad this year at the moment its Spring & we’re having 4 seasons in 1 day some days, no wonder more & more dogs are suffering with allergies now….
Good-Luck

Have you tried “Cytopoint Injuctions” a few people say Cytopoint injection have helped their dogs they last 4-8 weeks depends on the dog, Cytopoint has less side effect then Apoquel..
Dog will have better quality of life relieving their itch, we dont have Cytopoint in Australia yet, we have Apoquel tablets, I bought 2 weeks worth but I haven’t used them yet, my vet said I can start giving Apoquel twice a day with his meals then once he stops his itchying reduce to just 1 Apoquel tablet a day, then 1 Apoquel tablet every 2nd day, a few of my vet dog owners are doing this then stopping the Apoquel & see how the dog goes in the cooler months..

[Cindy W]

Acana kibble food from the Kentucky plant nearly killed my cavalier king charles spaniel. He was very anemic and his GI tract was a mess. I didn’t know what to do. I began to research online day and night. I came across Dr. Judy Morgan, a holistic vet. What an eye opener! I watched all of her free webinar videos on you-tube, and then I watched all of her other you- tube videos. Wow. I had no idea that commercially prepared dry food is so HARD on a pet’s body, even when it’s a “good” food. Also, even when it is a “good” food, the sources for ingredients in commercial pet food can change and if the source is inferior the pet will suffer or even die. That is what happened to my dog. He nearly died. After watching the you-tube videos, I ordered Dr. Judy Morgan’s easy to read, small books on Amazon (they are not expensive). I read, “From Needles to Natural”, then I read ” Yin and Yang”, both in one day. At last, common sense, and from a veterinarian. I felt empowered to make his food. I bought a Cabela’s meat grinder (you can just buy a hand grinder for $15). I already had a small scale, which is necessary to weigh the ingredients, and I already had a food processor (but you can just chop the vegetables). I made my first batch of homemade pup loaf. My dog gobbled it up and he still goes crazy, eager to eat at every meal. The results have been miraculous. He is healed and is thriving. The “original” pup loaf recipe is the only one that I make because it includes ALL needed nutrients without having to add vitamins or minerals. The ingredients hardest to locate were local grass fed beef heart and grass fed beef liver (a local butcher took my order and provides it , but it can be ordered online) and the other ingredient that I had to locate was frozen cold water salt water mussels (the frozen pack that I buy are from Denmark), which I found next to the fresh seafood at Whole Foods. Everything else can be bought at your local grocery store. The original pup-loaf recipe will make exactly 4 dozen muffins. I wrap each one in foil, put a dozen per big zip lock bag and freeze. At night I take out enough pup muffins for the next day and put them in the fridge to thaw overnight. I weigh my dog every other day. I feed him to keep his weight at 15.2 lbs. (I stand on the scales while holding him to weigh him). He gets no grains at all in this diet. His cloudy eyes have cleared and he is full of energy. It isn’t necessary, but in addition to his pup muffins, we bake chicken thighs for him. We also finely mince and mix together a variety of fruit and vegetables. The chicken thighs can be frozen as well as the fruit and minced cooked vegetables. Soooo….each meal our dog gets: half of a pup-muffin, two tablespoons of minced baked chicken thigh meat and a tablespoon of cooked vegetables. His poops and his blood tests have been perfect. Praise the Lord!

[Linda K]

It seems a lot of vets push Royal Canin and Hills. Every vet I’ve ever taken my dogs to have stocked those brands in their offices. My current dog has had belly issues all his life. We did a 30-day trial of Hills I/D. It didn’t make a lot of difference. He was on limited ingredient grain-free turkey-based food and doing well, but then we learned he had extremely low taurine without cardiac deficiencies. The cardiologist told me to slowly wean him into a non-grain-free food. I started him on a 5-star air dried food with an exorbitant price tag. He’s doing great on it. I hate paying the price, but I love not having to clean up vomit after every meal and being able to pick up poop with one bag and no spray bottle to clean off the grass! Good luck!

