[magnoliasouth]

Hello all! My daughter works for a vet and can get Royal Canin at an enormous discount. She has her dog on Satiety right now and I have to admit that she’s doing very well on it, despite the ingredients it lists. But that’s not my question. lol!

My dog has severe skin allergies. To be honest, food changes haven’t affected it in the least. I’m thinking she’s actually allergic to grass. Still, the vet wanted my dog to go on the RC Anallergenic food and until now, she had been eating Wellness Ocean Formula.

The problems are the ingredients listed in the Anallergenic food.

Corn starch, hydrolyzed poultry by-products aggregate, coconut oil, soybean oil, natural flavors, potassium phosphate, powdered cellulose, calcium carbonate, sodium silico aluminate, chicory, L-tyrosine, fructooligosaccharides, fish oil, L-lysine, choline chloride, taurine, L-tryptophan, vitamins [DL-alpha tocopherol (source of vitamin E), inositol, niacin, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), D-calcium pantothenate, biotin, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), riboflavin (vitamin B2), thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin A acetate, folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement], DL-methionine, marigold extract (Tagetes erecta L.), histidine, trace minerals (zinc proteinate, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, calcium iodate, sodium selenite), rosemary extract, preserved with natural mixed tocopherols and citric acid.

How weird is it to have corn starch as the primary ingredient? What exactly is “hydrolyzed aggregate”? I thought corn and mystery “poultry” are allergens?

Now my daughter did ask about the hydrolyzation and was told that it has something to do with processing it to remove allergens. Not sure how true that is.

The thing is that I’m a human nurse. I know full well that just because a vet’s office sells a particular product, doesn’t mean it’s the best product. It’s all in what they get out of it. Sadly a lot of people don’t know this. I swear I think it should be illegal. It’s the same thing as lobbying, which I think also should be illegal. Decisions should be based on opinions, not money. Sorry, I accidentally launched into rant mode… and I digress.

I’ve asked my daughter to speak to the RC sales rep. In fact, this is specifically what I texted her:

Subject: Questions to as your RC sales rep. 1. Why do they use meat by-products? 2. Why aren’t meat products the primary ingredient in any of their foods? 3. Why is a corn product the primary ingredient in the Anallergenic food, when corn is a primary allergen? 4. What does “hydrolyzed poultry by-product aggregate” mean and define “poultry”? If “poultry” means chicken, why is that (also a primary allergen) in the Anallergenic food too? I have more, but we’ll stop there for now. Just tell her I’m not trying to grill, I’m trying to understand and give her a chance to explain it to me.

Perhaps someone here knows the answers already or can make suggestions or whatever.

[tapiskootskiyas t]

Hi Glen B.
As my user name implies, yes I am a musher.
I can only speak from my own experiences so please keep in mind I “ain’t no perfeshnl”.
That in mind, I can see you truly want to honor this responsibility you’ve accepted.
Lotsa KUDOs to you.

