[Renee A]

Hi, our lab has terrible environmental and food allergies. She had diarrhea, itching, scratching biting, etc. We had to do an elimination diet. try one thing for x amt. of weeks and then another until she improved. Natural Balance Duck/potato she could eat but I didn’t care for the ingredients. We found she was allergic to chicken (very common), turkey, beef, eggs, etc. We had her on Canidae Lamb/rice and it was also good, but now we switched to Blue Basics Lamb/potato and that’s working also. These are expensive so if you need the middle of the line food and price tag, Taste of the Wild Lamb is good also. We also found out thru a blood test, that our dog is allergic to grasses, mulberry trees, etc. So, bec of such bad env. allergies, we have her on a prescription med. We’ve tried holistic. Also on fish oil caps.

[cherryl]

Hi all,
I have an 11 year old Maltipoo (Friday) who’s been battling Yeast infection for 3 years. I got tired of going to the vet having the same treatment over and over (they just prescribe her some medicine,Royal Canin sensitivity and medicated soap and shampoo) without any good results, she’s still stinky, itchy and miserable. I started researching and found out that possible cause of yeast is diet (vet never mentioned that to me) and it’s when i decided to try raw. I followed the yeast starvation diet on homemadedogfood: lean ground beef, boiled egg with shell. I live in Asia so Dinovite is not available so I replace it with supplement, fish oil and megaderm (alternate). Friday loved it. Her yeast is now coming out as expected. However, i observed that her bowel changed dramatically. Her normal schedule on kibble is after meal but once she changed to raw, sometimes it would take more than 24 hrs for her to poop. Her poop is also inconsistent, one day it would be very soft and wet but can still be picked up, the next day then it will be well formed but with mucus, then it will be tarry.. oh and its really smelly too..these changes on her bowel keeps me awake at night as well. Then the other night, her poop was tarry with fresh blood and some mucus, this worried me a lot so i sent her to the vet the next day. She was examined thoroughly and found everything is normal. Also, no vomiting and coughing occurred her movement is also normal.

So i researched again and most of what I read is that I’m supposed to start with chicken, so last night i bought chicken wings and chicken breast fillet. I cut the fillet in small portion and gave Friday half of the chicken wings (this is after 24hr fasting) . She DOESN’T like it. I had to give her the chicken meat by hand and most of it she spit, she ate the chicken wing but with so much pleading. This morning when i tried to give her meal, she did not eat the wings at all. I tried cutting the bones to small pieces but to no avail. (oh this is plain chicken not the yeast starvation diet)

I have another dog Bailey, (Wire Dachshund, normal size) she started on raw the same time with Friday, she’s also having the same bowel problems like Friday (but without the bloody poop (yet)), so now she’s taking chicken wings and no problem eating it at all.

Both dogs started raw about 3 going on 4 weeks now and I dont know if there’s any alternative recipe/food that I can give her. Oh like i said I live in Asia so Turkey, lamb and other kind of meat isn’t readily available here. Basic is pork, chicken and beef.
Should I stick with the yeast starvation diet but with ground chicken? How important is the bones for the dog? And what can i do to make my dog eat chicken?

Really sorry for the long read and I really hope you guys can give me some advice on this.
Thanks so much!!!

[Susan]

Hi have you tried cooking her meals low fat meals, lean white meat like chicken breast or turkey breast is best… I look at the ingredients in the prescription food & take a few of the ingredients & buy then cook, with the chicken breast remove any fat & cut into small pieces add water & bring to the boil as soon as it starts to boil remove from stove so the chicken is soft & not over cooked like hard leather pieces, there will be white froth on top, I empty all water & boil the jug & add boiling water to the chicken pieces to wash away any fat, I cool then I put thru a blender & freeze little 1/2 cup meals, the blended chicken pieces easier to digest… With the Hills I/d wet it has rice, so boil some rice or sweet potatoes & mix with the blended chicken or Turkey breast, are you feeding the Hills I/d Low Fat restore GI wet tin food this has only 8.5% fat or the I/d Gastro wet tin food has about 14.3% fat, the fat may be too high if she’s eating the I/d Gastro….. also egg, scrabble a egg, no milk just cook beaten egg in a non stick pan or cook in micro wave, some people scramble the egg whites as the yoke has the fat, also feed 4 smaller meals thru the day, Sounds like your vet has prescribed Carafate to line the stomach, if it is Carafate make sure the stomach is empty as the Carafate lines whatever is in the stomach… The vet should of put her on an ant acid med like Ranitidine (Zantac) or Famotidine (Pepcid) to stop the stomach acid burning her ulcer ask vet why he hasn’t prescribe some Zantac or Pepcid this will help more then the Carafate….
My boy was prescribed Carafate to be taken 1 hour before breakfast 6am & the Zantac to be taken 30mins before breakfast 6.30am, then 7am he ate meal, I was to give the Carafate & Zantac every 12 hours…. so he was eating 7am 12pm 5pm & 7pm, his meal 7am & 7pm was a bit bigger when he took meds….
I would be having an Endoscope done & Biopsies to see what’s wrong.. make sure she’s eating a low fat diet, high fat makes more stomach acid, then she’ll have her pain, vomiting etc no Jerky or fish skins nothing that is hard to digest, make some pumkin & oatmeal cookies there’s a heap of dog cookies recipes on line, less ingredients is best….

[Pamela S]

my question is what ingredients in ANY dog food could help a dog born without hip sockets. Here are the ingredients from their web site:

Whole Grain Corn, Chicken By-Product Meal, Flaxseed, Soybean Mill Run, Brewers Rice, Soybean Meal, Pork Fat, Chicken Liver Flavor, Powdered Cellulose, Fish Oil, Lactic Acid, Potassium Chloride, L-Lysine, Calcium Carbonate, Choline Chloride, Iodized Salt, DL-Methionine, vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), L-Threonine, Taurine, Soy Lecithin, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), L-Tryptophan, L-Carnitine, Mixed Tocopherols for freshness, Chondroitin Sulfate, Phosphoric Acid, Beta-Carotene, Natural Flavors.

you could get the same outcome with vitamins. First ingredient is corn, how is that good for your dog. I think most vets are out to make money, they try to give unnecessary shots and scare you into buying science diet from them. Just my two sense.