[Christie B]

My American Bulldog mix has allergies to chicken, which I’ve heard is common with bully breeds. I rotated many different foods for the past 9 years that I’ve had him, in the hopes that I’d one day find the formula that wouldn’t trigger an attack.

So many non chicken protein formula’s have chicken or chicken meal as the 3rd or 4th ingredient. I guess it’s an inexpensive protein to add to formulas.

I’ve tried lamb, beef, pork, turkey… after a few weeks more often than not allergy symptoms appear. It’s harder to try a new food in the spring and winter because he also has environmental allergies, so it’s hard to figure out what triggers him.

So far, fish seems to be the safest protein. He used to eat Blue Buffalo with no issue when he was younger but the vet recommended stopping it because he was gaining too much weight on it (even after I cut back on the feeding amounts).

I went to Petsmart two weeks ago in search of a limited ingredient food. The previous bag that we tried was Zignature, but reviews here along with neither of my two dogs wanting to eat it (I literally had to put a small bit of shredded cheese on the food to make it appealing) turned me off that brand. I was looking at Nulo’s formulas when an associate wearing a Nulo shirt approached me (of course). She said they have a Salmon based limited ingredient formula. I read the label: Deboned salmon, salmon meal, yellow peas, chickpeas, canola oil, died sweet potatoes… didn’t see any chicken, beef, pork, turkey and gave it a shot.

The bag is almost gone. Both dogs are actually eating it. Stool is ok. I haven’t noticed any excessive drooling that indicated a possible upset stomach. No uptick in eating grass (sometimes they just like to graze). It seems like so far, so good.

However, there were some concerns in reviews that I read. I heard that peas and pea protein are also common allergens. Nulo has two product lines: Freestyle and Medal. Petsmart exclusively sells the Medal series and Freestyle is found online. I asked the rep in the store what the difference was and she said it was name only. The formulas were the same. However, when I went to order from Chewy yesterday (usually cheaper than Petsmart), their Freestyle was almost $20 more than the Medal at Petsmart. It made no sense. I contacted Nulo on their FB page and this was their response:

Thanks for reaching out to us here at Nulo. We appreciate the opportunity to help!
Our FreeStyle Limited+ and MedalSeries L.I.D. recipes are formulated using only one animal protein source and do not include the fruits and vegetables found in our other recipes. The difference between our FreeStyle Limited+ and MedalSeries L.I.D. recipes is simply the inclusion or exclusion of peas – our FreeStyle Limited+ recipes do not include peas or pea fiber.

Is the exclusion of Peas worth the $20 difference? Are fruits and vegetables usually the cause of allergies that they would be omitted in the Limited formulas?

[Susan]

@ Patrica
Have you watched your utube video?
the dog in your utube post is NOT having reverse sneezing attack, he is having a gulping attack caused by acid reflux, the acid has come up his esophagus up into the throat causing alot of discomfort, so the dog keeps swollowing, some dogs lick their paws or lick their beds to swollow the bad taste…..
this discomfort can all be stop with a liquid ant acid or eating dry biscuit or eating grass, sometimes the dog will vomit up the grass mix with yellow acid & feel better..

I video Patch doing the same thing as the dog in your utube video when I first rescued him & showed vet & he said, Patch has acid reflux, we see this alot, about 2 cases a week..

This is a dog having a “Reverse sneezing attack”, alot of small breeds have reverse sneezing attacks….

By the way Patricia Anon 101 despises anything holistic & natural….

[JoAnn B]

They are 30 lb cockers, 11 yrs old and I give them 6 inch ones. I did stop and no more grass eating. I don’t know what to give them to chew for their teeth. I won’t give them rawhide or beef bones etc. Any ideas? I did buy greenies and they are OK with them but they are gone in 5 minutes.

[JoAnn B]

Bully Sticks: Why is my dog eating grass after eating a bully stick and sometimes throws up? Anyone have this issue.

