[Julie D]

My human patients with recurring pancreatitis are sometimes prescribed pancreatic enzymes (I have specifically seen Pancreaze used). Super type triglyceride control (which is essential to preventing pancreatitis- other things are as well) is also achieved by some human patients by using meds and diet. There’s actually a correlation between
stones and pancreatitis. You should pick your own doctor’s brain about this subject and what would be recommended if he/ she had a human with these problems. I’d also see if you can get in contact with a human dietian to see what they’d suggest. My dog has had recurring vomiting and calcium oxalate stones so I’m trying to figure out what diet is best for her. Your doctor may be able to access “UpToDate” and print the current recommendations. I look to human medicine a lot for Chloe because I’m a human icu nurse. I read these forums to get ideas or resource ideas. Vets seem to be overwhelmed with animals so doing the work of giving them research isn’t bad especially if it’s from a reputable site. Mayo clinic has great resources for certain things. I’d ask a doctor and a dietian for help and the worse they can do is turn you down. But when I talk about Chloe, my doctor friends start asking questions because they like to help sick people (and animals). I got advice about chickens from my doctor. Best of luck!! This is the site that talks about pancreatitis and stones- ps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8783332/

[Chandra H]

Hi! I have a 2.5 year old lab who has struggled with food issues her whole life. We have tried a lot of food and thought we were finally on some solid footing with Open farm kibble and stews. However, she recently started having bloody diarrhea, vomiting, and pain. Her doctor has ruled out obstructions, pancreatitis, parasites, etc. Everything comes back negative.

I will put her on a bland diet of white rice and turkey and she will do ok for that week but as soon as I introduce any dog food, the bloody diarrhea comes back. The vet had me try Purina Pro sensitive turkey and oatmeal (she has been on Purina Pro before) but the same issue keeps repeating itself. We are now on a bland diet again.

At this point we are thinking she has IBS. She has never had a solid poo in her life, but they used to at least not be water and bloody. She tends to be fine for a week, and then has an episode where she is miserable. I have noticed she seems to do better on canned/wet food than the dry kibble. I have put her on a probiotic daily as well but I am at a loss of what food to try. Has anyone had anything similar with their dog? Do you have a high fiber, canned food that has worked? I am really sad for my doggo. She’s miserable and I just want her to feel better. I have debated trying Ollie dog or another fresh food option but not sure if that would help? Or if I should stick with trying all canned food or do a small amount of kibble? I am too scared to cook my own dog food. I feel like I would miss an important vitamin or something. Right now my vet feels like we should just give her an anti diarrhea med and keep her on the Purina Pro but it just doesn’t feel like it is working at all. Thanks for any advice you have.

[Patricia A]

Hi M & C,
I’m sorry to hear of the passing of your pup from cancer. I know a neighbor also had a dog who passed from bone cancer. Her vet assured her that genetics played the role, absolutely nothing contributed in her care, and that most likely others from the litter would most likely succumb to osteosarcoma as well. I believe most common in large breeds.
The ONLY thing my dogs have in common are they are from breeders with the exception of my one Chloe who passed at 13. I didn’t know any better and purchased from a pet store. She was a Chihuahua. VERY sick when we bought her home. Did not eat and very weak to stand. That store closed down within a few weeks of purchase. Pups’ dying with all kinds of health issues. Yes, I knew nothing at the time of puppy mills where ALL these poor pups came from. Chloe gained her strength and remained healthy. She wasn’t acting herself one day. Just no energy. Tried to take her for short walk in the warmer weather and she just didn’t move. Called vet to bring her in next day appointment. Cough started with breathing difficulties. I just took her right in to vet without begging for appointment. Our usual vet gave chest X-ray and said pneumonia. “just take her home with these antibiotics . Take her in warm shower and tap chest.” “Antibiotics will start working and she’ll be fine.” I TRUSTED him. Woke up early to find her gums blue and gasping. Sped to vets’ who said hurry to the emergency hospital. They did all surgeries etc. She passed on my lap in car. It’s hard for me to write this and still after all these years I’m in mental anguish . Had several calls from head of my vets and my doctor apologizing for his error in judgement that a 13 year old with pneumonia, if it was even that I don’t trust now, should not have been let home. They were so worried about being sued I imagine that just all day long calls of “so sorry’s”. I’ve had many bad experiences at vets’. My Hannah needed knee surgery. Luxating patella common in small breeds. Doc insisted on all the shots before. They took her blood again at the large hospital who does the surgery. Came back extremely low white count. Did a bone marrow test. Diagnosis autoimmune from most likely shots. She went on thought to live 17 1/2 years and blood work eventually came back to normal. I stopped ALL shots for them . Loli who is eight only had her puppy shots and boosters. I don’t give ANY heart worm meds. I give checkups and blood work yearly.
Sorry rambling. Trying to get my mom to give me a minute. Uhhh. Migraine today so hope all makes sense. I believe your pup with seizures has nothing to do with food or your care. Just genetics M&C. Wondering if possible anyway you can find out if others have same in litter??? As for Thixton, I’m lost with rhyme or reason for which companies make her list. Certainly not ALL human grade or without synthetics I believe. Not ALL that are organic or humanity resourced. Would LOVE to know for instance why Primal was on one year and then not. That would at least give me an example of what she’s looking for. Uhhh Be well M&C. Glad to hear your pup’s anxiety has calmed which is a plus when it comes to seizures.

[Patricia A]

Hi M & C,
I’m sorry to hear of the passing of your pup from cancer. I know a neighbor also had a dog who passed from bone cancer. Her vet assured her that genetics played the role, absolutely nothing contributed in her care, and that most likely others from the litter would most likely succumb to osteosarcoma as well. I believe most common in large breeds.
The ONLY thing my dogs have in common are they are from breeders with the exception of my one Chloe who passed at 13. I didn’t know any better and purchased from a pet store. She was a Chihuahua. VERY sick when we bought her home. Did not eat and very weak to stand. That store closed down within a few weeks of purchase. Pups’ dying with all kinds of health issues. Yes, I knew nothing at the time of puppy mills where ALL these poor pups came from. Chloe gained her strength and remained healthy. She wasn’t acting herself one day. Just no energy. Tried to take her for short walk in the warmer weather and she just didn’t move. Called vet to bring her in next day appointment. Cough started with breathing difficulties. I just took her right in to vet without begging for appointment. Our usual vet gave chest X-ray and said pneumonia. “just take her home with these antibiotics . Take her in warm shower and tap chest.” “Antibiotics will start working and she’ll be fine.” I TRUSTED him. Woke up early to find her gums blue and gasping. Sped to vets’ who said hurry to the emergency hospital. They did all surgeries etc. She passed on my lap in car. It’s hard for me to write this and still after all these years I’m in mental anguish . Had several calls from head of my vets and my doctor apologizing for his error in judgement that a 13 year old with pneumonia, if it was even that I don’t trust now, should not have been let home. They were so worried about being sued I imagine that just all day long calls of “so sorry’s”. I’ve had many bad experiences at vets’. My Hannah needed knee surgery. Luxating patella common in small breeds. Doc insisted on all the shots before. They took her blood again at the large hospital who does the surgery. Came back extremely low white count. Did a bone marrow test. Diagnosis autoimmune from most likely shots. She went on thought to live 17 1/2 years and blood work eventually came back to normal. I stopped ALL shots for them . Loli who is eight only had her puppy shots and boosters. I don’t give ANY heart worm meds. I give checkups and blood work yearly.
Sorry rambling. Trying to get my mom to give me a minute. Uhhh. Migraine today so hope all makes sense. I believe your pup with seizures has nothing to do with food or your care. Just genetics M&C. Wondering if possible anyway you can find out if others have same in litter??? As for Thixton, I’m lost with rhyme or reason for which companies make her list. Certainly not ALL human grade or without synthetics I believe. Not ALL that are organic or humanity resourced. Would LOVE to know for instance why Primal was on one year and then not. That would at least give me an example of what she’s looking for. Uhhh Be well M&C. Glad to hear your pup’s anxiety has calmed which is a plus when it comes to seizures.

[Penelope S]

Here’s the thing….I have a senior dog (going on 14) who was also diagnosed with early stage kidney disease. At the time, he was in major need of a teeth cleaning & that was the reason for the bloodwork. Other than the bloodwork saying something was wrong, he was (& still is) utterly asymptomatic – & as fit, energetic & active as a young dog. We did all the tests, including ultrasound & his kidneys themselves were perfect. Still, the vet didn’t want to do the teeth cleaning…despite all my arguments to the case that dental disease could be a contributing factor. So, I did the whole kidney prescription diet for nearly a year in an attempt to get his levels low enough that my vet would do the cleaning. It was a nightmare for both of us. He HATED – I mean HATED – the food. No matter what flavor or prescription brand I tried. He looked like I was punishing him every time I put a dish of it in front of him. The wet food especially – it smelled like a jar of old pennies so I can’t say I blame him. I could get him to eat it ONLY if I pretended it was a treat & fed him one kibble at a time – so that’s what I did. Guess what. After almost a year on that stuff, his kidney levels barely improved by a fraction of a fraction. His teeth got worse though. Like really a lot worse. Also, because of the super low protein content in these foods, he lost significant muscle mass. I read the ingredients…literally garbage. Wheat gluten, corn gluten, egg “product”, and chemicals…and way more fat (not from quality sources) than the high quality foods I’d been feeding him prior (are muscle wasting & pancreatitis a good tradeoff for kidney disease…?).