I can honestly say tho that as humans we have a tendency to overfeed our dogs and sadly with too often the wrong types of food.
Why???…. because we think they are always hungry.
Not really the case.
I can go around my kennel with 10lb chunks of meat feeding as I go.
If I have any left and any of my dogs see that they will act as they are starving.
They will go so far in their starving act as to stash their meal and go argue with their brother or aunt or…just to try muscle away some more.
I feed fat more only towards fall and during winter. Just raw, unadulterated fat.
Beef, moose, pork, deer, all kinds of foul….you name it.
I use it mainly as a source of heat energy for my dogs.
Matter of fact, I do the same for myself. More butter, fatty cuts of meat, nuts, fish.
And more amino acids. Don’t, repeat Do Not feed raw egg to your dog. It depletes their amino acid levels. 1 scrambled egg per day is great. Yes, in the wild they would eat them if they found them. But they would also instinctively know where and how to increase their amino acids to balance.
I am 56 years young, smoke 1-8 cigs per day, 5’9″ tall, weigh 180, wear sz32 pants(with long johns under) & 44-46 jacket, snowshoe my trails(pack them for my team)…..
I can go on for quite some about my activity level but…
My point is, if my dog seems happy and healthy I would assume he most likely ain’t sick and suffering. Dogs don’t lie.
Also, if the vet couldn’t find worms or any other affliction your dog is most likely good to go.
It takes time to build lean, strong muscle. Fat builds up a lot quicker.
Point in question, I have seen but 1 “over weight” runner in many years following the marathons, sitting on my couch watching the TV, NOT!!.lol
Most chicken today is raised ii intense farming methods. They are butchered young, about 6-8 weeks of age. Older chickens have a higher level of amino acids. Hence the more wholesome flavour in soup made from a worn out layer or an open-range grazed, 6 month or year old.
Most beef are slaughtered on their second year, even if they are “feedlot beef”. Also, yes, beef is higher fat content. Since you get your chicken cheap, maybe ask a butcher for some beef and/or pork fat trimmings. Probably get it free. I do.
My dogs get extreme trotties from milk and milk products. Just about killed a whole team once. “watered” them with watered down baby formula thonking “energy”…. went mushing away in the bush miles from home. If they weren’t loyal to me and follow me, I wouldn’t have had the heart to go on without them…. wouldn’t be telling this big long story to you today.lol
My (approx)recipe for active working dog from 50-80 pounds, daily, in winter 4-7 lbs red meat, about 8-16 oz raw fat, cook 1 tbsp rice(I use WildRice), I cooked egg, 1 tsp raw veg oil, 1/8 tsp doggie vitamins, and always fresh water.
The red meat has liver kidney, heart and lung in accordance with whole animal weights.
Actually, I now feed my dogs whole animal diet. Viscera, epiderma, skeletal, the whole works, including(not excluding much of anything) goose, duck, pork, moose, fish, deer, elk, etc., etc..
Cheaper and easier, and yes, healthier .
However, my dogs are pure northern spitz breeds of sled dogs. For all intensive purposes, practically domesticated wolves.
I won’t and can’t promise all this info will work for Pitbull, but I can ascertain to you that all domestic dogs are 90%-99% wolf DNA.
Please reconsider the raw eggs. It is actually cuts down on the body’s ability to convert food to usable energy, not very healthy for dogs.
Whole raw fish is an excellent diet. Just cut off thorns, horns, barbles form the likes of catfish.
I am truly sorry if my “novel” has bored, offended, angered, insulted, or hurt you in any way.
My intention is to assist other dog lovers assist their dogs to have a healthy, long life.
Please take what you can use.
HAGD
Musher.. out for now

[Hound Dog Mom]

Fish oil is one product in which I don’t recommend trying to take the cheap way out. It’s important to only purchase high quality, human-grade supplements from reputable suppliers – avoid generic brands/store brands. Carlson’s and Nordic Naturals are two very good brands that I have used and would use again. You want to be sure your fish oil contains an antioxidant such as vitamin e or astaxanthin to help prevent oxidation. With the exception of the few companies that use airless pumps, I would avoid fish oil in pump dispensers (the pumps let it air and promote oxidation). Make sure to refrigerate the fish oil and dispose of any unused fish oil after 2-3 months (so in otherwise, avoid purchasing in bulk). I also testing the freshness every week or so, break a capsule open and smell it and squirt a little on your tongue to taste it. If it smells fishy and/or tastes extremely fishy (it will taste slightly fishy) it’s rancid – toss it! There’s also the option of mixing tinned sardines and/salmon into your dogs food for omega 3’s. This is what I usually do.

[LabsRawesome]

Holly, you should use Human grade fish oil for your dog. Human grade is higher quality, and has higher standards than pet grade. Human grade is usually much cheaper too. You don’t want your fish oil to smell or taste “fishy” that would indicate that the oil is rancid. I buy human grade fish oil for my dogs, and keep it in the fridge, to keep it fresh.

[Holly C]

I use Nature Made Fish Oil capsules. I give one capsule (I cut it open and put the oil on the food) in his morning meal with his supplement. Seems to help. Only problem is that it doesn’t taste fishy because it’s for people, so I’ll get generic ones next time. My dog loves fish flavoured anything.

It bothers me that it’s two/three times as expensive at petsmart for special doggy fish oil, and it’s no different. Plus, I prefer capsules to squirt bottles. The bottled ones tend to stink up the fridge after a while.

Should I give more than one capsule to my 55 lb dog? I think one is enough.