[Susan]

Hi,

“I am thinking of changing his food, but I don’t want to upset his stomach”,

his intestinal tract is already upset, if he was doing really well on this Purina Pro Plan Sensitive stomach formula, his poos would be nice & firm, he wouldn’t be drinking & drinking water & he wouldnt be licking his bum…

DRINKING heaps of water- if his poos are soft/sloppy & not firm then he might be dehydrated, something in this formula might be dehydrating him like too many soluble fibers…your dog mighten have problems digesting his foods, your dog might be OK & can digest foods, he might digest his food too quickly like Patch does, so he doesnt need these type of ingredients that are high in soluble fibers that digest in teh small bowel, this could be the reason for drinking excess water??

Licking bum area or rubbing bum on ground/grass could be food sensitivities, something in this Pro Plan formula he’s sensitive too….
or his anal glands are full & need emptying, his poos mighten be firm enough & his anal glands are not naturally emptying now, this happens with Patch when he eats a grain kibble that’s higher in soluble fibers, maize/corn gluten meal, barley, oats, rice, & his poos aren’t firm enough to empty his anal glands…

Have you seen the Purina Poo chart??
https://www.proplanveterinarydiets.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/PPPVD-Fecal-Scoring-Chart-EN-FINAL.pdf

I really think alot of his Intestinal problems is to do with FIBER, Soluble fiber & Insoluble fiber & he cant handle too much soluble fiber ingredients as they digest too quickly in the small bowel & he might be like Patch & digests his food quickly anyway, so when they eat foods that are higher in soluble fibers this is when their poos are sloppy & are not firm.
He needs a dry food that has more insoluble fiber & less soluble fiber & alot of grain free formulas have more insoluble fiber ingredients & less soluble fiber ingredients..

Potatoes- Fiber from potatoes comes in both forms, soluble and insoluble, the “insoluble content is higher”. This is probably why dogs with IBS or IBD do really well when they eat a kibble that has potato in it…

He’d probably do better on a Large Breed grain free kibble that has potato?? or a grain kibble that has potato in it…

Make sure the next kibble you try has at least 2-3 meat protein meals as 1st & 2nd ingredients, so there’s less fiber in his diet & more meat but not too much meat 25%-34%, the Purina Pro plan Lamb & Oatmeal Sensitive Stomach doesnt have much meat protein in it, it has more plant proteins which = higher soluble fiber ingredients….

Have a look at Victor, a few people say their dogs are doing really well eating Victor dog food..
Look at the Victor Select formula’s, Victor uses the Montmorillonite clay.
Chicken Meal & Brown Rice with Lamb meal.
https://victorpetfood.com/products/chicken-meal-brown-rice-formula

or look at “Whole Earth Farms” Adult, it’s made by Purina if you like Purina but I really would look at a different brand for now.
https://www.feedgoodness.com/products/recipe?title=Adult-Recipe&id=6
or
“Whole Earth Farm” Grain Free Recipe with Pork, Beef & Lamb (Poultry-Free)
For All Breeds & Life Stages
https://www.feedgoodness.com/products/recipe?title=Whole-Earth-Farms-Grain-Free-Recipe-with-Pork%2C-Beef-&-Lamb-(Poultry-Free)&id=8

[Julie M]

Natural low fat raw definitely the way to go for you. There are many low fat meat proteins, being in Australia kangaroo is very low fat. Grass fed human grade beef, goat, rabbit, bison in US all should be low fat. And to maintain they ideal weight, I feed 2.5% of my dogs weight per day. There are many natural raw feeding sites with some great information. In Australia we can also buy frozen ready prepared Barf meals which are great for those who are time poor

• This reply was modified 7 years, 3 months ago by Julie M.

[Susan]

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

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

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

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

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

[Amateria]

Hey Doodlemom, I’ve been meaning to reply to you but I had some serious issues with my computer that kept showing the site as an error.

I have a pup with really bad stomach issues, we can’t really figure out what it is but what does help her is this little concoction I came up with, it settles the stomach and any acid reflux that may be present. The most important items to add based on my dog of course are as follows.

Super greens powder, this means chlorella, barley grass and wheat grass and spirulina, it’s very good in neutralising acidity and I feel it helps her out the most, when I didn’t add it I noticed her relief was very short lived or not present at all and her pain continued to depress her.

Ginger, settles the stomach very effectively and from personal experience using it in a turmeric tea daily helps for several hours. I’ve noticed it helps her a lot too.