Last summer, he almost died. Spent a week in the emergency room after I rushed him there w a swollen face & 103 fever in late July 2020, came home a skeleton (they sent him home to die). Lost a tooth his last day at the ER – & was likely so sick thanks to a nasty abscess. IV antibiotics – heavy duty – the whole time he was there & immunosuppressant doses of prednisone. I syringe fed him high calorie dog food at home for a month, carried him downstairs for potty breaks because he was too weak. He lived though – got stronger. I weaned him off the steroids & did not go back to the prescription food. I started feeding him the food he was on prior to the whole mess – grain free, limited ingredient food, plus green tripe, egg whites…other things like boiled ground meats to vary his diet. Kept his protein high – (because it’s actually BAD to reduce protein in senior dogs & there’s no actual basis for doing so in early stages of CKD), fat moderate, looked up protein sources lower in phosphorus like lamb & beef (in comparison to poultry & salmon). He gained weight, including muscle & his energy levels came back. Most notably, he was excited about meal times again.

I switched to a new vet about 3 months after his ER visit. She said she didn’t understand why the first one wouldn’t do the teeth cleaning way back when. She also said that his bloodwork showed much greater improvement in his kidney levels since I switched back to his old diet compared to tests taken just prior to his ER stay. So we scheduled his teeth cleaning. Before all this started, the old vet had estimated he’d need about 5 or 6 teeth pulled. He ended up losing 14 because they had deteriorated so much in the time since this entire ordeal started. He flew through the cleaning w no issues & was up & running a couple days after. I’m still feeding him the same way & his kidney levels are consistently improving – almost normal levels when I had him tested a couple months after his cleaning. My new vet said I have been doing an excellent job w his diet, is happy w all his bloodwork & now he only has to get it checked at his semi annual checkups (instead of every month like the old vet at $250 a pop). He’s in excellent condition now. He’s a Shepherd/Shiba mix &, when I tell people he’s nearly 14, the reaction is complete disbelief. He keeps up no problem w my 2yr old female APBT mix who is extremely high energy. I have no doubt I will get several more years out of my good boy. Bottom line – do the research, get the 2nd opinions, & never assume your vet (or your own doctor for that matter) know a dang thing about nutrition. Basically find a vet who will work with you rather than one who can’t think “outside the box” or be bothered to keep up w more current research. They sell these foods based on what the manufacturers “sell” them. I wish there was a way to upload photos here – you would not believe the before & after.

[Tracey G]

Walter’s problems are ongoing. After stone surgery, he began showing symptoms of an autoimmune neurological disease. He was eating food to avoid stones, and the vet put him on prednisone. Guess what. Pancreas flareup again that had him in the doggie hospital for two days. Before he was released, they did a sonogram and found pancreatic cancer and confirmed the neurological disease which causes the esophagus to collapse. He was also put back on the Hills lowfat food because of the pancreatitis. I’m waiting to hear he has another stone. We live in Mexico, and a doctor in Guadalajara has created a cancer treatment for certain kinds of cancer. He has been on this for two weeks. Another sonogram in a few days will tell us if the tumor is shrinking or not. No one seems to have any ideas how to treat dogs with both pancreas and kidney stone issues.
Walter is shockingly in decent health with all he has wrong. The vet is shocked. With where we are located, I doubt I can find a dog nutritionalist to create a proper diet- if such a thing exists.

[jeanne e]

I have had rescues, including shitzu, for 50 years. I just brought my dog home from ICU full service hospital. Took him there after my current vet was not able to help.
1st off, changing anything in food diets has to be eased into slowly, till Rodney is on the food you want him to. Mix in the original food with the new food. 3 cups OLD with 1 cup NEW. Do that for about 2-3 weeks.
Then 2nd change might be 2 OLD, 2 NEW foods for a few weeks.
Finally put him on the NEW FOOD, no OLD food.

Vomiting BILE is not good. The gallbladder, liver, pancreas are pretty much working for digestion system.

I suggest ULTRASOUND and XRAY to see whats going on. Also a Internist doctor that specializes in digestion might be of more help.

My dog was eating his dog food way to fast so I took him to vet and asked for a comprehensive blood work , no matter the cost.
BW came back with extremely high liver counts and ultrasound showed he had a gallbladder full of sludge.
Vet put him on URISIDIOL for 3 + months, came back and levels were worse. His liver enzymes should have been 180 normal. His were over 1,000.

Another ultrasound showed the GB mucocele was slightly gone enough for the vet to see but BW levels were still abnormal and Liver was near 3000. The 3000 was 3 months after the 1st ultrasound. Vet did another ultrasound.

My vet called in a specialist Surgeon to operate on my dog and immediately remove the GB. Stopped the Urisidiol. Surgeon works on his own and goes to different Vets to do operations that my Vet does not do. Operation went well (?) As expected never does a doctor, lawyer, any professional ever admit to a mistake but my dog was okay for 4 days post op, then would not eat and vomited bile, 3x’s in 5 minutes.
Immediately I took him to my vet and more ultrasound, IV hookup and kept overnight. Dog was worse next morning and we rushed him 1 hr away to dog hospital emergency dr. They did ultrasound and saw his stomach, all organs was filled with bile, infection, etc. I had 2 choices, euthanasia or try to operate. The problem with operation was his blood was NOT CLOTTING and they did not feel he would survive.
We felt if he was going to die we wanted to at least let him die by TRYING the operation.
Once the NEW surgeon opened him up, his tummy internally was a mess. NEW Surgeon squirted some liquid in and found there was a puncture hole in his common biliary duct. Squirting the water in showed where he was leaking the bile. He immediately CLAMPED that bile duct area , sucked out, cleaned up, suture what needed, etc. then stapled him up and kept him for 5 days in ICU, critical condition. My dog is 11 years old.
He has been home almost 1 day, ate very little speciality dog food from hospital yesterday. Very weak in walking, 8 different meds to keep him on. Has not eaten today yet so I am going to call hospital as soon as I am done here. I saw your post and felt my story may help.
My dog seems a bit stronger today, not as wobley, definetely drinking water just fine, but no interest in food yet. Probably the meds are making him sleep, but I tried the food the hospital gave me mixed with pureed baby beef, chicken or turkey. Since home he only has eaten about 2/3 of a cup of food, but is still drinking water and peeing, 1 loose bowel movement so he seems okay, but needs to eat to strengthen him up.
I need to call hospital and see if I can try soft boil egg, or chicken breast meat or tuna in water. Need to get their okay because I don’t want to make dog worse.
The 2nd NEW SURGEON performed a MIRACLE OPERATION, cleaning up another surgeons error of a mess. 1 day at a time for now. Dog is not moaning, doesn’t show discomfort, but I cannot leave his side. Using kennel crate, slow walk for potty, no activity other than necessary.
Hope this helps and best wishes & prayer to your baby.

[Moni T]

Hi everyone i have a 12 yr 4lb chihuahua.
That got diagnosed with tc about a yr ago. My vet came up with a plan which involve getting a pentason shot 4 time in 1 month then 1 shot monthly. Which helped with his cough and although it used for restless leg syndrome the side effect is that it help the trachea maintain from getting worse so quickly.
But a week ago on monday he staring having a coughing fit so i rushed him to the vet they took xray and it was determines that his trachea had servely collaspe so they prescriped this medication call cerenia (it for neaseua but it also trick the brain into not coughing) it a little on the expensive side 6 dollars a pill but my pup is so small the pill can be cut in 1/4 so 8 pills will do a month. Also i did a consult with a specilast yesterday. And they want to try the cough suppersent first before placing a sent. So hes will getting is pentason shot once a month a cerenia 1/4 pill every 24 hr and hydrocodone liquid form every 6 hours. So far so good i heard him cough like twice compared to coughing almost 24 hours straight that was my breaking my heart. So that all the meds i give him .

but i also i bought on chewy.com from zesty paw the 11 in 1 multivitamin it help with his guts his bladder hip joints skin etc. And it helped alot.

Also changing my ac filter out twice a month. Air purifer and scent free laundry detergent. When i clean my floors i vacum right quick n then put in outside for like 10 mins while i mop with a very light scent mr clean. That doesnt upset him at all.
Also i dnt take him outside if i dont have to i have decided to just put pee pee pads down and let him do his business inside.
Also no candle n no smoke near him at all i smoke(im trying to quit for my n his sake) so ive always gone outside but what i do now is have a shirt i put on to smoke and one i switch out of before i even go near him. If u have air plug in from glade i use clean linen and if you have the febreeze plugin i use the downy or clean linen aswell. N you only need 1 you dont need one in all rooms my pup hasnt responded bad at all to the changed ive done for him. He better with everything we switched up

I cannot stress this enough please get them there bordetella shot every 6 months. Kennel cough is no joke if they have tc.