[Robin W]

Debbie I, I’m switching from Merrick also, same reason you are.

Just checked Life’s Abundance, they have 5 Star Canned (no grain unless you count oat hulls, and no carrageenen–yay) AND their Grain Free is also 5 star. They are a good company. Funny thing about them, I asked about getting rid of the carrageenen & they did, also in the same post about concerns with rice having arsenic & if they had grain free. Now they do all that.

Will probably be alternating with Orijen Adult, which has the smallest amount of fish of their products according to Orijen (they answer questions in facebook posts), because my dogs are spoiled & like variety now & then.

[Susan]

Hi, could be IBD (Colitis) she may have a food intolerance/sensitivity, my boy was pooing blood & mucus, mucus & blood is from something irritating the bowel (Colitis). My boy cant eat boiled rice or boiled oats in cooked meals or wet tin foods, boiled rice & oats irritate his bowel causing blood, mucus poos…he also cant have any gluten & most vet diet have gluten, corn & boiled rice, so he cant eat most vet diets plus vet diets use chicken or hydrolyzed chicken….so if your dog has a sensitivity to chicken then vet diets won’t help…..

Have you tried to feed a cooked limited ingredient meals, just 1 protein & 1 carb, a protein she hasn’t eaten before, a protein low in fat is best & try adding some boiled potatoes, or sweet potatoes if you want more fiber… My boy does real well on beef, pork, lamb or fish, I have found….Elimination diets are best to feed when this is happening, then when she is stable (firm poos) then only add 1 new ingredient each week…… in the beginning less is best cause you will not know what is causing the diarrhea, if she is eating too many things or too many supplements are given… & keep a diary…I’ve been cooking this morning, to lightly boil some meat & boil some sweet potatoes doesn’t take long, I make 1/2 cup size meals. I put thru the blender it helps with digestion if you dogs gulps food, then I freeze small meals..
You may need a new vet, a vet that knows more about IBD…..

[C4D]

I have one dog that takes the 1200 mg double potency (720 omegas) human fish oil daily due to arthritis but I also have a foster that is allergic to fish and breaks out in a rash if she is given any fish in any form, not matter how little the portion. DogFoodie is right. It’s a great anti inflamatory, as long as the dog can take it. You also may need to supplement with an occaisonal dose of Vitamin E, if it’s not in the fish oil supplement you are using. There is a very delicate balance between fish oil and Vitamin E. Please research before giving.

[DogFoodie]

It won’t help a bit of he’s intolerant of fish.

Have you conducted an elimination diet to determine if the problem is food related?

Fish oil can help with inflammation, but too much fish oil can be unhealthy.

[Anonymous]

Why not? I give my dogs 1 fish oil capsule a day, maybe it helps.

Latest Review Finds Fish Oils Don’t Help Dementia

Read the comments, you may find some helpful information.
PS: It is a food supplement, not a medication….not sure how accurate the dosages listed would be anyway.

[catherine j]

I have a blue pit bull and i was wondering if i could feel her regular spring valley 1000 mg softgel fish oil to her to help with her skin allergies?

[chris]

Red has given many great suggestions towards taking steps on helping you provide better care. I have a beagle as well and you can check my thread out I had made a few months back as my beagle was abused and also has very bad stomach issues with constipation.

Suggestions I found that worked the best is definitely finding a great substance and well balanced food. I have been feeding Merrick’s Back Country for the past 4 months (basically since they came out with it) and he enjoys it. The thing that helps the most is what you give him with it. I have my beagle on a schedule of different things to help with his constipation. I also feed him about 2 cups of canned food on top of his dry food.

1 TBS Coconut Oil twice a week
1 TBS pumpkin organic, or sweet potato once a day
2 TBS Kefir, cottage cheese, plain yogurt every few days

The coconut oil will help with allergies, skin issues, and constipation.
Pumpkin and Sweet potato have several health benefits, vitamins and are high in fiber
Kefir, yogurt, both bave natural prebiotics and probiotics for the stomach

Other things I give him once in a while are:
Sardines or any fish cooked
swanson soil based organisms
Cheese cut up into bite size pieces
Canned Green Tripe

Now far as the legal issues go, I do agree with red that you might want to look into that as something could be done. Especially since the fireman himself was speeding. Hope this helps though and keep us updated on how things work out for ya!

[theBCnut]

I get grinds from Hare Today. If I’m feeling lazy, I feed just the grind. If I’m doing my usual routine, I add fish oil, coconut oil, a supergreen supplement, and a little of a blanched fruit/vegetable puree that I make from colorful fruits and veggies.

[C4D]

Hi Kevin,
THROW THE GREENIES AWAY! They are loaded in wheat! If you must do a chew like that, pick one that has no grains and minimal potato. These are difficult to find. You might try something like a bully stick or venison ear. Here’s the ingredient list:

Wheat flour, wheat protein isolate, glycerin, gelatin, oat fiber, water, lecithin, natural poultry flavor, minerals (dicalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, potassium chloride, magnesium amino acid chelate, zinc amino acid chelate, iron amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate, manganese amino acid chelate, potassium iodide), choline chloride, dried apple pomace, fruit juice color, vitamins ( dl-alpha tocopherol acetate [source of vitamin E], vitamin B12 supplement, d-calcium pantothenate [vitamin B5], niacin supplement, vitamin A supplement, riboflavin supplement [vitamin B2], vitamin D3 supplement, biotin, pyridoxine hydrochloride [vitamin B6], thiamine mononitrate [vitamin B1], folic acid), turmeric color.

Link:
GREENIES Pet Products for Dogs

Many dogs react to grains of any type. My own dog did, even though they were the “good grains”. This alone helped for many years until she developed a specific allergy to only 1 protein.