Goat milk powder, reduces the heat of the ginger while providing it’s own set of relief, I was able to eat the powder when I was sick, which said a lot because I couldn’t stomach any dairy at all.

Probiotic and Enzyme both are together, they help her immensely and help her digest her food as I’ve noticed she doesn’t digest food very effectively and then has pains from that, but she gets pain in the mornings too which is why I reckon acid reflux.

These you can try if you want but are not necessarily necessary, turmeric with pepper for anti inflammatory action, settles the stomach for me, for her she was able to have it, but now she pukes it up usually onto the white carpet so I’ve stopped giving it to her.

Colostrum powder, provides nutrients to the body, gives them a healthy immune system and helps with heart disease supposedly.

Bone broth, same thing nutrients, immunity, joint health, heart health, may help with stomach problems.

I also give her a digestive support powder but I think it’s only available in Australia, this helps her immensely.

You mix these things together into water and you administer them with a faux needle or the pup drinks it and you wait 15 to 30 mins for it to start working it’s magic before offering food.

Of course this works for my dog, you can try it with yours but do take into account that it may or may not work. But it’s a natural option to try if you want.

[Susan]

Hi Clarie,
AM, English Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Pitbulls are prone to environment allergies & food sensitivities, my Patch suffers with both…. Patches vet said normally when a dog suffers with Environemnt allergies the dog will also suffer with food sensitivities…
I tried all the Vet diets for Patch, Hills Z/D, Hills Potato & Venison & Royal Canine HP & they seem to make Patch paws worst & the Hills Z/d made his skin & paw smell real yeasty… In the end I did a raw elimination diet, Kangaroo & blended green vegetables/fruit, Broccoli, Celery & Apple within 3 days no more smelly yeasty skin & paws.. I added raw chicken for dinner within 20mins of eating teh raw chicken 1 of Patches back paws went red hot & itchy he wouldnt stop licking it, I had to put an ice pack on his back paw….Have you tried doing a raw elimination diet?

Another thing I do with his paws I buy the Huggies Cucumber & Aloe baby Wipes & I wipe his paws & body down after he goes on a walk & when he’s been outside, I also apply creams “Sudocrem” works really well, I apply Sudocrem before he goes outside of a morning & the thick Sudocrem acts as a barrier & protects his paws from outdoor allergens then before he goes to bed at night I wipe his paws down with the Cucumber & Aloe wipes then I apply the Sudocrem on his paws & inbetween his toes with a cotten tip if they’re red.. You can buy Sudocrem from Amazon I also use “Bepanthen” Antiseptic Soothing cream when he gets a grass rash on his stomach & around his doodle, he goes outside & rubs his stomach & on the grass making his rash worse the Bepanthen cream is excellent works straight awa takes away the itch & redness.. look in you baby section at Supermarket for baby wipes & cream….
Patch has licked these creams & he’s still here they didnt make him sick 🙂 thats why best to apply creams at night before bed they also have a better sleep..

[Susan]

Hi Brenda,

IBS IBD is an awful disease, my Staffy Patch has IBD diagnosed thru Endoscope & Biopsies..
Are you seeing a vet that specializes in IBD/IBS??