I hope this helps you guys.
And i hope your pups are doing good and well as i hope mine does for a long while to come. And hopefully dnt need surgery just quite yet. Cause that freaks me out thinking about loosing him. But dnt get me wrong i will do it in a heart beat if the doctor tells me its time

Take it one step at a time guys dont give up. Dnt lose hope there new thing always coming out to help improve there condition a little. N also talk to your vet about a raw diet mine recommend it. You can make it at home or buy the prepackaged one already if you can. (Do research first)

[Tracey G]

I am in the same boat. Walter, half shitzu and mutt, developed pancreatitis about 10 years ago after prednisone for allergies. The apoquel was not a help and was expensive. He is now 13. He has been on Hills low fat diet for years with no issues. If and when we tried something else, he had a flare up. We just picked him up from the vet today after having stone surgery. They pulled out a huge stone. It has been sent to the lab, but I’m pretty sure it’s a calcium oxalate stone. I read where carrots and spinach can cause this. He is addicted to carrots, so those have to go. I’m terrified his pancreatitis will flare up on the kidney diet after reading what you all have been through.

Is it possible to use both foods? Will any fat send him into a pancreatic flare up? Like you all, he is our baby. I will do anything including cook his foods. It’s interesting to note there are many other dogs with these issues.

Piki, I too am so sorry about your doggie. What enzyme would the doctor have added? Very curious.

[Patricia A]

Elihu L so happy for you and especially your pup that you found relief for him. Would always like to look hard into alternative solutions before meds. Especially the antacid route. I don’t know if it works the same for dogs but I had gastritis and was given antacids. The more I took the worse I felt. Finally stopped taking and watched my diet and stress. Mentioned to my primary doctor and he said got to be very careful with antacids since there is a rebound effect. https://www.webmd.com/heartburn-gerd/news/20090702/stopping-ppis-causes-acid-reflux-symptoms
Like any medication, whether it be for us humans or our pets, there are side effects. Again, hope your pups disgestion discomfort is over for good.

[Tiffany L]

Hi! My dog was just diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis. Prior to taking him we only noticed sluggish behaviors, dry mouth, and he vomited one day only (and not much). Other wise he was playful, eating, and had healthy looking poops. The doctor recommended IV treatment, gabapentin, and Cerenia. She also recommended that we feed him royal canine gastrointestinal food. After we started this treatment his symptoms worsen significantly, more specifically after a whole day of IV fluids. Now he is very sluggish, not eating or drinking on his own, and in a lot of pain. The doctor told me to increase his food since he was eating well when I fed him. That night he ran around the house whining in pain and today he still appears to be in pain. I was hoping for some advice on if this is normal or if I should seek someone else out? and if this is normal how long do pups usually stay like this.

[Piki G]

My dog Tapi succumbed to death a month ago, from pancreatic complications after he was placed on the bladder stone diet. He had just turned 8 (his breed lives for about 16 years).

Tapi always had a bit of a weak stomach; couldn’t tolerate fatty food. He was placed on a low fat diet all his life. I was never told why (& I never asked why) except for the fact that this diet suited him, so nothing to worry!

Upon having a detailed discussion with the doctor who saw him last, I understood that a possible reason why Tapi couldn’t tolerate fatty food was most likely a sign of underlying chronic pancreatitis.

Every year Tapi suffered from seasonal allergies and his vet prescribed him Prednisone. I am told now that Prednisone affects the pancreas. Supposedly Apoquel is a better alternative with milder side effects.

The irony is Tapi could have continued with his low fat GI diet post surgery; all the doc needed to do was to add an enzyme to his diet to prevent the bladder stones from forming. It was just that simple.

What I learnt from this is to not change your pets food all of a sudden, especially if the pet is on a special diet. There is always a way around it.

[Amy B]

Help!
Our rescue Frenchie has severe IBD. Her doctor prescribed the Hills GI Biome food, which did help her BMs for a little while, but now she’s back to the straining & blood, and on top of things she HATES that food & pretty much snubs it unless I can put something on it.

We have tried switching to a kangaroo food, and that didnt go well. Now we are trying something similar to her script food with microorganisms but a limited ingredient & duck protein. That has helped with the blood, but is not firming up her stool.

Considering adding a frozen raw or freeze-dried raw, or perhaps mixing in the script & adding raw. Idk

My real question is HOW LONG SHOULD WE TRY FOODS before ruling them out as helpful or not???

She is also taking prednisone, and has been on & off of Metronidazole for the past 4 months (currently off for about a week but I have refills if I need to go back to it).

[WondrousPups]

Hi Sienna,

If you are planning on biopsy and an endoscopic exam, I believe you need to have your pup off of any meds/supplements for two weeks before the exam to clear the system, and no food for three days before endoscopic exam. At least that’s what I had to do for my colonoscopy so that the test results will be sound. I can understand your urge to want to help your furbaby. Starting with new herbs before the tests can contaminate the results, though. If I were in your shoes, I’d wait until after the test results are back so that I’d be able to make a more informed decision, not shooting in blind. How can anyone treat something one doesn’t know what’s wrong? Do you know for sure your girl’s problem is from IBS? Slippery elm is helpful for protecting digestive lining. I would not use it before the exam because it increases mucilage in digestive tracks and it can make it difficult for the doctor to establish the base line. Does this make sense?

I’m kind of scared for you right now. DO NOT start using Ashwagandha until after the vet exam. Your pup probably has to be sedated for the endoscopic exam, and ashwagandha can potentiate the sedative that the vet is going to use. VERY DANGEROUS! I don’t want you to risk getting adulterated powder somewhere as supplements and herbs are not regulated as medicine although some are potent enough to be as such, I’ll tell you where to get a safe supply, but again, I recommend waiting. With that said, I highly recommend buying herbs from Mountain Rose Herb – mountainroseherbs.com. They are highly ethical and well respected company. Prices are very reasonable for the quality (fresh, organic, ethically harvested, and sustainably sourced). Bulk is the least expensive way, but if you don’t use it quickly, quality diminishes (especially powder form). Some herbs, spices and tea make sense to buy in bulk, others, smallest quantities in powder from.

Dosage (Upto, Roy, and Petrone, Cathirose, eds., Ashwagandha Root: Withania Somnifera – Analytical, Quality Control, and Therapeutic Monograph.):

As powder, ¼ teaspoon (1/2g) – ½ teaspoon (1g) per day for your 50 lb. pup. You can add it to the turmeric concoction I shared earlier, but here it is again.

2 servings (1 cup per serving daily)
2 cups of full fat coconut milk – heated. In a blender, add the milk, 1 tsp turmeric powder, ½ tsp ginger powder, ½ tsp Ashwagandha powder, 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper, 1 tsp honey (optional). Blend on high for about 30 seconds.

Remember – it is meant to be taken over time every day to restore nervous system and sleep cycle.

Let me know if you have any questions.

[anonymous]

More Nonsense from Holistic Vets about Commercial Therapeutic Diets

Consider getting a second opinion. From what you describe your dog has not responded to treatment or you have not complied with the treatment recommended.
Either work closely with your vet or consult a specialist not Doctor Google.
PS: There are no veterinary healthcare professionals affiliated with this site.
Regarding the weight issues, start walking for at least 1 hour a day or at least three 20 minute walks per day. Certain breeds (such as yours) need more exercise than others.

[anonymous]

@ YorkiLover4

Per the product link you provided”

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[Melanie E]

Nutra Thrive has been great for my Cairn Terriers. I also purchased the doctors book and using the kidney recipe and had fabulous results as well. My other two on Nutra Thrive are doing great, especially Bella. In Florida where Bella was born she had autoimmune issues and never really a happy dog. She acted like Eeyore on Winne the Pooh, but now Nutra Thrive has completely brought her to life. I did at the same time of starting Nutra Thrive about 7 mths ago take her off of dry dog food and start Pet Fresh but with her SHINY HAIR that was dry and brittle, energy level (she is 9 and never made it up a set of stair she went up this past weekends at a relatives, I always had to help) and just overall feeling well (before she was always under the bed, not happy) I have to contribute to the Nutra Thrive. I’ve never had one of my three dogs get sick from it and hate it for those who had a bad reaction. For Memoral Day I did receive a buy one get one free offer I took advantage of and have had no issues with billings or customer service. I am very happy I found this doctor and his book for making the kidney recipe, my Carly was dying from what the vet was doing to treat her kidneys with the renial food.

[D]

I cant eat bread. I found out I have celiac disease due to the modification of wheat.
Which was misdiagnosed my entire life. And when I spent 18 days in the hospital, a team of 12 doctors couldn’t even figure out what i had. My family friend who did her research brought the possibility of it being Celiac Disease up. That was how we figured it out, then a surgeon said lets test for it through an endoscopy. Sure enough it was what my family friend suspected it to be.
My point is, doctors or vets may not learn/be taught everything. Sometimes doing your own research, or in this case a friend doing the research can save your life.

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

[anonymous]

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

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

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

[Patricia A]

Dennis so sorry to hear of your girls’ passing. Understandable you have concerns about diet. However, please also read new data regarding yearly vaccinations also. Many health issues are proven to be related to excess , unnecessary vaccinations . I had experiences with my own Chihuahuas . One had to go through bone marrow testing due to an almost non existing white count. Results were Immune mediated hypolymphemia if I’m remembering correctly due to vaccination. She had vaccinations before a knee surgery and two weeks later they tested her blood again (was normal two weeks before) and she had the very low white count. Doctor said it was from the vaccinations and not rare.
If your vet pushes yearly vaccinations go to another vet. Most vaccinations are good for AT LEAST three years and some give immunity for a lifetime. It’s safer to get a titer test to see if she is still immune.