Red, I realize that you are all about skeptvet. HOWEVER, I really am not happy with how he dismisses alternative treatments.

I treated an older demodex mange dog (confirmed by my vet) with feeding her echinacea in her food daily for 7 days and shampooing her every 10 days (3 times) with a natural mineral based shampoo that included neem oil. My vet was aware of what I wanted to try before using the “traditional methods”. It worked completely. I also changed her from a fish based diet, (which I confirmed was the cause of allergy through my own trials) to a limited ingredient diet. She was completely cured. She is now able to eat all but fish in her diet. The fish was the cause of all of the allergy issues which in turn triggered the demodex. I treated a dog with high liver enzymes (vet diagnosed) with milk thistle and sam-e. Within 6 months, I brought the ALT down from over 300 to under 65. I had another dog with a bacterial skin infection that my vet thought was environmental. I switched the protein and we have not had an issue since. I did experiment and found that in fact the specific protein was the cause. I truly believe there must be a melding of both western traditional methods with some alternative holistic methods. That’s my $.02 worth! I will forever choose a combination of the 2.

P.S. I don’t use topicals either. I pull any occaisonal ticks that are on my dogs and have never had fleas, but have found that many of the natural methods repel fleas and ticks do help. I wouldn’t treat my children with flea and tick topicals even though we have had ticks on them over the years of primitive camping. I’ve kept all various worms/parasites at bay (even with fosters that are infected) with Diatomaceous Earth. It’s worked for me.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 4 months ago by C4D.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 4 months ago by C4D.

[Anonymous]

It can take up to a year to see results. My dog only needs an injection every 3 weeks now.
It is what it is. At least she is comfortable..

PS: A fish oil capsule a day may help with dry skin. I give all my dogs 1 a day, same stuff I take.

[Sarah A]

It’s not always the amount of fat in the food but what kind of fat that is important. My vet told me that salmon (and other similar fish) are good to have in the diet because the oil is absorbed immediately in the upper most region of the digestive system whereas fat from beef and pork are not and they make the pancreas work harder. There are lots of other benefits of fish oil as well.

So I’ve been feeding my standard poodle a combination of Merrick Pacific Catch kibble with Wellness 95% Salmon (a “mix-in”, not a complete dog food). She likes it and has not had a pancreatitis relapse since having a severe episode in early May.

[Kimberly W]

Hi all,

I have a puppy-mill Boston Terrier female named Lexie. I got her at 1 year old and she was in bad shape – demodex mange being one of the issues. We got rid of the mange, but she itches almost constantly still ….. especially mid-back and butt. Her tail has a spot where she’s rubbed all the hair off and now it’s like a callous there. I’ve tried all different proteins (even ground raw venison!) and grain-free foods, allergic injections, prednisone ….. even trying an immuno-therapy serum for common Florida allergens. She’s currently on Apoquel at $2 per DAY ….. it does help, but she still itches. I liked the idea of the Dinovite supplement + the raw diet they promote and switched her over VERY slowly. My first box of Dinovite lasted over 60 days. Lexie has a very touchy tummy and I didn’t want her to get sick. She seemed to do okay with the supplement and the diet, but we noticed that only the Apoquel made her scratch less. And by no means did the scratching stop ….. :/

So, into the 2nd box of Dinovite, Lexie started spitting up after eating. This had happened all along, but just once in awhile – now she was doing it after almost every meal. And it wasn’t RIGHT AFTER she ate, it was hours afterwards. Like we were sleeping at 3am and she’d vomit in the bed with us. And it was always GREEN. Like she was just spitting up just the Dinovite. We weaned her back onto the white fish based kibble she’d been on (that we were sure didn’t make her sick) and just put the Dinovite in that – thinking we’d eliminate the chance that it was the raw food. She STILL would vomit only green stuff.

I’m at my wits end here. I hate thinking she’s miserable. We have really tried a ton of stuff, but I think something in the Dinovite is making her sick. I’m wondering if all the time she was on the raw diet, it was moving the toxins from the crappy food she was fed (before I got her) OUT of her body and then, the grain (sorghum) in the Dinovite finally made her sick????

I wish I could post a picture – she looks SO good – hair is all grown in from where the demodex had her bald, so glossy she shines in the sun ….. everyone comments on how beautiful she is ….. but she itches. Almost all the time. Doesn’t lick her paws and her skin doesn’t smell at all, her ears are pretty pink inside ….. no yeast that I can see manifesting itself on her body anywhere. When I scratch her back where you can obviously tell it itches the MOST, there is some dandruff that comes out. She has no fleas and I’ve washed her with DermaBenss shampoo – as suggested by my vet – for the flaking skin ….. but when that didn’t work, I used a soap-free emu oil shampoo that’s FOR DRY SKIN and that didn’t help either.

This is what a meal looks like for Lexie:

1/2 cup of white fish based kibble – NO GRAINS (no corn, wheat or soy)
3 pumps of Yummy Chummies salmon oil
baked sweet potato or canned pumpkin
2 capsules of food enzymes (opened and sprinkled on the food)
Drs. Foster and Smith adult vitamin
vitamin E capsule – 400IU
***Also, before bed, I’m giving Lexie 2 capsules of bifidophilus, to help repopulate the good bacteria in her intestines.***
***We only use one kind of treats – Yummy Chummies Grain Free treats made with 95% salmon + potato and pea flour.***

The food we are using scores a 3.5 star on the food advisory list and I’m willing to buy her a 5 star food, but am not sure that food is her only issue. Does anyone have ANY suggestions for me? I’d be very grateful for any ideas that I haven’t already explored. Another supplement? A different shampoo? Anything I haven’t thought of or don’t know how to look for? I’ve even wondered if the itching is just a HABIT and maybe she doesn’t know how to stop ….. :/

Thanks for any thoughts!!!!

• This reply was modified 10 years, 4 months ago by Kimberly W.