You have just posted what my Patch was like when he took Predisone…

Predisone made my boy WORSE vomiting, nausea, Diarrhea, slept all thru day, my happy go lucky Patch became worse, I knew it was the Predisone, when his vet first prescibe it the first time I said NO NO, so we tried Metronidazole again which really helps him but then Patch kept having his stomach/pancreas pain, he was lifting his right paw & wanting me to rub his stomach so I thought it was his Pancreas that was sore but test result kept saying his Pancreas was good & healthy then the vet said its his stomach from the IBD 🙁
My vet suffers with IBD which is really good cause she knows all the symptoms..
Then I released he was only whinging & lifting his paw after eating certin dry kibbles…
his dry kibble can not be higher then 360 in Kcals per cup or high in fat this is when his stomach hurts…
I’d reduce his predisone over 2 weeks, then reduce again over 2 weeks etc & stop you’ll probably see he getting a bit better, reduce slowly if he’s been on Predisone more then 2 months, google side effects dogs taking Prednisone…
When Predisone works their poos firm up, the dog start getting better, they drink & drink water but that’s nothing compared to them being ill with IBD symptoms, my Patch didnt get better while taking predisone only worse & we started on a low dose 10mg twice a day for a 18kg/40lb dog, vet reduced down to 5mg a day, 2.5mg with breakfast 2.5mg with dinner still Patch wanst his happy self & his sloppy sloppy poo continued, vomiting stopped but he was feeling very sick & mouth licking eating grass, then once I stopped the Predisone Patch got better within 2-3 days.. Talk with your vet or start reducing the Prednisone yourself, then just explain to your vet & if you get a better result the vet normally says Ok then & my vet wrote on Patches chart he can NOT take Prednisone… Something isnt right with your poor boy nilly 2 yrs he should be getting better…

Here’s a good F/B group to join
“Dogs with Inflammatory Bowel Disease IBD – Raw Feeding & Holistic Support” group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/292537937935806/
I know it says “raw feeding” but there’s people in group that cook, give vet diets etc

Also go on “Judy Morgan DVM” F/B page & look thru her Video’s scroll down, down till you get to around August 2017 look for her “IBD Diet” I cant find it, but I am scrolling quickly
Here’s her “Pancreatitis Diet” June 4 2017 you can leave out some ingredients it gives you ideas.. https://www.facebook.com/JudyMorganDVM/videos/1347288501986822/

I buy lean 5 star human grade pork mince 1kg, You can buy Turkey breast mince just make sure they’re lean minces, no hamburger minces as they are very high in fat…
I add to 1kg/2.2lbs 1 egg whisked, some fresh chopped parsley about 1 teaspoon, some broccolli heads only a few little heads chopped up broccolli heads, mix all together, later I added 1 small peeled grated carrot but that was after I knew Patch could eat the bland pork rissoles, then I started adding more ingredients but at first only add a few ingredients just incase he has food sensitivities & make the rissole balls into 1/2 cup size rissole balls & bake on foil lined baking tray, bake for 15mins in oven, take the pork rissole out & drain any fat water, then turn over the rissole balls & bake for another 15mins take out, drain any fat/water & look in middle of rissole balls are they cooked & reading, I aslo buy 1 sweet big potato, I peel & cut up into small pieces boil then cool & I freeze the sweet potato pieces & I freeze the pork rissole separate to the sweet potato, then I add 1/2 cup sweet potato & the rissole bals are 1/2 a cup, you mash the sweet potatoes thru the cut up rissole balls or I put all in a blender & blend……

Are you feeding 4 smaller meals a day?
also what dose of Omeprazole is your dog taking?
My Patch just took 20mg Omeprazole in morning when he took twice a day he seem unwell & got a fermenting smell in his mouth so vet said just give the 1 x 20mg Omeprazole in morning but this March I changed his Omeprazole over to Pantoprazole x 20mg after Patch was taking the Omeprazole for 2 yrs, the Omeprazole didnt seem to be working no more & I knew the Pantoprazole works better for me as I take it..
There’s a few PPI sometimes you need to find the right one, dont just stop the Omeprazole, never just stop a PPI, it needs to be very slowly reduced, if he’s taken Omeprazole twice a day then you can be reduced to just the 1 tablet a day thats OK its when you completly stop a PPI..

Make sure you only do 1 new thing or reduce 1 med at one time over 1 week, then the next week you can try something else new, so if he does reacts you know what its from…
I’d be reducing the predisone as it sounds like it isnt helping him & might be making him worse..

There’s Hills I/D Digestive Care Stews Chicken,Vegetables & Rice low fat can food this smells really good it smells like baby food.. another thing you can try is buy the tin Salmon in spring water small tins, drain all water & add 1/2 sweet potato put in air tight container in fridge & give small meal for lunch, dogs normally love fish…Sweet Potato soothes stomach & bowel & firms up poo..