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

[Patricia A]

I believe this is the latest on brands at top of list with most DCM cases.

https://whdh.com/news/fda-announces-dog-food-brands-that-could-cause-heart-failure/?fbclid=IwAR1IauGHrj8kUtOTRAyccRpKqvCNRL_rX6Qbx4zZAeMIE5QlFHE_TCdRrgo

Please someone explain how a brand for instance such as Arcana being the top one fed with most DCM cases was for years touted as the BEST of the BEST you could feed in a kibble. My dogs never took to it and I was disappointed . Also are All recipes implemented as a whole? The regional recipe doesn’t have the legumes that far up on the list even as other grain free brands do that are not on the list . Also the recipes I just looked at are not exotic proteins.
Plus their statement checks all the boxes that this food should NOT be a problem.

Q. DOES CHAMPION PETFOODS HAVE A VETERINARY NUTRITIONIST OR OTHER QUALIFIED EMPLOYEES ON STAFF? ARE THEY AVAILABLE FOR CONSULTATION OR QUESTIONS?

Yes, our highly educated and talented team of 20 Research & Innovation scientists lead the development and research of our ACANA and ORIJEN pet foods. These individuals cover a wide variety of education and experience including, but not limited, to: 1 Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, 1 PhD in Animal Nutrition, 2 PhD’s in Food Science, 3 Masters of Science in Animal Nutrition (2 in companion animal nutrition), 2 Masters of Science in Food Science, 1 Masters of Science in Meat Hygiene and Food Microbiology, and 17 Bachelors of Science areas such as Animal Science, Biochemistry, and Veterinary Medicine.

Q. WHO FORMULATES YOUR DIETS AND WHAT ARE THEIR CREDENTIALS?

Champion Petfoods’ Research and Innovation team works with a group of animal nutritionists, and consults with Veterinarians who specialize in nutrition, toxicology, and holistic medicine when developing our ACANA and ORIJEN diets.

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

[Albert S]

Struggling in losing weight? Try out liquid weight loss supplements at home. My brother is taking B12 Lipo Shots and he lost 3 lbs in a week but the secret formula to achieve weight loss goals is to take supplements with a healthy diet. With improper diet, you may have low energy levels. There are no side effects get it without a doctor prescription. https://buymicb12.com/

[Pinky L]

Sorry, I just saw your response. She was on Royal Cainin for years,I switched a couple of months ago to Ultra-chicken. I thought the royal was possibly the cause of her stomach issues. So I did get a week of antibiotics from the doctor, along with some Pro-pectalin. Her stools formed but remained soft,however to accidents in the house. Now 2 days post completing medication and diarrhea is back,non formed and accidents in the house. There is still mucus present in the stool. I feel hopeless at this point. She has never had duck (never) or lamb alone. Possible allergy to the following: chicken,eggs,beef,wheat,bran. Both goods had those ingredients.

I doubt the Purina EN is going to help. Her stools were not liquid on kibble. I am sure the vet wanted her system to rest,thus giving the wet food.

I am thinking about limited ingredients by Koha. It is very expensive. I have spent at least 400 on visits, food,medication since January.

My dog is itchy but vets have said she is just an itchy dog. It could be allergies. That is the reason I had started Royal Cainin (shih Tzu).

Some articles say high fiber is best and others say low fiber foods are best.

[Cody D]

Sorry anon I crashed when I hit my bed yesterday. So nothing new was done other than a blood test to check for a vitamin deficiency. The tech who made the apt forgot about a doctor’s meeting so a scope wasn’t able to be done. We have had some bad luck with this kind of stuff >.< good news was they could fit us in today. I work, so my wife is on the way now. It sounded like the vet we spoke to is thinking along the lines of IBS or any IBD of sort. Biopsies will of course be done. The tech did mention lymphoma as a possibility too. So not so bad or we lose our boy bad. We should have results on the biopsy and bloodwork by Tuesday I believe they said.
Turned put a urinalysis was done and the specialist and it wasnt mentioned. It was part of the bloodwork pricing so it wasn’t real obvious to us. It was clean. I guess the specialist also noticed my boys stomach lining… “looking thicker” I think was the description. Again, something not told to me at all. So maybe that points to ibs? I don’t know.
On a side note: we didn’t give him any medications yesterday just in case it interfered with anything. My boy was much more alert. Tail wagging. Not near 100% but Moore like 60% rather than the 20%. Also ate without the anti vomiting meds, held everything down fine. Water too. No vomit throughout the day. Makes me wonder if the sulcrafate is/was the source of some of his symptoms. Quick research shows that as being possible. Though obviously we went to the vet originally for a reason, so something is still amiss. I unfortunately feel in my gut it’ll be lymphoma. This just hit so fast as and hard.

[Christie B]

anon, I did specifically ask for the vet I trusted. I was completely surprised when a different vet walked in the door. Had they told me that they were switching me when they called to confirm the appointment, I would have rescheduled.

If the doctor wanted to come to work so badly after having shoulder surgery then they should have made sure to stick her with smaller, easier to manage animals.

I thought about emailing the vet I wanted, so I could relay all of my concerns that weren’t addressed. Maybe he’ll do the right thing and do another exam himself.

[Christie B]

I’m pretty good with making sure that my dogs see the vet annually for general checks and to make sure their up to date with necessary vaccinations. I was due to go back towards the end of 2018, but it completely slipped my mind.

My 9.5 year old American Bulldog mix has 1 front bowed leg. He’s always had it and he walks and runs fine (he looks gimpy when walking, but it’s how he’s always been and it causes no discomfort). He’s also had issues with food and the environment around him, although we’ve never been able to pinpoint his exact sensitivities. I’m sure you can go back and see my many posts and responses related to his “excessive drooling” and allergies posts.

So I noticed the other day when he was laying on his side (with the bowed leg up) that there appeared to be a large lump behind the leg. I never noticed it or just attributed it to the structure of his frame with the odd leg. So I went back to some old pictures I had, and I didn’t see the lump.

Concerned, I contacted the vet’s office on Saturday to make an appointment to look at the leg, as well as have his annual exam. The receptionist asked what doctor I deal with there. I told her the name of the practice’s owner (Dr. B), who also was the one who I discussed his allergies with (which was something I wanted to ask him about while I was there since the drooling episodes persist at irregular intervals). The earliest appointment was Monday 5:30. I rushed out of work that afternoon, let my dogs out, put the one in the car (I left the other home alone for like the 2nd time ever in the 4 years that I’ve had her)

When I arrived at the vet, I could see other dogs in the lobby. My big guy is loud and disruptive when he sees other dogs that he wants to meet. So I called and told them I was outside to call me when the room was ready. Nearly 30 minutes pass (we walked laps around the building) before we’re ushered into the hottest room ever. The vet tech asks me why we’re here. I explain about the lump and that I want to have his annual exam, etc.

So then we wait even longer and my poor dog, recognizing where he is is now panting and barking and crying. So the door opens and this women walks in. Never met her before, but she certainly wasn’t the vet I booked the appointment with. One of her arms wasn’t through the armhole of her cardigan and instead stuck out of the bottom. So something was up with her. She introduced herself, asked what I was here for.

Now, I understand my dog can be intimidating at first glance. He’s 119 pounds and has a giant pit head. But I never interacted with a vet who wouldn’t approach my dog. Even after telling her he’s 1000% friendly (and mind you I was holding him next to me), she made sure to keep the metal exam table between her and us.

So a vet tech comes in to ‘hold the dog’. The doctor looks at the lump and tells me, without touching it, that it’s a lipoma. I say “are you sure”, then she hesitantly approaches and feels the lump for about 10 seconds and says yes. Then says it’s obviously hampering his movements. I tell her he’s always had the bowed leg and cued up a video on my phone from him running, jumping and playing with my other dog the day before. So she then says it’s not hampering him, but it should be removed. And unfortunately it’s so big that they probably shouldn’t do the surgery and should have a specialist come in to do it. Then she did said that he’s young enough to warrant doing it (like I was automatically going to say no because of the expense). I she knew me like the other vet did, then she would know the well being of my dog is my priority. I ask her to get me an estimate.

I then ask if we can do a needle aspiration to make sure it’s not cancer. Why would I put my dog through a surgery, only to find out it may be cancerous and then make him go through treatments? If it’s cancer, he might still have to have surgery, but maybe they could try other methods to shrink it or kill it first. She says we can “for peace of mind”. And then tells me 30 seconds later that needle aspirations on lumps are highly inaccurate. The sample they take might not have cancer, but it can still be there.

Peace of mind, indeed.

Then she tries to dissuade me from the procedure by saying it will be expensive (but specialized surgery isn’t?)

I tell her to go ahead and do it.

While they try to formulate the price, she sells me on their “wellness package” which includes standard blood labs, urine and stool labs and heartworm test. Other than her 10 seconds spent feeling the lump and listening to his heart with a stethoscope, she didn’t touch my dog. The vet tech felt my dog’s body for lumps. Found a hard one in his chest. Doctor edges closes and feels for 1 second…”not concerned”. I tell them he has a lot of little lumps on his belly along with a bunch of skin tags of various size and color. She wasn’t interested in seeing them.

I’ve had wellness exams every year. The vet normally checks my dog’s ears, mouth, teeth, runs his hands over the dog to looks for lumps or abnormalities, checks over his legs and makes sure his joints are ok, listens to his heart, listen to his lungs/respiration, asks me what he eats, asks about his energy level, talks about any sort of supplements he takes, sometimes takes his temperature and checks the anal glands.