[tapiskootskiyas t]

Melissa.
I use a dog team to haul wood, hunt, go to the store. Not because I’m secluded but because I want a small enviro footprint and of course I love dogs.
Dogs are 99% wolf DNA. Dogs are omnivores that are just about 90% carnivore. They ain’t like a bear.. …or a pig.
I have fed my dogs whole carcasses of deer, moose elk, beef, pork, goose, rabbit, you name it, whole fish is awesome, beaver, excellent.
The first thing they(dogs((and wolves))go for is the liver, kidneys, heart and lungs. The dogs then go for the fatty net looking thing around the stomach/s and guts. Of course the dogs ingest some of the plant food matter that is in the digestive tract of.
Sorta the same as when humans eat a salad.
Dogs don’t make up their own amino acids which is why I don’t feed raw eggs to mine.
I had noticed my dogs do not eat about the last 3 feet(in a larger animal)of the big gut (just before the anus).
But they do eat everything else, epecially with deer, moose and the larger wild 4 leggeds but do pretty ell the same with rabbit and fowl.
I decided to look more closely. In the gut the pellets(poop) have a greenish slimy substance on them. The closer they get to the anus the less greasy stuff until all that’s left is the brown pellets.
After talking to the vet that was here at the time, and doing some research in books at the time, that slime is essentiLly vegatable oil, loaded with amino acids. The partially digested plant material…hmph….wow
Vitamin C in the marrow, vitamin B in the brain,…..
A prey has pretty well everything in it that a predator needs to live a healthy life.
Also, a dogs body takes 11 days(or so)to engineer a battalion of enzymes to properly digest a new food which is why several dog food companies as well as a host of dog nutritionalists say to “chip” dogs on to a new food.
My dogs are very healthy.
My old leader ran in front for 14 years from the time he was 1&1/4 years old. He passed away peacefully at the age of 16 human years just before his 17th birthday. He would have 117&1/2 if he was a human.
I like to think it is in part because I had an open mind about diet for 90% carnivore 10% omnivore.
On the other end of the spectrum, I made a foolish mistake this spring thinking I would save myself some time and money and the fact that I am starting to get a little…. umm… lazy will do. I bought 2 pallets of commercial dog food instead of gassing up the truck and cruising the hiways for fresh accident killed dog food. I am 56 and used dogs since I was 6 and for the first time in my life I have witnessed hot spots/sun spots on a dog.
Back to meat for me. LOL…I am still learning.
I hope this unintentional yarn helps.

[Melissaandcrew]

Thanks guys-its bad news, but we are hopeful that she does not show symptoms until much later in life and that through medication(when symptomatic) we will be able to prevent progression to chronic heart failure and she will lead a long ‘normal” life. She has been on fish oil forever due to the first problem, and I am going to add in Co q 10 “just because”

[Naturella]

Betsy,

Yeah, it was his longest diarrhea yet… 4-5 days. He did eat little on Friday, and not at all on Saturday of last week – he may have not felt very good… After that I added plain brown rice with some boiled fish meat – no help. I tried bread (pita is what I had available) and it helped! He had bread for 2-3 days (not JUST bread except for his first feeding – the next were his kibble mixed with THK as a topper and bread). Those helped him keep it all down and not go as often, and gradually firmed up his stool. He has been good since Tuesday, off bread, and on his normal food.

And yeah, we can call and ask the guy, but I doubt he would have noticed… He is not as intuitive with his dog it seems and is kind of like “well, he’s a dog, dogs smell and eat whatever and are fine”… Plus he feeds Pedigree (yuck), no wonder his dog smells… But we could try… I’m just happy he’s over it!

And oh, I really hope his glands don’t get inflamed from the expression and scooting or something, and I hope it is just cause it was a new procedure/feeling for him.

Would you or anyone know WHEN is it a real time/need to get your dog’s anal glands expressed?

[Naturella]

What Sandy said! 🙂
Fish-based food and coconut oil have done wonders for my Rat Terrier mix Bruno’s coat. Also, after a bath, I rub him down with a mix of sunflower oil with vitamins A, D, and E, and olive, coconut, chamomile, avocado, and shea oils. It makes him extra him soft and shiny! 🙂

[pugmomsandy]

You can try switching to a fish-based food (that would hopefully have more omega-3 in it). You can also give a fish oil supplement, or feed sardines a couple times a week, and also give coconut oil.

[Debbie L]

One fact about Ivomec, or Ivermectin, it is not recommended to give it to Collies as it could be toxic to them. I don’t think I’d give it to a dog mixed with Collie either to be on the safe side.

I also give my dogs the little round odorless garlic capsules, as well as fish oil capsules. It is my belief that fleas are developing an immunity to all those chemical flea treatments, and feel that naturally treating the dog from inside out is best.