[Susan]

Hi Joanne,
this happened with Patch at all the local parks in our area, the council men would spray the grass & weeds at all the parks every 3 months & they only put up their weed spraying signs saying they are spraying & have the name of the weed killer poison that they were using at each end of the walk ways, then when they were finished they take down their weed poison signs & leave so if you came a few mins or hours later you wouldnt have a clue there’s poison every thru the park where the dogs walk on the grass & sniff & this poison gets absorbed thru their paws or they lick their paws 🙁

Did you end up trying a new dry food or you were going to re feed Pro Plan Lamb & Rice formula but you were worried to retry it again??
What dose was he taken when he took the Metronidazole? with Patch I have to do very low dose 200mg with a meal twice a day every 12hours then after 4-5 days I just give him 1 x 200mg Metronidazole tablet at night with his meal then he goes to sleep…

I’m looking thru Patches IBD note pad, I use to write things down when another dog in the IBD group had similar IBD problems like Patch had…
here’s other drugs that are used for dogs with IBD but the dog reacted to Metronidazole & dog can not take the Metronidazole.
Sulfasalazine
Olsalazine
Secnidazole or Tinidazole
Doxycycline,
but my vet told me there is NO drug the same as Metronidazole that has an anti inflammatory & antibiotic in it?

Holistic meds instead of using Metronidazole.
“Colloidal Silver” from health food store, Colloidal Silver is suppose to help anything bacterial, fungal or viral, upset stomach instead of giving the dog Metronidazole or there’s L-Glutamine, Licorice root but Ive never tried the Holistic meds, Lew Olson swears by L-Gutamine she has her “K-9 Nutrition” F/B group, I never tried the holistic meds cause Patches vet ended up talking to another vet & he said to re try a very low dose Metronidazole for a 17kg dog & said to give Patch 250mg Metronidazole twice a day every 12 hours with a meal, so now when needed I just give 1 x 200mg Metronidazole tablet twice a day when Patch first starts the Metro then I reduce in 3-5 days to just 1 x 200mg Metro tablet Patch poos dont go good straight away, his poos are yucky for 5-10 days then after I’ve stop the Metronidazole he starts to do 2 perfect poos again…
I found this really good information, research done on small & large breed dogs the other day in the files of my”Dogs With Inflammatory Bowel Disease” – Raw Feeding & Holistic Support ” F/B group..

when you have a quiet 15mins read thru all this
REVIEW ARTICLE
Digestive sensitivity varies according to size of dogs:
a review M. P. Weber, V. C. Biourge and P. G. Nguyen
Royal Canin Research Center, Aimargues, France..

After reading the review I now I understand why Patch who is only a medium size breed dog does really well on “Large Breed kibbles” they are made for a large breed dogs stomach & bowel, to prevent large breed dogs getting bloat & other intestinal problems…

Have you ever tried a Large Breed dry dog food that was grain free & had Potatoes, no Lentils or Chickpeas? the “Wellness Core” Large Breed Adult formula is really good or another dry food that has similiar ingredients & has high Protein, low/med Fat, Fiber & low Carb % low Kcals per cup, I was always scared to try over 30% for Protein but Patch seems to d better with less carbs…
I hope this link works it explains why small breed dogs & large breed dogs need different dry diets. here’s a bit of the Review.

For a large breed dog, the general goal is to limit any ingredient that could increase the level of fermentable undigested residues and, in fine, exacerbate colonic fermentation. Highly digestible sources of proteins and starches are therefore strongly recommended to maintain an optimal digestive tolerance…
Fermentable fibre sources (i.e. beet pulp and FOS) must also be used in limited quantity in their diet. Conversely, the incorporation of non-fermentable fibre (i.e. cellulose) appears useful to increase their stool quality. It’s a really good read, I hope this link works, it worked when I posted it on f/b for another lady whos dogs is pooing too many poos & is doing sloppy/jelly poos….
Patch didnt do well when Patch was only eating the Purina Pro Plan OptiDerma, I had to put him back on the Wellness Core Large Bred & the next day perfect poos..