But this lady had her tech do the most cursory exam feeling for lumps on his back and sides and that’s it.

So she leaves the room to get started with prepping for the needle aspiration. Time passes (so much time) and she pops her head in and says that Dr. B (the practice owner) has to be the one who does it because she just had shoulder surgery (thanks for finally telling me) and unfortunately he still has two other patients to see, so can I come back another time? I turn around and tell her that I work every day and I switched my schedule around to be there that day and not for nothing but my appointment was supposed to be with Dr. B in the first place. So she says that she hopes that I wasn’t disappointed in having her treat my dog (I should have said something, but I didn’t). But I made the point that had I had Dr. B like originally scheduled, I wouldn’t have had to wait for him to finish with other people in order to do this test because he would have done the exam and the test and finish with me before seeing anyone else.

I wound up waiting. My poor dog, already traumatized by the blood test puncture was panting and crying and barking. At first, I kept shushing him. But then I just let him bark it out, because maybe they’d be so sick of hearing him that they’d hurry up. Dr. B finally came in, did the needle aspiration and left. In and out in less than 5 minutes.

I had hoped that he was going to come in alone so I could give him a tell him how disappointed I was with the exam and the doctor. But she had come in with him and with the vet techs in the room holding the dog down, I didn’t want to speak in front of them.

It’s been 3 days and I’m still annoyed. I didn’t get to discuss the drooling episodes (she was not interested at all in discussing it since it happens so randomly and the Benedryl and Pepcid help manage it). Who knows if the other lumps are lipomas or something else? I wanted to discuss senior nutrition (but not with her at this point).

I didn’t want to say anything until all the lab tests were in. Everything was good (Cholesterol and Total Protein levels a bit high, but she wasn’t concerned) and the biopsy came back likely to be fatty deposit lipoma.

Anyone else have inadequate vet exams?

And yes, I could have made a separate appointment to do the wellness exam and focus this one on the lump. But my vet knows these visits aren’t cheap and always makes a point of asking if there’s anything else I want to address while I’m there so I don’t have to pay for another visit. This new vet couldn’t be bothered…how do you expect to go to work to thoroughly examine a pet when you only have the use of 1 arm?

[Stacia W]

I have a yorkie.. She had Gastro issues the doctor at that time put her on prednisone after doing research I believe that it does way more harm than good I know that people will probably disagree with me however this is just my opinion and my experience as I have worked extremely hard to keep my dog on track and for the most part it’s worked pretty well except she does have flareups from time to time.
You really have to be proactive for the first so many years I let my doctors keep her on antibiotics and she started to build up an immune to them. They also had her on prescription food which I am not a fan of … Shaking horribly from the pain so finally I decided to do my own thing my research and by lots of trial and error we found what works..your dogs levels have to be tested on a regular basis it can be expensive at least once a year ,if they have flareups it’s really important to know how high their levels are . You need to check on the kidneys as well as the liver as well as pancreas and basically what it comes down to is the diet has to be at a high protein low fat diet. Daisy has been on primal’s raw rabbit And freeze dried when I’m traveling she eats steamed (which you can buy in the bag from like target for $.99 )broccoli cauliflower and carrots she gets baked sweet potatoes in sections (obviously not the whole thing) and rice she Has to stay on a strict diet.
She does have occasional flareups and I will do a round of antibiotics with metronidazole or Flagyl two weeks at a time but it’s not easy and unfortunately it can be expensive . I know people like to cook chicken or talk about cooking chicken but I believe that the protein needs to be higher.
It’s been a struggle but I will tell you after six months of starting her on this diet my vet did come back into the room with her results and was completely shocked.
The last few weeks we have had probably one of the worst attacks that she’s ever had and I did put her back on some meds and the prescription food but she wasn’t getting better so now I’m putting her back on the rabbit in hopes that her levels come down so we will see.
Diet is everything dogs really are no different then people some people could actually learn from this the dog food advisor is a good place to go.
But going the cheaper route with a low-quality food will definitely not end well.

[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

[Sanne]

Hi Alice, yes CBD oil is just as beneficial for humans! You could certainly ask your doctor about it and they may be able to point you in the right direction and tell you what to look for in a brand. I wish I could help you out on where to buy it but I live in the Netherlands so we have different brands.

One of the best brands I have heard about available for dogs in the States is Super Snouts Hemp Company. They originally started with products for dogs but now have some for humans too. Quite pricey though I think! The people I know who have used this brand for their dogs say they usually only need half the recommended dose though. Still, seems much more expensive for humans. Even so, their website is a great resource for information on what makes a good quality CBD product and how it works, even if you go with a different brand

[Loretta C]

Hi All,

I’m new here and really need some advice from everyone. My dog a corgi, has done a biopsy and been diagnosed with IBD and PLE. She has been on Pred for 4 weeks now and her protein level is still not going up. She is still getting bloated and it just seems the Pred isn’t working. The internal medicine doctor wants her to go on a chemo drug but I really don’t want her to do that. Has anyone found any success. I’ve tried the hills diet hypoallergenic but it didn’t work. I’m now doing home cooking w/ probiotics and also digestive enzyme, she still skin and bones. Please any advice would be much appreciated.

[Patricia A]

You say you shave your dog. Is it possible this is skin irritation from the shaving? Blade dull or too hot. If you take him to a groomer could he/she be using possibly a powder afterwards on him causing reaction?
post a reader comment
Can Dogs Get Skin Infections from Grooming?

Q: We have a Samoyed, about nine years old and in good health. Recently, he was shaved head to tail for an accumulation of burrs. Our previous groomer had not been brushing him well (it’s quite an event to brush him—he has a huge mane of white fur and a lot of undercoating), and the new groomer ended up having to shave him almost completely, even around the neck area. There were burrs embedded everywhere.

He soon developed a spot on his neck the size of a quarter that became redder and redder. And he has become very itchy, scratching and only making it worse. I’ve been putting warm salt compresses on the spot and that seems to relieve him for a while, but then he’s back at it. What’s going on?

Angela Miller
Llano, California

A: There’s something known as a post-clipping bacterial infection, technically named post-grooming bacterial folliculitis-furunculosis. “You see it occasionally after grooming or bathing,” says Tufts veterinary dermatologist Lluis Ferrer, DVM, PhD, DECVD. “It’s not a very frequent event, but it does happen.”

How can grooming lead to an infection? Sometimes the hair follicles, which become more exposed upon shaving, become contaminated with bacteria (in the vast majority of cases, Pseudomonas or Staphylococcus). This could occur because of trauma to the follicles when you cut or wash the hair or even because of bacteria in the water that can then colonize on a dog’s skin. There may even be inflammation of the hair follicles as a consequence of a bacterial infection. It can be localized, restricted to one skin site, or more generalized, affecting broad skin areas.

“You could also nick the skin with cutting or shaving and leave a cut, even a very small cut, that allows bacteria to enter,” Dr. Ferrer says. If you shave the hair all the way down to the skin, that’s certainly a possibility.

Sometimes it’s not the shaving or water but, rather, mild, transient contact dermatitis because of substances used to clean a dog that were never applied before.

You do mention that you have a new groomer, and he or she may use a shampoo with ingredients that don’t agree with your dog.

You should take your dog to the doctor. Sometimes a post-grooming bacterial infection clears on its own, but in most cases, antibiotics are needed. Also, post-grooming bacterial infections tend not to be very itchy, so your dog may have an infection or other problem that has nothing to do with the grooming and just happened to occur at the same time coincidentally.

Good luck solving this. The sooner you get your pet to your veterinarian or a veterinary dermatologist, the smaller the chance that whatever is wrong will not spiral into a problem that’s difficult to treat.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 11 months ago by Patricia A.

[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.

[Patricia A]

If your dog has itchy, irritated skin and smells a little stinky, he could be suffering from a yeast infection. This condition can cause extreme discomfort for our canine companions and may be related to an underlying problem such as an allergy or a hormonal disorder.

All strains of yeast are funguses, and these organisms normally live on the bodies of dogs (and people) without causing illness. Problems arise when there is an overabundance of the fungus on a dog’s body, says Dr. Neil Marrinan of the Old Lyme Veterinary Hospital in Connecticut. “Overgrowth requires a trigger and loss of skin defenses,” he says.

Typically, dogs are bothered by the opportunistic pathogen Malassezia pachydermatis, says Dr. Klaus Loft, who practices dermatology at the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ Angell Animal Medical Center. “We see yeast in various forms in and on dogs,” he says. “It resides normally on the skin and is implicated in skin, paw, and ear infections.”

So how do you know if your dog has a yeast infection? Here are 10 common signs watch out for.

Signs of Yeast Infections in Dogs

Changes in color and texture
Signs of a yeast infection can vary depending on the site of the infection. “The biggest sign is alteration in the appearance of the skin,” Marrinan says. A pink or red color is commonly seen in the early stages of infection. With chronic infection, the skin can become leathery, thick, and gray or black. Remember that yeast infections can occur in a number of places on your dog’s body if conditions are right, he notes.

Greasy skin
Excessively oily or greasy skin is another common symptom of a yeast infection in dogs, according to Loft.

Scaly skin
Some dogs with yeast infections develop crusting, scaling, or flakiness of the skin that can look a little like dandruff, says Dr. Jennifer Coates, veterinary advisor for petMD.