Coconut oil is said to repel fleas either rubbed on the dog or small amounts added to the food each day. Avon Skin-So-Soft is also reported to be effective against fleas.

[Kim L]

Very long story short, my vet recently noticed a really slight heart murmur in my 17-pound Shih Tzu Lhasa mix. She suggested Krill oil (as opposed to standard fish oil) to help with his heart and his flaky skin.

I currently have him on Horizon Pulsar Fish Formula (very low glycemic as he has issues with yeast). However, as it is a fish formula, I would not want to give him too much fish oil. This is what Dog Food Advisor says about the fish oil already in the food: “The sixth ingredient is salmon oil. Salmon oil is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids. These two high quality fats boast the highest bio-availability to dogs and humans.” I have been looking into Dr. Mercola’s krill oil, and it says to give about one pump per 10 pounds. Does that seem excessive with fish-based food, or no?

This may be a silly question, but I just do not want to give him too much if the food already contains some, and also want to be sure that Krill oil is, in fact, better than an omega-3 fish oil supplement. Thanks!

[Melissaandcrew]

I alternate brands and forms, so nothing is ever the same-sardone oil, salmon oil, krill oil-sometimes liquid pump, sometimes capsules on the days I do not give sardines or other fish.

[Zach M]

I have the book, but didn’t know that sardines have a lot of fish oil. I guess it was right there in front of my face lol.

[DogFoodie]

Hi Zach,

Sardines are awesome!

If you haven’t already checked out Steve Brown’s e-book, you should! The download costs $2.95 and is worth every penny. He explains how to add fresh whole foods, including sardines, to supplement and improve your dog’s diet. He refers to it as the ABC method. http://www.seespotlivelonger.com/home/sll/page_41/see_spot_live_longer_the_abc_way___electronic_down.html

Edit: I don’t use fish oil because I have a fish intolerant dog who can’t even have fish oil even though it should be OK because the protein has been removed. If I did use fish oil, I’d try Springtime Natural’s product. I’ve used Mercola krill and it didn’t seem to bother him. I have used Udo’s Choice DHA Blend, a vegeterian product for him.

[Zach M]

Wow guys, you leave for 2 hours and come back to an abundance of answers. Thanks! And a question, do tinned sardines give a proper amount of fish oil? I like the idea of “Sardine Sunday”, C4C! It could become a new tradition out our house too!

[losul]

I give tinned sardines and salmon sometimes, but I also get a bottle of this every 3 months.

It’s way more than 1 35lb dog can use in 3 months, so I use it myself also. I keep in the door of frig and give 1 pump daily, eezy peezy, as Aimee would say, lol.. At 3 months it begins to taste fishy as it peroxidizes, even though it is preserved with mixed tocopherols, so I throw it out and replace. At 4 months it’s most definitely starting to taste rancid.

You can buy a smaller bottle, but it costs almost as much as the large.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 9 months ago by losul.

[weezerweeks]

I use Nordic Natural fish oil ,Krill oil from Mercola and once a month sardine in water.

[Bobby dog]

I try to feed sardines in H2O, but I don’t always keep them in stock. I mainly use CVS drugstores 1000 mg fish oil capsules.

[LabsRawesome]

Hey Zach, I use Costco’s Kirkland Signature. http://www.costco.com/Kirkland-Signature%E2%84%A2-Omega-3-Fish-Oil-Concentrate-1%2c000-mg.%2c-400-Softgels.product.11072245.html If you scroll down in the link I left, you will see the product details. I keep mine in the fridge, because heat and light will degrade fish oil and turn it rancid.

[Zach M]

I was just wondering what kind of fish oils you guys use. Please comment below.

[pugmomsandy]

No, it would not be too much fish with added sardines. Just like it would not be too much chicken if you added some real chicken as a topper for a chicken kibble. As far as the large portions are concerned, that’s where a big freezer comes in handy and a grinder. You could purchase various meaty bones and cases of organs and muscle meat and then use them according to the recipe you choose. X lbs of necks, X lbs muscle meat, X lbs organs, etc. Or you could start with a Premix where you only add in muscle meat (ground chicken or beef or pork, etc) and the Premix and some oil. The Premix has vitamins. When I order by the case, I prefer 2 lb chubs over 5 or 10 lb chubs but I have small dogs.