https://lookaside.fbsbx.com/file/Digestive%20Sensitivity%20and%20Dog%20Size.pdf?token=AWxdS0LAtYflktKtk13bU2vfu6buTNCdW6HuK-ODXVMRA1UBaouyR1S_TfaVGEbXbIpp2p6fRZXdmszsoTwQZGhNeoDyb0W9R_0CvuF-OKim0TaYxFpqxeGUiMAul6fOw942a71TqDuB7PAfHWAjeqQEF40Ftp4UF-2VFrylY3uo-A

[Amelia Z]

Hi Linda!I believe he’s ok, but his taurine whole blood was 148 and it should be >250 for a golden. So I have to get the echo to be sure. But he was on acana grasslands all his life and he is 7, so I would think if he had an issue it would have shown by now. We’ll see.
So I hope your boy likes the real meat company or should I say his “system” likes it. Do you give him probiotics? My boy ALWAYS had very soft poop. He would start in one spot and walk all over the yard. UGH! I started with Mercola healthy pets – complete probiotics and there was a big change and now even better on this new food. Never thought I would see good poo from him! I’m sure you know to wean him slowly on this new food. It’s very rich because it’s all meat. I tried the chicken, no good for these guys (both of them very soft). Then I tried the turkey (soft, not as bad as the chicken though) but the beef is excellent for them. I will try the turkey again because they say it’s good to change proteins but if they can’t tolerate it then forget that. I also add fruits & veggies to their food as well. Do you? I buy from chewy.com, it’s actually 1.50 more than the pet guys for the 10lb bag-auto ship. So good to know they have it also. Let me know how he does on it.

[Susan]

Hi Pacer,
It probably has nothing to do with having teeth cleaned, this health problem has just gotten worse…
I bet you she is having bad Acid Reflux & feels sick…ask vet can she be trial on 20mg Omeprazole (Prilosec) an acid blocker for 10 days also Metronidazole to kill the bad bacteria that takes over the gut, or trial Pepcid (Famotidine) an acid reducer but the Omeprazole works the best & only given once in morning doesnt have to be given before food like the Pepcid has to be given 20-30mins before meal twice a day…

As we age we do not make as much Hydrchloric acid its called “Hypochlorhydria”… Lack of sufficient stomach acid, it contributes to acid reflux in pets & humans & this is when the Helicobacter takes over the good bacteria then lives in stomach wall…
Helicobactor Spirals are very common in aging dogs, when the Helicobacter takes over stomach the dog is always hungry, wanting to eat then they feel better then 20min-30min later all the pain comes back, she needs Endoscope + Biopsies & your vet will get more answers, acid reflux does cause teeth problems aswell, my 9yr old boy had to have his teeth cleaned January 2018 while he was having Endoscope & Biopsies, the vet found Gingivitis back molars..

Stop feeding any wet can foods, they’re higher in fat, you need under 3% fat for wet can food, Vet diet wet can foods are lower in fat – 1.7%….
When you convert pet shop wet can foods 4% fat or say 5% fat in a wet can food when converted to dry matter fat (Kibble) the fat is around 16%min to 26%max fat, that’s pretty high & would be contributing & making the acid reflux worse…boil some lean Turkey breast or Chicken Breast with boiled Sweet potato instead of the wet can foods…

I’d ask vet to do Endoscope & Biopsies or ask can you just try the triple therapy meds for Helicobacter, it’s “Metronidazole, Amoxillin & Omeprazole” taken for 3 weeks, then you continue with just the 20mg Omeprazole after the 3 weeks.

If you dont have time to make lean cooked meals then start her on a low fat 12-13%, low carb- 30%, high protein around -34% kibble, a lean home cooked diet is best or a Large Breed formula like “Wellness Core” Large Breed Adult, the fat is 13%, Protein is 34% & Carbs are 30% & Kcals per cup are low at 345Kcals per cup, Large breed formula’s are made specially large breed intestinal health aswell, I’ll post a link after..
but she does need an ant acid med & see how she goes… I also give my boy “Quick Eze” fast acting Forest ant acid Chews when he starts whinging, pacing, won’t settle, swollowing licking mouth & wanting grass.. start keeping a diary..