Head shaking
“The ears are far and away the most common location for a yeast infection,” Marrinan says. In such cases, you likely will notice your dog trying to relieve his discomfort by repeatedly shaking or tilting his head.

Scratching and rubbing
Your dog also might be quite itchy from the yeast infection. You may see him scratching the affected spot, rubbing up against furniture or another surface, or scooting along the floor, Marrinan says.

Licking
Some dogs might attempt to relieve itchy discomfort by incessantly licking the infected area, the doctors note.

Swelling and warmth
While redness and itching are the first signs of a yeast infection, symptoms can easily progress to swelling, warmth, and pain in the infected area, according to Marrinan.

Odor
Odor also is a common sign of a yeast infection, regardless of location, Loft says. “Some people claim the yeast-infected skin and ears smell like Cheetos or have a sweet smell, but this is typically not a reliable ‘test,’ as we often find certain bacterial infections can have a similar odor,” he says. “It is important to remember this can be seen with other infectious organisms beyond yeast, so diagnostic testing at the veterinarian’s office is required.”

Hair loss
Hair loss can accompany the yeast infection and associated inflammation, Loft says.

Drooling
A yeast infection in a dog’s mouth is extremely rare but can cause abnormal drooling, oral discomfort, and problems eating. Excessive drooling can also be a sign of other problems in the mouth, such as an abscessed tooth or bee sting, Marrinan says, so pet parents should take their dog to the vet to determine the cause.

Treating Yeast Infections in Dogs

The most important aspect of treating a yeast infection in dogs is identifying and addressing the underlying cause. This will make the risk of relapse less of a concern, Loft and Marrinan agree. For deep and generalized skin and paw/claw bed infections, veterinarians may prescribe oral antifungal medications such as ketoconazole, fluconazole, or terbinafine, Loft says. Ears can be treated topically with appropriate ear cleaners and medications, but severe ear infections may also require oral medications. Bathing the skin and fur with disinfecting and degreasing shampoos can also help, Marrinan adds. The best treatment regimen can be determined by a veterinarian familiar with the specifics of the dog’s case.

[Jessie H]

Melanie B,

Could you tell me how much fluid your dog, Cooper was leaking in the beginning of your experience? My parents have a bloodhound, Rori, who is 6 years old and she has been diagnosed with idiopathic chylothorax. It has been 2 weeks of emotional hell while she has been staying at a specialist vet an hour away with a fluid tap in. They are draining 2 liters of fluid out of her a day right now. She had the thoracic duct surgery and the pericardium, quit leaking the chyle fluid for 2 days only to start draining again. It is so discouraging and we are trying everything we can to save this otherwise perfectly healthy dog. She is finally at the point where she is maintaining her weight and not really losing weight anymore, and we are feeding her low fat food and protein to keep her levels up so she is not suffering. But time is running out as well as options. They are bringing her home tomorrow and taking her to be drained at our local vet daily this week. After that, if she has not let up on the amount of fluid or if she is beginning to suffer we are going to have to look at quality of life which is heartbreaking to even consider. She has a littermate sister who has been with her since day 1 who cries and howls wondering where she is. It is just awful. The only shred of hope we have had is that the vet told us yesterday morning and this morning that the amount of fluid drained was slightly less, and a bit thinner, and less fatty which is a good sign. So, I was just wondering with your case going so well for your Cooper, do you remember how much fluid was being drained from him when he first started? Just hoping for a little glimmer of hope if it was similar to Rori. Her doctor said the port was more trouble than its worth and often didnt do well enough to bother with it, which sounds odd after reading that so many others on here have had the port and many had success. Any advice or suggestions are greatly appreciated!

[Susan]

@Crazy4cats

Dr W. Jean Dodds, DVM = Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Dr Jean Dodds is a well known respected DVM in the US.. She is considered one of the foremost experts in pet healthcare, Dr. Dodds focuses on vaccination protocols, nutrition & she is best known for her work in thyroid disease, Hypothyroidism….

FDA writes

14. Do I need to change my dog’s diet?

At this time, “we are not advising dietary changes based solely on the information we have gathered so far”. If you have questions or concerns about your dog’s health or its diet, we suggest that you consult your veterinarian for individualized advice that takes into account your dog’s “specific needs and medical history”.

[pitlove]

Hi Debi-

Was there ever any discussion that there could have been damage to her trachea when they extubated her after the pyo surgery? If the cuff is not deflated properly when they attempt to extubate or they do not wait for a swallow reflex before they remove the trach tube it can cause some damage/inflammation to the trachea.

Also you said this was a Pom. Have radiographs been done to rule out collapsing trachea? It is very common in small breeds and will cause a cough like what you are talking about.

If none of these things have been visited at the vet I would bring them up.

As far as the frantic swallowing and gulping goes, one of my dogs started doing this maybe around a year ago. I tried a lot of suggested remedies, but so far I haven’t found anything that eliminates it completely. He will go for quite a few months before he has an episode, but its random and doesn’t seem to be triggered by anything specific. I’ve talked to a couple of doctors I work with about it and they were stumped as well.

[Alexandria B]

My dog Roxi has been healthy all her life and she is a 7 year old parsons russell terrier. She began drinking a lot, peeing on the floor, and not wanting to eat suddenly after a dental visit. She had four teeth removed bc she has in the past few years aquired teeth issues. I changed her diet to strictly dog food and even began giving her natural jerky I made with a newly purchased food dehydrator since my vet said it was good for her teeth.
Since this sudden change happened, I ely took her to the vet. She had the dental visit two weeks prior. I come back to the office to check on her and she is brought out with a jagged stitch in her neck running along the jugular and her skin is hanging down around like pugs..
I am freaked out. The receptionist tells me the vet will be bk and she is not a doctor. So when he gets there he explains that her veins were blown and had to go in that way. When I left she had a catheter in her leg. She seemed so strange to me. Her whole personality was off. So, he then tells me my dog is very sick and has renal failure and do I want to know the damage as far a the cost. I tell him yes, but to do whatever he can no matter what.
So, he tells me she needs to be there for about four more days. One day cost me $401. I was assured the other days would be less. $130 a day. I said ok. Three days later I go in and they tell me the bill is another $486. I am beyond tapped out and I could not believe how much they were charging for treatment that didnt work. She still had way off levels. Her bun and creatinine were out of wack. Her amylase and wbc and rbcs were screwed. He sent her home after all that with a script for gatorade and some anti biotic.
I take her home and she is fading fast and being tortured through force feeding of gatorade water and food every half an hour.
I do this with no improvement for three days. I watch youtube and see that vets prescribe subq fluids for the home to give to the dogs and cats. I asked about this and he had told me no. So, I take her to get a second opinion from another vet a friend recommended. He is pissed off and amazed by her health decline and the failure to treat my dog properly.
Turned out my dog had acute renal failure due to leptospirosis. Which is contagious to my pets and even me. If there are rats around your home (they became an issue since a house in derelict conditions was cleaned and rehabbed next door.) or yard. The bacteria is from the poo of an infected animal but normally a rodent. When it is around water it forms the bacteria. If you or your pets come into contact with this water or moist dirt(it can survive in moist soil for more than six months) on their feet and then they somehow rub their eye or have a cut on their foot or etc. It can enter the blood stream and by the time you realize your dog is sick it is normally too advanced.
There is a vaccine and I dont have a clue but my dogs were vaccinated but I hear the lepto is optional. I never heard of the option.
Now my dog is finally recieving the fluids but I have a feeling it is too late. She is less than half of her body weight of 22 lbs less than a month ago. She wont eat,Vomits, has diarhea, and barely drinks. She is suffering so much and I dont know how to handle it if my other dogs are infected too. I am so pissed off. I dont know where to go from here. I am still up. Planning on not sleeping, havent left the house for fear of something happening to her while I gone, and I am taking her to the vet to be euthanized I suppose bc I cant watch her wither away and suffer so much.
The bill at the other vet was another $400 and some odd dollars. So, I am tapped out, $1500 plus all the other shit I have bought to try to help her, missed work, and possibly might end up with two more sick dogs. I have appt. For them so lets add this to the bill…i dont know. Its insane. There was no mention of this at the first vet. The second vet had much more insight but I came to him when it was too late. What should I do?? Anyone??? I am so depressed and stressed and angry and tired and broke. I dont know what to do. I fear for my dogs quality of life and just want what is right for her but I dont know if there is something I am missing. Help me…

[Melanie B]

Dear Tamara,

I know exactly how you are feeling. 4 years ago, our Sheltie,

Cooper, was diagnosed with Idiopathic Chylothorax. I had never heard of this before. We did opt to have the plural ports surgically inserted, because his lungs were so diminished. We pulled fluid from his chest for approx. one year. I also did a lot of reading about this disease. Because of the fluid buildup in the chest, the chest can become inflamed. So, we started him on 3000 mg of Rutin daily (1000 mg 3 x’s daily). Also, started him on Raw Unfiltered Honey, and sprinkled Ceylon Cinnamon on top (the only cinnamon dogs can have), this is for the inflammation. About 1 Tablespoon of honey with a good sprinkling of cinnamon on top of the meals.. breakfast and dinner. I found Nutro dog food to have the lowest fat count. My dog would not eat the food the Dr recommended.. it was really dry. This was and still is our regimen. Fast forward, our Cooper is now 9. We no longer have to pull fluid, his lungs are again in great condition. You would never know he had ever been sick. I know this is not the case for all dogs diagnosed. But, I wanted you to know this is not necessarily a death sentence, as I had thought. So, we followed the above regimen, along with lots and lots of prayers, and our boy is doing wonderful.