[Jennifer R]

I have a 1 year old blue nose “Bo” and same issues, I have tried changing foods, benedryl, Zertec, and nothing worked. There is a new drug on the market that works WONDERS called Apoquel but there is production issues with it being new th vet frequently runs out and my dog has to suffer all over again. Fish oil helps as far as what I have read in many different forums. But if you can get the Apoqeul your dog will be like a whole new dog, no bumps, no itching, and back to normal. I am praying they will straighten it out soon, he had been off it for only a month and old symptoms are right back again :(. Good luck everyone!

[Susan]

Hi, after Patch finished his triple therapy antibiotics Metronidazole, Amoxicillin & Zantac last December for his Helicobacter-Pylori 2-3 days after stopping his meds, I saw a tape worm on his black bum, I looked & thought is that a tape worm then the next afternoon the same another tapeworm, they look like rice but cause it was Christmas eve the vet was closed that sells his Milbemax all wormer, Patch can’t take any other all-wormers they make him ill, vomiting & pooing blood, I rung the 24 hr vets & they didn’t have the Milbemax they had another all-wormer, so I had to wait till the holidays were over to worm him…I told his vet at the time & he said, yes he often see’s tapeworms in dogs after they have been on antibiotics but he didn’t say why, he just said tapeworms won’t hurt him, I’d prefer no worms…. so the next time he had too take the Metronidazole again, I wormed him first then started the Metronidazole the next day & when he was finished taking the Metronidazole, I kept looking at his bum after he’d poo to see if I could see any more tape worms & I couldn’t….the thing is Patch doesn’t have fleas, the fleas don’t stay on him & jump back off him, the cat did have fleas at the time & Patch doesn’t kill wild prey mice, rats, rabbits, etc…

There’s several species of Tapeworms Dipylidium Caninum from fleas & Teania & Echinococcus species from mice, rats, rabbits, squirrels, deer & sheep…you have to wash all bedding everything he sleeps on.. Does Doc eat wild prey?

I was giving Patch probiotics Protexin Soluble but it was expensive $60 for 1 month, so I found another dog probiotic Vetafarm at the pet shop with the same ingredients for $20 but I don’t think the Vetafarm was as good as the Protexin & I stopped giving probiotics to him then about 3 months ago I saw a Animal Naturopath cause I wanted to put Patch on a raw diet & she sent out human live probiotic capsules that were dairy & gluten free, I had to open the capsule & put only half a capsule on the raw meal, Patches itchy smelly skin & red paws all went away within 3 days of being on the raw diet, the only problem he was regurgitating the raw, water was coming up into his mouth about 3 hours after eating the raw & he hadn’t drank any water after breakfast & he was swallowing & swallowing it, this water came out of his mouth one day while we were shopping & went all down my shopping bag, that’s when I seen it was water & a few little bits of blended veggies thru the water, I think the enzymes were breaking down the raw meat too quickly, so I had to stop the raw cause he was getting acid reflux & a sore throat but I was shattered & so was Patch, he loved his raw Kangaroo, so I started to cook extra lean beef mince & the same, he was regurgitating the cooked meal as well….. the thing is he doesn’t regurgitate wet tin food if its chunky or soaked kibble put thru a blender, so I started looking for wet tin foods but I couldn’t find a low fat, low fiber wet tin food in the Pet Shops, Wellness has their Core grain free reduced fat but the fiber is 3%, so that will be too high when converted to dry matter, so I tried the Hills & Royal Canine low fat vet diets but they all have boiled rice & boiled rice goes thru Patch (diarrhea) the corn or something in the vet wet diets was making him itch & smell again, so about 2 weeks ago I went to the Supermarket & I started to read all the ingredients, fat & fiber in all the wet tin foods & I bought a 700g tin of Purina Supercoat Homestyle casserole Lamb Veggies & Pasta, the Purina seemed to have the best ingredients fish oil, vitamins & minerals, the fat was 4%, fiber-1%max, I also bought another brand that was duck the smaller foiled wet tin food, it had only 2% fat, we tried the duck first at night his last feed he loved it but poo wasn’t as good as they are now on the Lamb Casserole…. I would need 10-12 small foil tins of the duck a day & it works out too expensive to feed…
I also started him on the Royal Canine Intestinal low fat kibble about 2 weeks before, cause when I went to buy his regular Hypoallergenic, gluten, dairy, sugar & potato free kibble “Salmon & Sardines with brown rice & green veggies” it had a Gold sticker saying “New Improved Omega 3,6, & 9 formula” so I looked & all the ingredients were still the same, so I bought the bag of kibble but the new kibbles were smaller & black & felt real greasy, even when I soaked the kibble in water, I could feel the greasiness & Patch was getting his real bad acid reflux again, so I stopped the Meals For Mutts kibble & I gave the R/C low fat Kibble ago… but he has spewed up the R/C Low Fat kibble a few times that’s then I thought I’ll give the wet tin food a go again, I’m feeding the Purina Lamb Casserole for breakfast, for lunch & dinner the R/C low fat kibble & the Purina Lamb Casserole for his last small dinner & he doing the best poos ever.. so today I’m going to just try feeding the Purina Casserole all day & see how he goes & see if he start to get his yeasty smell again, I take out the beans & wholemeal pasta & throw it away & I’ve been adding a little bit of boiled sweet potatos & some boiled chicken, I have a freezer full of cooked foods for him that he regurgitates when feed by themselves, so I’m going to add them with the Lamb casserole tin food & see how he goes… I really think the kibble is causing all his problems with Helicobacter, S.I.B.O, acid reflux & nausea..