[Jenn F]

Her weight is good, she is about 80lbs. She was a bit more when we got her, but she did need to loose a few! The “gravy” is hip & joint health with fish oil, since she wont just eat the hip & joint pills like the other 2. But we stopped giving it to her since she apparently doesn’t like it. Her foster had 2 other dogs & she ate with them, no probs & foster mom feed her yogurt & coconut oil (that’s why we tried to feed it to her)! But she does eat a little better when she eats by herself in the kitchen, but she still never finishes it all & its still a struggle to get her to eat.

[theBCnut]

Since I have squeamish people living in my house and they may have to feed, I use raw as a topper, actually I feed about half and half, but I still mix kibble and raw. I know several people who do likewise with no problems. Or you can feed it as a seperate meal.

To use See Spot Live Longer, you can adjust the amount you make as you need to. Two tablespoon of SSLL per 1/2 lb of boneless meat, one tablespoon of SSLL per 1/4 lb of boneless meat, whatever works for you. DHA is in fish oil and if you don’t feed a meal of oily fish once a week, you need to give fish oil.

You can also give raw meaty bones as long as you don’t exceed 20% of the diet with unbalance foods..

[pugmomsandy]

A fat supplement could be a tablespoon or two of olive oil or coconut oil or even fish oil or combo oils. Oils are fat and calories and have over 100 calories per tablespoon. A dry addition just to add overall calories could be Abady’s granular food. It has nearly 800 calories per cup so you could add in a couple tablespoons of that. A canned food high in fat is Nature’s Logic Lamb or Rabbit. They have more fat than protein hence the lower rating (not because it has lots of red colored ingredients). Hound & Gatos canned chicken and pork recipes are also high in fat (40% plus). You can also make some “satin balls” and send it to the trainer to feed.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 9 months ago by pugmomsandy.
• This reply was modified 11 years, 9 months ago by pugmomsandy.

[theBCnut]

It is an issue for dogs too, but cats are more likely to be stereotyped as supposed to be fed fish. And cats can be more sensitive to toxins.

Fish oils are for the omega 3s, I do give fish as a natural source of omega 3s, but you have to give the right kind of fish.

[jakes mom]

Tried the other Freshpet flavor today , beef/chicken variety does not contain fish. The same 2 kitties like it, the others don’t like either flavor, or maybe it’s the texture they don’t like, who knows. On the fish subject, another question. Is it just an issue for cats and not dog food? And why is fish oil recommended in some diets but not feeding actual fish? Does it depend on the type of fish? I know smaller fish are considered safer.

[Vianca V]

InkedMarie, thank you for your suggestion I had been considering the core reduced fat too. As for my rescue, initially he had been diagnosed with a fungus 2 years ago, in may my primary vet decided to put him in a more aggressive treatment in order to finish with his condition, unfortunately it really didnt go well his skin got even more agravated and he became slightly anorexic and lethargic. After a chat with a friend of mine who manufactures natural dog shampoo she suggested I visit her vet. Her vet who really impressed performed a uv light test, a Skin Scraping/Trichogram, and a Skin Cytology. He diagnosed him with staph a bacterial infection, Candida, and allergies. He prescrived Apoquel 5.4 mg, Ku Shen Si Wu, Dandruff Formula 0.5g Caps, Cefpodoxime 100mg, and a antibacterial antifungal shampoo and conditioner. He also like I mentioned put him on Royal Canin Hypoallegenic Small Breed 8.8 lbs, these are the ingredients :Brewer’s Rice, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Chicken Fat, Natural Flavors, Vegetable Oil, Sodium Silico Aluminate, Dried Beet Pulp, Monocalcium Phosphate, Calcium Sulfate, Salt, Fish Oil, Fructooligosaccharides, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Taurine, Chlorine Chloride, DL-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate (source Of Vitamin E), Inositol, Niacin Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source Of Vitamin C), D-Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Vitamin A Acetate, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Marigold Extract (Tagetes Erecta L), Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Magnanous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite And Rosemary Extract, Preserved With Natural Mixed Tocopherols And Citric Acid. Wold love any suggestions

[Glen B]

I recently rescued a 7-8 year old Pitbull that is too thin. I had him tested for worms and that came out negative. I think the problem is he runs around outside a few hours a day and would like to try and fix it with diet before anything else. I have no idea how much he weighs right now, but by looking at him I’d guess he needs to gain 10-15lbs.