I wish you the absolute best with your baby!!!!!

Sincerely,

Melanie

Sent from my T-Mobile 4G LTE Device

——– Original message ——–

From: Dog Food Advisor <[email protected]>

Date: 9/16/18 5:51 PM (GMT-06:00)

To: [email protected]

Subject: [Dog Food Advisor] Low-fat healthy diet needed

Tamera S wrote:

Been reading through all these posts and could find any recent from Nancy M. I was wondering how things turned out for her baby. Any of these babies really. We are heartbroken, as our 3 & 1/2 year old Sheltie has just been diagnosed with Idiopathic Chylothorax. The specialist I took him to terrified me, and he will not be going back to them even if we decide on surgery. When I told them we wanted to try least invasive options like Rutin and a low fat diet first, she wouldn’t be listen. Then came back telling me they nicked Scout’s lung when draining fluid so now his chest was filling with air! They wanted to keep him overnight, I refused to let them, he is fine, no symptoms they said he would have because of their incompetence. I feel they where just a surgery factory. My regular vet closed her practice and moved out of country on the Friday before this all happened. We are $2000 in. No surgery, just drain and diagnostic. No answers. I have talked to a Holistic doctor and he recommended supplements to ssupport his urinary tract as well. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated. We love our baby and want to do the best we can to give him the full and active life he deserves.
TIA
Tamera

Post Link: /forums/topic/low-fat-healthy-diet-needed/#post-121737

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[pitlove]

Rose B-

Breeders are not doctors or researchers and only can do what they believe works for them. A regular puppy formula is not meant for a giant breed puppy. This is probably what was being fed to the dog with H/D. Or it was genetic. 30-40 years ago (when your breeder started breeding) there were no appropriate puppy foods designed for large and giant breeds like Mastiffs. Now there are more than enough. Even my teacher (who graduated vet school over 30 years ago) used to tell her clients to feed adult food to giant breed pups. Now she said, she absolutely does not. Too much research to prove the harm in doing so and with all the great large and giant breed puppy foods on the market, she does not agree with that anymore.

[Tamera S]

Been reading through all these posts and could find any recent from Nancy M. I was wondering how things turned out for her baby. Any of these babies really. We are heartbroken, as our 3 & 1/2 year old Sheltie has just been diagnosed with Idiopathic Chylothorax. The specialist I took him to terrified me, and he will not be going back to them even if we decide on surgery. When I told them we wanted to try least invasive options like Rutin and a low fat diet first, she wouldn’t be listen. Then came back telling me they nicked Scout’s lung when draining fluid so now his chest was filling with air! They wanted to keep him overnight, I refused to let them, he is fine, no symptoms they said he would have because of their incompetence. I feel they where just a surgery factory. My regular vet closed her practice and moved out of country on the Friday before this all happened. We are $2000 in. No surgery, just drain and diagnostic. No answers. I have talked to a Holistic doctor and he recommended supplements to ssupport his urinary tract as well. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated. We love our baby and want to do the best we can to give him the full and active life he deserves.
TIA
Tamera

[anonymous]

“The vet is suspecting IBD or IBS”

This is doctor speak for, I need to do some more testing to accurately diagnose and advise you accordingly regarding medication and treatment options.

Just my opinion 🙂 Have a nice weekend everyone!

[pitlove]

“The poor appetite is a symptom, not the cause.”

And treating symptoms is important. Are you the examining doctor? What tests did you run through the internet on this dog that allowed you to determine that poor appetite does not need to be addressed at this current time?

I advised her to ASK her VET if he is COMFORTABLE prescribing it, not to DEMAND that he prescribe it to her whether he wants to or not.

There is absolutely ZERO harm in this because it is at the doctors discretion.

[Sue H]

Judy W., first, I hope you are feeling better, secondly, I hope Zack will also continue to do well. Thank you so much for your post. You pointed out that not only is the diagnostic quest for a human medical issue frustrating and a difficult and stressful process, it is the same for one’s pets. People can see more than one doctor and get different opinions, and their pets can see more than one vet and receive different diagnoses, too.

It would be great if every person and every pet could see the physician or vet (respectively) that would make the correct diagnosis right away and offer the best suggestions on treatment with sound explanations of what medications can and can not do and, yes, the side effects. As you said, we know our pets best and we also know ourselves best. Call the doctor or the vet if something seems wrong or different.

Always ask questions, do research on the diagnoses and treatments, whether for a person or pet. Ask questions! Never be afraid to ask questions. IF something does not seem right or you have reservations, ask for time to think about the situation and decide whether you need another opinion. If you or your pet are taking a new medication and are also taking other medications, speak with a pharmacist and ask questions about the potential drug interactions. Pharmacists do know this information and your physician or vet may not. Pharmacists may be able to suggest another medication that will help or be better for treatment.

You have to be your own advocate and advocate for your pet when your pet is ill.

Stress. This is significant and plays a role. The more stress you are under, the less likely you can think clearly to make the best decision. This is a normal human reaction. Our pets react to our stress.

Go with your instincts and speak up for yourself and your pets.

[judy w]

hello everyone, i have been following recent posts from email notifications after signing up on this thread in July. i got confused because i think there are two Melissa T’s? or maybe it’s just more symptoms of the ways my brain has been not fully functioning right from stress levels.

i am sad to hear about dogs and owners going through health conditions, trying to help, and sometimes, the help, the medicine, causes its own serious medical problems.

the thing that is most frustrating for me about this is the way that many vets, not all, are kind of in denial of the risks related to adverse effects. There should be informed consent when giving a medication even when risk is believed to be small. The risks should be discussed with the owner so that they can know the risks they are choosing to take in advance, not to overreact if risk is small but just to be aware because their individual pet is not a statistic but someone they know well. The owner is the one who is at home with the dog 24/7 and knows that dog individually, and in that way, even though the vet has the training and education and clinical experience, the owner has experience with their individual dog and can be in a better position to know when something just isn’t right.

i deal with this with my own doctors too. i always search for doctors that are openly cautious about medications, and when they recommend them, they also address the risks and say something like “if you see anything that concerns you, call me right away.” i have mostly had the opposite experience with doctors, because that is their training and they believe it is the best judgement and want to reassure patients that they know what they are doing. Some are better than others at being collaborative with patients and pet owners.

in the case of Galliprant, it’s so new, there isn’t a lot of clinical experience with it, so no vet should assure a patient when side effects come up after being on the treatment for weeks, that it can’t be the medication that’s causing it, especially a new medication, but all medications are always being learned about and while there are statistical generalizations from pharmaceutical company research required by FDA for approval, those are still generalizations, not absolute universal outcomes, there are a percentages of dogs that have had adverse effects, or effects that are not understood, serious enough to be mentioned. when 10% of those they studied get diarrhea and vomiting, my dog could be one of those, because they don’t know what the risk factors of that are or how to predict that in each case.

When my dog’s vet really pressured me to give him Galliprant in mid July when i posted here before, we didn’t know what was wrong with him or what was causing his sudden stiffness and difficulty moving. i read over one of the posts and i had written that she, the vet, had said that in addition to having a painful spine, he also had a distended abdomen. We talked about her doing an ultrasound, a technician came in twice a week, and i was planning on having it done the following week.

As it turned out, i took him for his second acupuncture treatment with the new holistic vet, for his back pain, and she examined him and said “no acupuncture today.” She commented on his distended abdomen and said she would like to do abdominal x-rays. she did and she showed me that his abdomen looked abnormal, there was detail you can usually see that was not clear on his xray. she went over some different possibilities of what might cause that, there were about 4, one was heart related but as she said, he had just had chest x rays and exam at the cardiologist a couple of weeks before and that cause didn’t show up. We all three, me, regular vet and holistic vet, thought the heart would be the most likely cause because he has advanced mitral valve disease. She said the only other possibility that wasn’t ruled out yet was cancer of the abdominal wall. 🙁 so, that seemed to be the most likely theory, and she said get him in to see an internal medicine doctor ASAP to find out what is going on.

i got an appointment for the next day at the specialty clinic with an internal medicine doctor and she did an abdominal x ray, she said it looked like the fluid in his abdomen was related to heart dysfunction. His cardiologist was there and took over and did full cardio eval and said Zack had right side congestive heart failure and pulmonary hypertension, severe, and he said he could remove the fluid from the abdomen which would make him feel better, so he did that and said they removed 800 ml of fluid. wow, that’s a lot. poor baby. no wonder he was having trouble moving around and eating his food. After the fluid was removed, he began to gradually get more normal, he was put on a diuretic, furosemide (Lasix), and also pimobendan (vetmedin) which is a dog medication for the heart (no human version). my memory is confused, think there were just those two. Either that week or the following week he started sildenafil which is better known as Viagra, which can be used for pulmonary hypertension to lower it.