With soluble & insoluble fibers you need to work out how Doc goes, if you have ever tried the Hills Z/d kibble, Hills I/d Gastro or the Hills W/d all these kibbles have more insoluble fiber, the Hills Z/d was making Patch do 1 big cow paddy poo in the morning, his poo was just slop & he started to smell real bad with yeast on the Hills Z/d kibble probably the Corn Starch, so Patch doesn’t do well on insoluble fiber, he does better poos on soluble fiber but soluble fiber sits in the stomach longer, where insoluble fiber passes the stomach into the small bowel, so I don’t know is that a good thing for S.I.B.O probably not…

If you can try & get Doc on wet food or raw is the best, a lean protein, like Rabbit, Chicken, Turkey, Kangaroo these are all low in fat… I never added any bone in the begining, the Naturopath said no bone or organ meat yet cause of his IBD… maybe give him his kibble for dinner & try the wet tin or raw for breakfast but I never mixed the 2 together Raw & kibble or wet tin & kibble…. I thought it will just sit in his stomach & something will happen, it always does with him lol… another thing try 1 new thing at a time so if anything happens you will know what is causing what..

[Dixie W]

I’m trying to switch my 12 year old boston terrier from kibble to raw as he has been diagnosed with Cushing’s. He has gained 5 lbs which is because of the Cushing’s and I am trying to help him loose that weight so he will be more comfortable. I am reducing his kibble to 1/2 cup and adding salmon , frozen veggies which he has always loved, fish oil and kefir for his tummy. He licks the bowl every time. Does anyone have any suggestions on a more permanent diet for him .

[weezerweeks]

I have a yorkie but he weighs 7.3 lbs. I feed mine canned freeze dried and I cook for him too. I love wellness stews, weruva go fit , fromn. I give him for treats blueberries, raw carrots, bananas, apples. I give him Nordic natural fish oil(3days a week) and organic coconut oil 3 times a week. I ‘venever had much experience with one that large. Good luck with ur new baby. They are my absolutely favorite breed. This is my second one and I’m trying to talk hubby into a little female.

[Susan]

Hi Taylor, there is pumkin in the Grandma Lucy’s Rabbit & Pumkin is high in fiber, so I’d say it will make the poos worse, you can try pumkin, you only add 1 teaspoon of boiled pumkin but I think she is getting too much fiber with the Grandma Lucy’s food…sounds like your girl has more food sensitivities then environment allergies, can you cook for her? look at the ingredients in the Grandma Lucy’s & make the food minus a few ingredients like the pumkin, chickpeas & spinach & add rabbit, quoina or millet or add both to the food to fill her up more… greens are best to add in meals when they suffer from yeast problems, broccoli, Bok Choy, Zucchini, celery, Kale etc NO Peas..
Have you ever done a food elimination diet before, sometimes the foods that they reacted to at one time, sometimes when you re-introduce that food again they are fine & have no reactions….

In Australia scientist are testing kids with food sensitivities/intolerances, (not food allergies to peanuts) & they’re finding when they re-introduced small amounts of the food that they are sensitive/intolerant too over a 6month period the child can eat that certain food now.. also they are finding that kids that were introduced to food older then 6months seem to have all these food intolerances & now they are saying its best to introduce foods to babies at 4 months old of age not older…..
Patch has a problem with potatoes he gets diarrhea & rash all over stomach, well I think it was the potatoes in the kibble, the kibble just had potatoes & fish & he can eat fish, so I’ve been adding about 1 teaspoon of boiled mashed potatoes in with his cooked meal & he’s been OK so far, so next week I’m going to add 1 spoon mashed potatoes & see if his poos start to change & if he has any reactions….

[crazy4cats]

Hey Jonathan-
I live in the Seattle area also. What is up with our weather? Crazy hot! Please let it rain!!!
My pups don’t haven’t had much problem with itchy skin, but I do feed them canned sardines once a week with their kibble. And occasionally throw a fish oil pill in their meals as well. Good luck!

[Jonathan S]

I’m sure this has probably been covered before, but I’m looking for a recommendation for a supplement to help cover itchy, dry skin on my dogs.

I’m in the process of rotating my dogs off their current kibble (they’re on the last of their Taste of the Wild) and on to Acana/Orijen, so I’m hoping that the change in food will help. This bloom of dry skin comes with a combination of changing the TotW mix from fish to lamb, and some hot dry weather here in Seattle. I’m also feeding my dogs raw food as half of their diet and they’re doing well with that.

I’ve experimented with a number of food supplements. The most recent that seems to work well for them digestively is Flora4. I do include coconut oil in their diet, but sometimes the additional fat can have some effects on their stool quality. I see commercials on TV for Dinovite, but I’m pretty sure that’s not where I want to go.

Anyone have any suggestions?

[weezerweeks]

I use 1/8 teaspoon of coconut oil about 3 times a week and fish oil or krill oil every night. I love the coconut oil but it made my yorkies cholesterol go up so I cut back on it but I love it!!

[Anonymous]

Coconut Oil for Pets?

Hope this helps.

Is he a wire haired jack russell? The coats on these dogs will appear dry no matter what. Do some research as to grooming, the right combs/brushes to use, it makes a big difference http://www.therealjackrussell.com/advice/grooming2.php

Ps: I add a fish oil capsule daily to my dogs diet, not sure if it actually helps.
I have never used coconut oil for anything.
Be careful about adding a lot of stuff, it can make a dog nauseous.

[Angelica D]

Hello I want to know if anyone uses both coconut oil and fish oil at the same time? I recently adopted a 7 month old puppy mix (jack russell and maybe yorkie? ) and he has a very dry coat. I hear both oils are very good for different things can I use both? Thank you

[Susan]

Hi, Alex I feel like a broken down record cause I’m always recommending the “California Natural” limited ingredient kibble, Lamb & Rice…. Looks like you haven’t tried Lamb as a protein, the kibbles you have feed are either fish or duck with sweet potatoes & potatoes, give the “California Natural Lamb & Rice” a go…heaps better then starchy vet diets…..the California Natural Lamb & Rice has just 4 ingredients Lamb, Brown Rice, White Rice & Sunflower Oil…try a kibble with limited ingredients a novel protein & ingredients that you have not feed before…
Most grain free kibbles are more starchy with potatoes, peas, sweet potatoes, tapioca, lentils, legumes etc……I found kibbles with just 1 protein & brown/white rice, work best for my itchy boy…stay away from peas, potatoes, tapioca, sweet potatoes, oats & see how he improves, its worth a go & remember less is best with itchy dogs…

also weekly baths, have you tried Malaseb Medicated Shampoo bath every 5-7 days & leave on the paws & skin for 5-10mins then rinse off… after 1 month on new food & weekly baths you will see a big improvement, use the new kibble as a treat as well no treats unless they have the same ingredients.. http://www.californianaturalpet.com/products/1181