He’s been on raw for a week. He was looking better on Taste of the Wild kibble, but for the price it was costing a week..it obviously isn’t cost effective.

I’ve been looking at “Satin Ball” or “Fat Ball” recipes in addition to his regular raw. My concern is that by putting grains in with raw meat, wouldn’t I be messing with his digestive system? Is the point of the grains wheat germ or oats specifically just for the carbs? I’d like something like oats since I could just get it out of the bulk bins at the health food store..but will it mess with his digestive system or is it just adding calories? I rather just add some carbs for calories rather than substitute with kibble.

Is it possible to go too high in fat? I’m also adding about 1/2 cup of whole milk yogurt to his food along with fish oils and 2 raw, jumbo eggs with shell a day..since I can get eggs super cheap.

Why do people say beef puts more weight on than chicken? I can get a case of chicken leg quarters much cheaper than I can full fat beef..ground or whole. I’d like to keep this as cheap as possible and am already a member of the local co-ops.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Dawn –

If you’re feeding a balanced raw diet, it’s not necessary to add any supplements. However, there are many supplements that may be beneficial. Probiotics are a great way to support gut health – you can purchase probiotic supplements or mix in some kefir or plain yogurt with his meals. Omega 3’s are a wonderful way to support a a healthy skin and coat, provide ant-inflammatory benefits and support the immune system – you can purchase a high quality fish oil or feed tinned sardines and/or cage-free eggs a couple times per week. There are various nutraceuticals that have various health promoting properties you may want to consider – I personally like to make a “blend” of items such as bee pollen, spirulina, kelp, chlorella, turmeric, etc. Swanson Vitamins is a great site to shop for supplements, I do the majority of my supplement shopping for both my dogs and myself there. They’ve got a lot of great stuff and the best prices I’ve found.

[Bobby dog]

Hi Anita:
Here are the supplements, foods, and products I used (and still do along with some new additions) to get rid of Bobby’s flea dermatitis and yeasty skin. Olive oil flea dip, Nolvasan shampoo, raw eggs, bone broth, unrefined organic coconut oil, sardines/fish oil, MSM, and DE. Not too complicated or costly! This along with a new diet plan that I began last September helped to restore his health.

Dogs with severe yeast issues more than likely need a carb free diet to starve the yeast; carbs feed yeast and bad bacteria. All kibble has carbs because they require starch to bind the food into a kibble form. Your dogs would probably benefit from a grain free and low carb food preferably with no potato. Bobby’s yeast issues were bad, but it was not necessary to eliminate kibble from his diet. I did feed kibble that had low carbs and I only feed kibble that has average to low carbs now.
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/05/03/eating-these-foods-can-make-your-dog-itch-like-crazy.aspx

Since September I have fed DFA rated 3-5 star kibble along with DFA rated 3-5 star canned food. After a few months on the new diet, I started alternating canned with fresh foods, dehydrated/freeze dried foods, or frozen commercial raw. By continuing with the supplements, feeding quality food and treats I went into this flea season with a healthy and fresh smelling dog. Fingers crossed no fleas on Bobby and it is rainy and very humid where I live, fleas are in full force.

It is very important not to make too many changes at once; this includes new foods! Start supplements in low doses slowly working towards the desired dose. If everything is okay, add another supplement. As far as shampoos, olive oil flea dip, and applying coco oil topically I used them right away and regularly without any worries because they provided immediate relief and were important for treating the yeast.

For a flea dip I used olive oil (from the grocery store) which has no long lasting effects, just immediate relief for the skin and to kill the fleas without chemicals. I did this outside so I did not have to worry about being tidy. Start under the chin and in the collar area working your way to the back, belly, and leg areas all the way to the tail. With Bobby I would just pour it on then massage it in to be sure his skin and between his toes were coated. His fur is not too thick or long. He loved the massage that came with it not to mention he was not itchy and uncomfortable while it was on him. The fleas pretty much disintegrate. Your dogs’ coats may be heavier than Bobby’s if you decide to try this, be sure to separate the fur, pour a little, and then work it in. I always left it on for an hour letting him run around and play, but you will definitely see their lifeless bodies after a short time so an hour is not necessary. Then I shampooed it off, it is easy to shampoo out; I even use olive oil as a conditioner for my hair.