[Angela S]

i posted on here a couple of months ago about my dog. she often has soft poop that is difficult to pick up out of the grass. a reader on here suggested upping the fiber content. i did that; i am feeding her american journey salmon and rice with 6% fiber. it does not seemed to have helped. i want to change the food anyway, because it has peas and pea protein, and i want to get away from beans after the stories I’ve heard about the possible relationship with heart issues and beans in diets. Before this food, she was eating whole earth farms chicken and turkey grain free. her poop was still pretty soft on that. before that, she ate royal canin SO (crystals in urine causing blood in urine and sometimes issues with holding urine), which i took her off of after feeding it to her for 8 months. the vet said i could try her on the SO food for a while and take her off to see how she does. she’s been off of it since june 2017 and has not had issues with her bladder. any suggestions as to what could be causing the issue with the poop? we have a vet appointment in September, so i’m definitely talking to my vet about this, but wanted to get feedback from folks on here with their experiences/suggestions. thanks!

[Joyce F]

We had a lab who was confirmed through a biopsy after 3 stomach surgery with IBD. He ate rugs, grass, sticks, pulled the batting out of blankets. Of course, vomiting. When you looked into his face you could he had an upset stomach. Long story short we had to limit the food he could eat. No corn, or chicken of any kind, including the fat from chicken. I had to watch even the wild bird food we fed, as may have corn, and he could not get into that. If he would get a bout (is what I called it), I would give his 2 Benadryl pills (not liquid). That would kick it right out. At the time the only food that work was pro plan sensitive stomach. Once under control Raven, he did great. He lived for 12.5 years.biopsy

[Susan]

Hi
if your vet has “prescribed” the Omeprazole 20mg please try it, it may not of agreed with you but it might help your little man, if not ask vet to try Pantoprazole instead, natural doesn’t work for acid reflux, I tried natural (Slippery Elm) + Zantac for 2 yrs & NOT tried Patch on the Omeprazole cause its a PPI, then my vet said to me, its all about quality of life Susan & he is having 5 bad days a week, maybe 2 good days a week if he’s lucky, so I started Patch on 10mg Omeprazole in morning & the other 10mg at before night, but in the end these PPI drugs work best given in 1 dose in the a morning & they last 24 hours… I gave Omeprazole for 10 days with 200mg Metronidazole twice a day aswell to kill any bacteria in gut & he was heaps better, I had my old happy Patch back again, then I stopped the Omperazole & Metronidazole & 2-3 days later Patch started having a licking & grinding attacks again, so I only gave him the Omeprazole for 2-3 days when he needed it & was having an acid attack then I stopped cause its a “PPI” but in the end Patch was heaps better while taking the Omeprazole so he stayed on it for 2 yrs & this year I had to changed him over too Pantoprazole in March cause he went down hill real bad again his flap isnt closing properly, Pantoprazole is what I take for my GORDS & my flap doesnt close properly either, I have to sleep sitting up & I raise PAtches head aswell at night while he sleeps, he’s started doing really well again when I changed him from 20mg Omeprazole to Pantoprazole 20mg once a day morning, BUT 2 days ago he had a bad licking attack after I had just posted a post to you lol, he had eaten these coconut lamb balls for Lunch he was fine the last 4 times he ate this healthy natural pet food for lunch but the other day it must have been too much fat & he wanted grass badly crying at the back door having a panic attack to get out..
I keep grass inside in water so if he needs grasss badly at night I have some I have picked on walks & washed, I dry the grass blade & give 1 pieces at a time not too much, the grass in water only lasts about 4 days then goes yellow… I find the Quick Eze Chews work the best he gets instant results, I told my vet & she said if its working then do what helps him..
We are seeing vet tomorrow morning, he’s getting a Dexafort injection for his skin allergies but I dont want to do it, I read all the side effects 🙁 the vet wanted to do this Dexafort injection back in March & I said not yet, I want to fix his stomach first.. but Spring has come early & its hot already here in Australia & Im not putting him thru another itchy Summer & then he reacted badly with a IBD flare attacked with his stomach & Esophagus.. last Nov thru to March this year.
It’s VERY stressful seeing the dog you love suffer….
I hope he gets better soon…