[Susan]

Hi re-start the raw diet again, an elimination diet, just feed 1 protein, a meat he hasn’t eaten before & stick with green veggies, broccoli, celery, bok choy, beans etc these veggies must be blended in a blender made into a pulp, I stop the blender just before the veggies are liquid… dogs cant digest raw veggies like us, we chew our food, where dogs just swallow & don’t break down the veggies, that’s why you see corn or carrot in their poo…here’s the maintenance diet my boy was put on thru a Animal Naturopath if you scroll down there’s a Allergy diet…I had to pick 1 protein, 2-4 veggies & 1-2 fruits, I picked kangaroo mince, broccoli, celery, carrot & a apple, to start with, peel all veggies cut up then put thru a mini processor….I feed 1 cup meat & 2 spoons of the blended veggie/fruit mix 1/2 capsule probiotic dairy free, 1/2 capsule digestive enzyme added to the meal…then later you can add fish oil capsule
… I froze the left over veggie/fruit mix in 2 spoon sections & was told don’t mix thru the meat & freeze, freeze separate & just take out the night before, my boy weights 37lb so he was eating 1 cup Kangaroo & 2 spoons veggie/fruit mix for breakfast & the same for dinner… I’d stop the egg & chicken, my boy got red hot paws after trying chicken & egg, that’s why its best you add just 1 new food a week, so you will know what food he is reacting too…. http://www.naturalanimalsolutions.com.au/natural-diet.html
for the rash I bath in Malaseb medicated shampoo every 5-7 days while they have the rash or itch & you leave shampoo on for 5-10mins the Malaseb relieves the skin….

[Alasdair D]

Hi Sharon,

Thanks for the input – the information on flax seed is new to me. I don’t grind them myself and I hadn’t read previously that there would be no benefit if they weren’t freshly milled. I use them for a source of Omega 3, but may have to rethink if pre milled has no benefit. I do feed the girls sardines once a week, so they get plenty of fish oil anyway.

As for the chicken mince, I am lucky in that I have a poultry company nearby and am also friends with our local butcher. So they will just grind up chicken carcasses and add a bit of offal for me. I normally get about 50lbs at a time and they will freeze it in bulk then band saw it into 1lb chunks that I store in the freezer.

In terms of cost, this is pretty cheap for me – it costs less than £4 a day to feed both dogs raw and they are pretty big dogs. Mind you, deerhounds are very lean and don’t really eat a huge amount anyway. ( I am in the UK, so that may be expensive for you, but it’s cheaper than a good quality kibble here)

Personally, I don’t use any kibble at all. Just the raw food, plus some table scraps and even with the scraps I pretty much give them just the protein and fats with very little carbohydrates.

[Anonymous]

The Skeptvet has finally released his long-awaited review of Dr. Jean Dodds’ book “Canine Nutrigenomics.” The full review can be found here:

Canine Nutrigenomics by Dr. Jean Dodds: Science as Windowdressing

The Skeptvet provides many citations of peer-reviewed research to support his critiques
“Please note that not all of these points are critical of Dr. Dodds–the Skeptvet does agree with her on some topics, such as fish oils”.

Bottom Line
While Dr. Dodds’ book is a mixture of fact and fiction, science and pseudoscience, plausible ideas and outright nonsense, overall the work is deeply misleading. It has little at all to do with nutrigenomics or epigenetics, despite the title and claims to the contrary, and it uses real science primarily to give an aura of legitimacy or authority to claims which are unproven or outright false. References are employed in a manner that suggests an academic research summary with conclusions based on scientific evidence. The reality is that the book is a collection of opinions, some plausible and some not, supported in most cases by very little evidence and in some cases clearly contradicted by this evidence. The references employed are often simply other people’s opinions or, in some cases, Dr. Dodds’ own opinions reprinted elsewhere.

The recommendations made for and against specific feeding practices and dietary supplements are mostly typical for proponents of alternative medicine, and they stem from ideology and philosophical beliefs rather than scientific evidence. Occasionally, such claims turn out to be true, in the manner of a broken clock which happens to be right twice a day but this has little to do with the underlying principles. And while there are a few evidence-based claims here and there in the book, and some recommendations I would agree with, overall Canine Nutrigenomics is misleading, misguided, and in conflict with the best evidence and expert consensus in veterinary nutrition.

[Samantha F]

Hi Dori – I check all treats I buy for any chicken byproducts since we have determined that chicken is a big allergen for her. The cookie had: whole wheat flour, peanut butter, canola oil, rolled oats, flax seed, dried brewers yeast, turmeric and rosemary extract. I am leaning towards it being the bully stick since we tried once to switch from the Orijen 6 Fish to Orijen Regional Red and she flared up with allergic symptoms- including runny stool with mucous and blood tinged and bumps. She does great on the 6 Fish, but it would be nice to get her a mix of proteins. I always worry that someday she would develop an allergy to fish. I’m just surprised that the Benadryl I’ve been giving her the last few days hasn’t taken down the bumps more. At least they don’t seem to bother her- and they aren’t huge, but with their short coats it really makes it noticeable.

[Anonymous]

Hi, tal

I have 3 dogs. One senior small breed, 1 allergy girl small breed, and a young terrier.
I had to find a food that agrees with all three.
I am pleased with Nutrisca salmon and chickpea kibble (no grains or potato). But I add a little cooked chicken or lean meat and a splash of water. I order it through Chewy.com.
I get a 15 pound bag and divide it up into airtight containers or freezer bags and store it in the freezer or fridg to keep it fresh. I think the 15 pound bag should last us 4-6 weeks, we’ll see.
I also add a fish oil capsule and other supplements depending on the dog’s individual needs. Good luck.