Zack gradually became more normal and is pretty normal now. for me, there was so much stress about giving him the medications, they definitely have potential adverse effects , the diuretic can damage his kidneys, etc, so i had to give it to him but not unambivalently, and my own stress level about everything probably played a part in me having a lot of trouble remembering which medication to give when, and also, i found sometimes i would give him a pill and later find it on the floor, and he would then not have that dose since i didn’t know which dose he didn’t swallow.

i got an app called Medisafe that someone told me about that helps me remember what time to give which pills. Gradually the level of crisis went down but for a long time, i was thrashed by it, and at the beginning of when Zack first got his symptoms, i went to a specialist doctor appointment for a spreading skin rash i had for many years, other dermatologists had not diagnosed what it was, and that day, right at the beginning of Zack’s crisis i was told i have a cancer, a cutaneous T cell lymphoma, and i was reassured that most people don’t die from it, and the treatments aren’t bad, and that day, i started having whole body light treatments three days a week, so that was going on while i was trying to find out what was wrong with Zack, seeing three vets, two of them multiple times, and also trying to research the cancer thing on the internet and not feeling very good about what i was finding, scary treatments. then i got my biopsy results, he had taken three biopsies and sent them to two top labs in other parts of the country and when they came back finally after two weeks, he said it didn’t show results that confirmed the cancer, and now they were calling it some unusual kind of psoriasis, and the treatment is the same so the light therapy continues, but that was a load off my shoulders, to help with trying to find out what was making my dog deteriorate with some mystery cause. it doesn’t mean i don’t have the lymphoma thing, but at least i don’t have to know that i have it for now. One of the lab reports said it was eczema and not the cancer, the other one just listed off a bunch of possibilities of what it was and did not include the cancer, or eczema either.

i only gave Zack the Galliprant one time. He had increased panting and it lasted all night when normally he would sleep throughout the night. Heart failure has panting as a symptom, but he had never not slept all night before, or since. i will never give him Galliprant again, partly because i don’t like any medication that is long lasting, Galliprant is 24 hours. i would rather give it more frequently, like 3X a day, i just feel safer that way, though not convenient.
If he gets osteoarthritis or other pain from the musculo skeletal system, that’s different, i’d have to consider it, but if i did give him an NSAID, it would probably not be a 24 hour one, and one bloody vomit, it would be back to the drawing board.

i don’t fault my vet for wanting to try Galliprant because Zack seemed to be sore and stiff, she gave me her best advice and she did not invalidate my concerns and i will continue to go to her if needed. But if i had it to do over, i wouldn’t have given Zack that one 24 hour dose, he didn’t even have back pain, it turned out. What he had, as far as i know, just guessing, could be made worse by Galliprant. So it’s good that i was so scared of it all along.

As some other people have mentioned, when a pet is sick seriously enough to need a vet, part of the stress for many of us isn’t just these helpless babies dependent on us to find solutions and get them better, but also it’s expensive, and that just adds to the stress. I have dog pet insurance for Zack, i pay $145 a month, and i paid a similar amount his whole life, even though he was healthy and rarely went to the vet, but i knew he had that mitral valve disease bred into him, his breed, almost 100% will get mitral valve disease and 50% die from it by the age of 5 ! 🙁 We have been so lucky, his wasn’t symptomatic until he was 11-12, and pretty mildly, until June of this year, he’s going to be 13 in a couple of weeks, i thought he wasnt’ going to make it that far when that vet said it might be cancer of the abdominal wall.

So, his vet bills for the month of July came to $2700 paid upfront as i filed a claim. they pay 80%, but it took a month and a half for them to pay it, yay, they paid the whole 80% but i didn’t know until then how much they would pay. So stressful. now i can pay off the Care Credit balance , relief.

it’s so good that there is a discussion site for this subject, because for the many who need meds like Galliprant in their efforts to help their dogs have good quality of life, it’s important to be aware of potential adverse effects and to know what’s going on, even when some vets insist it can’t be the medications. It’s discussions like this one that are informative in a way that isn’t learned in medical school, to help both doctors and owners work together even when at odds to have the best result.

[Sue H]

Melissa, I am so sorry that you that Jax was not treated sooner. When we started Crystal on Galliprant I read all I could find and also discussed potential side effects with my vet. Galliprant is like some of the NSAIDS and ibuprofen products used for people, things can happen very suddenly. My vet and I discussed what types of symptoms to watch for, and if any doubt, take her to the ER vet immediately, which is what I will do.

I would contact the company directly about what happened to your Jax. I would also ask if they will reimburse you for the meds. They are very expensive. If they do not, at least go online and apply for one of their rebates to get some money back to help with your vet bills.

I question my own doctors, as well as our vet. Our pets can not speak for themselves. Never be concerned about getting another opinion whether it is for a person or your pet. If something seems wrong, person should go to ER and dog should be seen at the ER vet. Better to have something investigated and treated than to wait.

Maybe you should get another opinion from another vet to see if there is anything that can help Jax feel better. Worth some phone calls.

[anonymous]

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

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

[Linda K]

Amelia Z, you are a wealth of information, and I thank you once again for sharing it. Again, I marvel at what a good gig I have. You do the work and share your expertise with me and the rest of the people on this forum. I am looking carefully at all those dog foods. You asked me what my dog’s taurine level was. Believe it or not it was a mere 16! Normal at our lab is 120-160, and “critical” is 40! I am a wreck, watching him every second for any signs of strange behavior. I have often said I am not good at most things, but I can worry as well as anybody on the planet. The cardiac ultrasound cannot come soon enough. Meanwhile, he has begun chewing on his paws. I hope he’s not allergic to the taurine (gasp) or the egg the doctor told me to give him every day. My husband says he is a nervous wreck and reacting to my waking him up ever two minutes to make sure he still wakes up. I am in awe of you and your seeming calm demeanor. Thank you so much!

[HoundMusic]

“we have him on local organic keifer but will try the others, thanks. His blood tests were fairly normal and it is not his thyroid, I forgot to say. Will look for a more natural doctor, he has seen our vet, a specialist and stayed at the ag college vets a few days.”

For what it’s worth, you might want to reconsider the kefir. It contains yeast and might be seriously aggravating the condition. Since the dog’s immune system is already suppressed, any incoming bacteria or yeast, however beneficial in small amounts, can spread like wildfire throughout the body and just compile one problem atop another.

I’d also vote for staying the heck away from homeopathic Vets. Some remedies might be less dubious than others when used in combination with traditional medicine, but homeopathic Vets are little better than snake oil salesman, no matter how well intentioned they might be.

[Ly J]

My dog vomited everytime he eat, I’ve gave him to the doctor but he said it was a normal phenomenon. I’m still worry. Can I help you? Thanks very much!

[pitlove]

HI MJ E-

Geez, sounds very similar to what my bully mix goes through. His tends to be localized to his underside though. We’ve come to realize that most of the skin allergies we see with him are a reaction to something in his environment. Maybe the same is true for your dog?

Have you tried eliminating certain items from his inside environment? Like bedding, blankets, things like that that he lays on that could cause some type of contact allergy? A lady I knew found out her dog was allergic to the wool blanket he’d been sleeping on for years. Also washing the dogs bedding in something like All Free Clear instead of something with dyes and fragrances.

However, if hes reacting to something in his environment, but its outside thats a bit harder to manage. Bathing once a week in a medicated shampoo such as https://www.chewy.com/malaseb-medicated-shampoo-dogs-cats-8/dp/119232 or https://www.chewy.com/miconahextriz-shampoo-dogs-cats-16-oz/dp/114184 has really helped our dog. I notice a difference with him when I don’t bathe him regularly, especially in the summer time.

As far as the doctors and testing goes, it definitely does seem like you’ve made a grand effort to get him a diagnosis. Doctors aren’t perfect and sometimes tests aren’t either. However, it does sound like someone at some point lead you astray when they offered you a test for food allergies. I’m assuming (but correct me if I’m wrong) that it was a blood test. Blood tests are by and large infamous for false positives and false negatives and are generally not recognized as a true diagnostic test for food allergies.

While his symptoms don’t sound food allergy related, it doesn’t hurt to rule it out. Since we’ve just started summer in the US, I would get with a regular vet and discuss a food trial. This is the golden standard for ruling in or ruling out food allergies. There are a couple different approaches you can take to what food you choose for a food trial but the end principle is the same. They must eat that food and that food only for the 3 months they are doing the food trial. No treats, no flavored meds, no table food, no nothing. As far as what food you use goes, you can choose to do a homecooked diet of one novel protein and one novel carb for 3 months or you can use a diet from the vet like Royal Canin Ultamino. With Ultamino, the protein source for the food is amino acids that have been extracted from feathers. The proteins molecular weight in daltons is so low (under 1000) that the body’s immune response doesn’t trigger because the molecules are not a threat. Royal Canin actually borrowed this science from human medicine involving babies with allergies to milk.

If after 3 months (and you’ve done the trial correctly) there is no improvement in his symptoms, the idea is that you can effectively say food allergies are not at play. After that you may want to go back to the derm specialist and try the therapy that anon101 suggested. They will basically inject various common/regional allergens under your dogs subcutaneous layer of skin (think of a TB test in humans) and measure the reaction your dog has to each. They will then cocktail together a “vaccine” that you give your dog as a method of desensitizing him to those allergens. It will likely be a lifelong treatment and can cost (at least what I was quoted from LSU vet school) around 200$ for a 6 month supply of the vaccine for your dog. However, results for most pets are usually very good with this course of treatment. It may also be safer and more cost effective depending on the size of your dog than say a drug like Apoquel or an allergy injection like Cytopoint which isn’t guarenteed to work on all pets.