I bathed Bobby once a week using Nolvalsan shampoo mostly. I always shampooed twice leaving the first application on for at least 10 minutes. I can’t find Nolvasan on-line so they may not make it anymore. Hibiclens or the drug store equivalent has the same ingredients as Nolvalsan. Malasab shampoo is a popular choice and highly recommended by many posters on DFA. I also used EQyss Micro-Tek medicated shampoo when the condition became less severe. You can find Micro-Tek on-line and in some pet stores. With your size of dogs I would look into a large bottle of Malasab shampoo, but in a pinch you could always purchase the Hibiclens or generic equivalent at a drug store.
http://www.drugs.com/vet/malaseb-shampoo.html
http://www.eqyss.com/pet_microtek_shampoo.asp
http://www.vetstreet.com/nolvasan-shampoo

The biotin in eggs is great for the skin and hair. I fed Bobby one raw egg a week. However, he recently decided he no longer likes raw eggs so we have poached eggs on Sundays. He gets a one minute egg and I get a two minute egg. lol
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/feeding-your-dog-raw-eggs-good-or-bad/
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2005/02/09/raw-eggs.aspx

I made bone broth and fed it once a week. I still feed him bone broth weekly; Bobby weighs 44 lbs and I feed him ¼ – ½ C of broth.
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/reasons-your-dog-love-bone-broth/
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/12/02/pet-bone-broth.aspx

The coconut oil must be organic and unrefined for all the benefits. I fed it 3x/wk as well as used it topically when needed as a soothing and healing salve; I tried feeding it 2x/wk after his skin healed, but found he benefits most eating it 3x/wk. Previously I bought Spectrum brand from Wal-Mart, 14 oz. for $8.99; they were cheaper than my health food store. I recently found organic unrefined coco oil at my BJ’s, 36 oz. for about $10. So if you belong to a price club, look for it there.
http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.com/2012/02/coconut-oil-is-good-for-your-dogs.html
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/16_11/features/alternative-treatments-updated_20861-1.html?pg=3
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/the-health-benefits-of-coconut-oil/
http://www.greenpasture.org/public/Products/InfusedCoconutOil/index.cfm

I started out feeding tinned sardines packed in water once a week, but I failed to keep it in my pantry on a regular basis. So I switched to a fish oil supplement. You can find many good fish oil supplements for dogs on-line and in pet stores. I used CVS 1000 mg fish oil tabs 3x/wk and I still supplement his diet with it. Tinned sardines packed in water would be the healthiest choice. I tried cutting back to 2x/week, but he developed a little dandruff so I am now back to 3x/week.
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/15_12/features/Fats-Chance_20658-1.html
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/15_9/features/Fish-Oil-Supplements-For-Dogs_20600-1.html
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2009/06/13/the-frequently-missing-ingredient-in-your-pet-s-diet-that-could-devastate-their-health.aspx

MSM helped to relieve and heal his itchy skin. MSM has other benefits that may be helpful for your dogs as well. I use only100% pure MSM powder with no fillers or flavorings. You can find pure MSM marketed for dogs on-line and in pet shops.
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/msm-raw-fed-dogs/
http://www.vetinfo.com/msm-for-dogs.html
http://www.natural-dog-health-remedies.com/msm-for-dogs.html
http://essentials4all.org/100__Pure_MSM.html
http://wolfcreekranch1.tripod.com/naturvet_msm.html

I also used DE as a flea powder and for treating his environment. Some posters use garlic to repel fleas. Here’s some info:
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/garlic-for-dogs-poison-or-medicine/
http://www.springtimeinc.com/product/bug-off-garlic-dogs/All-Natural-Dog-Supplements
http://www.enonvalleygarlic.com/About_Garlic.html

Homepage

I was not fully aware of the important benefits of probiotics for our pets. I now feed kefir twice a week to Bobby for the probiotics. This would have made a tremendous difference with the healing process if I had used it during his skin/flea issues; if I only knew!
Probiotic info:
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/10/26/advantages-of-using-pet-probiotics.aspx
http://probiotics.mercola.com/probiotics-for-pets.html
http://www.medicine4animals.com/23/Does-Your-Cat-or-Dog-Suffer-with-Digestive-Problems,-Skin-Problems-or-Poor-Immunity.html
http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.com/2012/05/foods-rich-in-probiotics-beneficial-for.html

ABC diet:
This is a download I highly recommend; it is $2.95 and worth every penny! I feed the ABC diet now throughout the week rather than in one meal. This is an easy way to enhance any kibble diet with fresh foods. I found this download after Bobby’s issues were cleared up, but I definitely would have followed it during that time. I believe it would have helped with the healing process.
http://www.seespotlivelonger.com/home/sll/page_41/see_spot_live_longer_the_abc_way___electronic_down.html