[Sarah M]

I like coconut too and do add it rotating with olive oil, plus I give fish oil with vit E. I’m going to try the satin balls and look into the granular food. 700 per cup is almost double what I’m feeding now!

[Kristin C]

Hi Miss Koa-I feed both my dogs raw, mostly homemade and raw meaty bones, no more than 2-3 kibble meals per week. The ratio between homemade raw and commercial raw I feed depends upon the time of year. Right now, I will buy more commercial raw since the summer gets busy and it’s also easier to feed RMBs. I also buy raw nuggets from Steve’s Real Food For Dogs. It’s not HPP treated though, which I prefer. I also order grinds and RMBs from Reel Raw in Maine, and occasionally get turkey necks from a grocery store. When I make homemade food it’s a combo of muscle meat and organs plus a supplement. When I feed RMBs I make sure I add matching organs in proportion (this is cheaper I am finding). I also add some fish oil and vit E a few time per week (or sardines) plus a raw egg and cottage once or twice per week.

I have not found feeding raw to have any contamination issues. When I make the food I take the same precautions as if I was making food for me and my husband. Children,and the ill, I would watch out for though as others have mentioned. I only feed raw grinds inside, I feed in small mason jars. RMBs I feed outside, but my dogs don’t use their paws.

The final thing I can add about feeding raw is that I think it’s great IF it works for your dog. It is definitely a process. I have changed how I feed my dogs several times in the last year, keep reading and form your own opinions on what works for your dog and household.

[Anonymous]

What breed is the dog? How old is the dog? What are her diagnoses? What type or types of stones does she have?
What is wrong with only having 1 bowel movement a day, most dogs go once or twice a day (in my experience).
But is she is a little constipated, increased water in the diet will help.

PS: If you soak the kibble in water overnight in the fridg, it doubles in size, ask the vet if you can add a spoonful of cooked lean chicken or red meat. I would still add more water.
Ask the vet about supplements, fish oil, dog multivit, etc.
Make sure she is offered a bathroom break, the opportunity to urinate at least every 4 hours (every 2 hours is ideal) Keep the bladder flushed.

[Naturella]

I second Marie and pitlove’s sentiments. Good food and regular brushing are key. My terrier mix sheds a ton, but on good food and supplements like coconut oil, canned sardines, fish skins, etc., his coat has become super shiny and soft, though shedding hasn’t stopped.

On another note… @pitlove, you live in the South too? So cool! So do I and a few other regulars (there are 3 of us in GA on here that I know of). I may be joining C4C up in the North-West sometime in the 5-year future, I hope! 🙂

[Bobby dog]

c4c:
I agree as well, I don’t full around too much with the kitties when it comes to digestive issues. They need their moisture. I don’t run into problems too much with my crew in general, thank goodness. Bobby vomited twice on a new kibble I was trying out one time, that’s pretty much all I need to throw out a food and rotate to a new one. Same with the kitties, if there is a negative reaction in some way it’s gone. IMO there are enough foods on the market to choose from, no need to make them uncomfortable, or worse create a health issue.

pitlove:
JM’s cats eating by-products should not be an issue. She does feed foods that have by-products (organs etc.), but they do not contain useless by-products (feet, hooves, etc.). If you want to feed a raw diet you need by-products (organs etc.) to make it complete; muscle meat alone will not do that. I would rather feed a by-product (organs etc.) than a vitamin or synthetic vitamin to make a diet balanced any day regardless if it’s canned or raw; there is allot of nutrients in them. Here’s the ingredients for Darwins Turkey cat formula:

Free-Range Meat (98.25%): Turkey Necks, Turkey Gizzards, Turkey Livers, Turkey Hearts, Turkey Thighs.

Special Nutrient Mix (1.5%): Iron Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Psyllium Husk Powder, Taurine, Potassium Chloride, Inulin, Choline Chloride, Sea Salt, Vitamin E, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin B12, EDDI (Iodine), Vitamin D3, Folic Acid.

Fish Oils (.25%): Sardine Oil

http://www.darwinspet.com/our-raw-foods/our-raw-cat-food/natural-selections-for-cat-turkey/

[DogFoodie]

It might be the fish or even the potato in the Wellness, Jen. Try a different recipe. I couldn’t use Wellness at all because it all has fish oil in it. Check the fiber on the Wellness also. It seems like fiber is pretty high in most of their dry products. I just checked, it’s only 5%, which isn’t terribly high. One of my dog’s worst ingredients for loose stool is flax and the Wellness contains flax also.

I do understand your frustration. I’ve been at this for three years with my pup! One of the most useful tools I found to determine his problems ingredients was a journal. Save the ingredient panels for each and every food you feed him and make notes. Pretty soon, the common (problem) ingredients will start to pop out at you.

Edit: My dog’s original vet gave me I/D when my dog developed loose stool, too. It’s pretty common (the prescribing of I/D for loose stool and yes, I agree, it’s garbage). I now know that my dog was already having food intolerance issues at that point, possibly aggravated by vaccinosis.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by DogFoodie.

[DogFoodie]

OK, it sounds like you’re saying that your dog tested negative for EPI, which was my first concern. If he’s gaining weight and growing normally otherwise, I’d lean toward a food intolerance. Digestive enzymes and probiotics still might prove beneficial. Plain, canned pumpkin helps, too; but you need to remove the food first. Be sure you aren’t overfeeding (that’s a very common cause of loose stool). You can also fast him for a bit, which helps to rest the gut.

I’d switch him to a food with a different, single, protein and starch source. Keep track of every food you feed him and make notes about his reactions to them. This is how I narrowed down my dog’s sensitivities. Also keep in mind that sensitivities can be to a lot of different ingredients. My boy can’t have any fish or fish oil, garlic, chickpeas, lentils, garlic, barley, millet or flax. He tends to have a sensitive digestive system and does better with lower fiber foods and does well on Nature’s Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet. That might be a good place to start.

I can tell you what I’ve found that works for me if you’d like, but if your dog is intolerant of an ingredient in one of those foods, they’re obviously not an option for you. I’d pick a very limited ingredient food and start with that. Merrick, California Natural, Natural Balance and Wellness Simple are a few other brands you might want to check out.

[C4D]

Honestly, he’s probably shedding because of the diet. The RX diets are not nearly the quality of what you were feeding him. You might want to think about switching him back to a well rated wet food. Eating a diet with a lot of moisture is your best friend in combatting bladder stones.
I have a 10+ yo lab with arthritis for over 5 years due to injury and we walk a couple of miles almost every day. I use human fish oil and glucosamine pills, but with a guy that little you might want to check out doses that would fit his size. The vitamin shoppe has dog specific fish oils. I know some of the people here use nordic naturals. You could use them independently. I use human fish oil & glucosamine in seperate forms. Here’s a site that might help, it’s Dogaware:
http://www.dogaware.com/health/arthritissupps.html

[Jennifer P]

Thank you so much for your response, Autumn!!

I’ve tried duck, buffalo and bison in the prescription formulas via Hill’s. Hills seem to have either chicken fat, pork fat or soybean oil, which causes a reaction. I thought being that is was hydrolyzed it wouldn’t cause such a reaction – I was wrong. My next choice was going to be IAMS Vet Formula Skin & Coat Plus Response KO, which is Kangaroo. The only ingredient I see in this food that “may” cause a flare up is fish oil. But it’s worth a shot.

I’ve mainly stayed more toward the grain free. You have an excellent point – perhaps I need to try some non-grain free formulas.

I have 5 great danes and this one is my problem child. Poor guy is a rescue, very badly breed, so he is my permanent foster and I just can’t give up on him.

[C4D]

It seems that soy is often used as the Mixed Tocopherol Vitamin E source. I called Nature Made about it. I still use their fish oil pills since the double strength has double the EPA & DHA in each capsule. My dog hasn’t had any problem with it & I like the fact that Human Grade is more purified.
The sardines and mackeral are the source of the EPA & DHA, not vitamin E. They are actually a safer source than salmon as the mercury contamination is minimal, if any. As far as I know, sardines and mackerel are wild caught and not farmed either.

[C4D]

I use human fish oil for my dog that has arthritis in both hind knees due to old CCL tears. It’s really helped for over 5 years. She has very minimal arthritis and walks well.
Here’s a link to VA which is very mainstream. They seem to prefer fish oil.
http://www.vcahospitals.com/main/pet-health-information/article/animal-health/flax-seed-oil/458

[Tal R]

DogFoodie, I found a few articles online that claim that flax seed oil is good for dogs.

Here the author also claims that all researches claiming that dogs can’t convert ALA to DHA were funded by the fish oil companies (but then again, this site itself seems to be only selling flax seed products, so they might be subjective themselves).

http://www.ellies-whole-grains.com/ellies-store.html

What do you think?

[Anonymous]

Flaxseed oil vs fish oil? Controversial. I’d ask the vet, leave a message for him to call you back when he has a minute, shouldn’t be a charge. I wouldn’t ask the vet tech, I would want the expertise of the vet.

I don’t think the flaxseed oil would hurt the dog…but maybe the fish oil would be more beneficial?

[DogFoodie]

I would definitely use fish oil over flax oil. Dogs aren’t efficient converters of ALA to DHA.

For my dog that is fish intolerant, I use organic algae oil.

[Tal R]

Nvm, I googled it and it seems to be recommended for dogs even more than fish oil.

I’ll try that and see…

Thanks, L.M. !

[Anonymous]

Try the search engine toward the top of the forum home page, look up fish oil.

The most cost effective way is to just get the human fish oil capsules at the drugstore, at present I am using Sundown Naturals 1200mg, I put 1 capsule a day in their morning meal and they chew/gulp it down. They are small dogs. I take one a day too 🙂

Most dogs can tolerate one capsule a day, in my experience. I wouldn’t give more, unless your vet advises so.

If you want to be more careful, look into salmon oil or fish oil supplements specific for dogs from pet supply places and go by the directions on the jar.

The only side effects I know of are, fish breath or loose stools, I have not observed either with my dogs.

PS: My old guy will be 15 next month, he weighs 12 pounds. It is just a supplement, but I think it helps a little.
I have heard good things about krill oil, but it is more expensive.

[Tal R]

Hi,

I’ve been told (here) that it is recommended to give Omega-3 to elderly dogs (especially ones with arthritis).

My dog is a 15 years old female medium sized, mixed breed (probably mostly German Shepard), weighing approximately 25 kg (55 lbs).

My questions are:

What amount of Omega-3 should I give her?
Does the source of the Omega-3 matter (e.g. fish oil)?

Thanks,
T.R.

[Naturella]

Chris, you are welcome! Anything I can do to help!

Canned green tripe (or raw green tripe for that matter) is infamous for enticing even the pickiest of eaters, so maybe you can try that. Some brands that carry it are Tripett, Petkind, and Solid Gold Green Cow. It is also rich in natural probiotics/enzymes that may help the tummy.

Hooves are pretty cheap and cool, they last Bruno a while, and I would buy the empty ones and stuff them myself. We use cow hooves. They are usually dried, but are also available raw too, I believe.

Fish skins totally helped Bruno shine, literally – I switched him to Blue Buffalo Wilderness back when he was a puppy (before I knew better, but hey, he did great on it) and gave him a fish skin a couple times a week, and a bully stick a couple times a week, and within a month, his skin was much better, his once bare tummy was filling in with hair, and his coat became shiny (I never knew it wasn’t shiny before until it became shiny, lol). So I love the fish skins and he does too.

Try the tripe also for Kongs. It may work. Also, coconut oil mixed with yoghurt or kefir, and/or some plain canned pumpkin puree may be a nice tummy soother and a delicious treat, and coconut oil is super good for humans and pets alike.