I recently started giving Bobby unflavored beef tendon and beef trachea chews. Here’s some healthy treat suggestions:
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/02/10/easy-to-make-pet-treats.aspx

[RescueDaneMom]

Hi Kate,

In theory, the Grandma Lucy’s pre-mix (once meat is added) should be a complete and balanced meal for your dog. You shouldn’t need to worry about other supplements though adding krill oil or fish oil can be beneficial. You can also add kefir, yogurt, or raw goats milk for probiotics.

Primal’s recommendation of feeding 2-3% of body weight is for raw food which is less calorically dense because of the amount of water in raw food. I don’t think the 2% rule carries over to dehydrated food like GL’s. I would feed the amount of food that keeps your dog in the right weight range. Feeding guidelines are just that…guidelines. Some dogs need more or less than what is suggested. It’s going to be trial and error to see what the right amount for your dog is.

I know finding a food your dog will eat has probably been very frustrating but I would keep at it. It’s best to rotate whatever food you are feeding, in this case the pre-mix. I would suggest rotating between different pre-mixes to make sure all of your bases are covered with vitamins/minerals. Some other pre-mixes you could look into include: The Honest Kitchen Preference, Urban Wolf, See Spot Live Longer Dinner Mix, and Sojos (though I’m not a fan of that one). Also, I would limit the amount of tuna you feed as it can have high mercury levels. Canned sardines in water with no added salt would be a good fish to use and it is naturally high in omega 3s. Canned salmon is also good.

I hope this helps.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi OnyxMom –

All of TOTW’s foods are too high in calcium for a large breed puppy, including this formula.

Personally, I would recommend avoiding foods that contain fish and instead adding canned sardines or salmon, cage-free eggs or high quality fish oil to the food for omega 3’s. The processing which the meat meals undergo to be made into kibble and the storage time very likely leaves the omega 3’s in kibble rancid by the time the food is consumed.

[USA]

Yes, I am pretty much going to describe the treats that I make. I am proud of them and they ARE what I consider an almost perfect dog treat. Why almost perfect? Because there are two types of dogs I would be CAUTIOUS of feeding my treats. They are dogs who have dehydration issues and dogs who have phosphorous related kidney issues. Why? because my treats are under 10% moisture and they are about 80% protein.

Don’t worry about this being spam I only supply ONE local pet store and if I made more they would take more!

The treats should be one ingredient, MEAT. There is no need for any flavorings, or ingredients needed to hold the treat together or anything like that.

QUALITY counts. Since I have been making treats I have learned a lot about the pet food industry. I would never use any pet grade ingredients and that includes marketing terms like:
Made from USDA inspected (insert meat here). Yes it was inspected but did it pass? Was it inspected on the way into the USDA facility but failed to make it through the USDA facility?

I learned that it all comes down to economics. If a piece of meat whether it be poultry, beef, fish, pork or whatever COULD be sold in the human market IT WOULD! Why, economics. If something could be sold in the human market for 1 dollar a pound it will NEVER find it’s way into the pet food market at 19 cents a pound. It’s simple economics, nothing else.

That’s why the treat I would look for would be Human-Grade and have been made every step of the way in the human food chain. In other words human edible. Almost every treat maker and dog food maker uses the terms USDA something or other.

Complete transparency. I wold never feed my dog anything I could not trace back all the way to the farm where the animals were raised. What they were fed, how they were housed and so on.

I don’t subscribe to the notion of TRADE SECRET or PROPRIETARY. I am an animal lover and I would be thrilled to know that my openness and transparency enabled YOU to make a homemade treat for your dog using MY recipe. I never believed that openness would hurt your company and I always felt that a company that made a truly high quality product would be PROUD of that product and happy to share with you the details that PROVE that it’s true and not just a marketing strategy.

Sample example of an acceptable treat
Chicken Jerky :
100% Whole chicken dehydrated at temps between 140 and 170 degrees F or freeze dried. No added ingredients other than a functional treat which could add DHA or Fish Oil or Turmeric or something like that. A properly made piece of jerky will last years without any refrigeration or preservatives.

Chicken traceable to the source. Human grade every step of the way.

Made and sourced in the USA.

A fat content below 10% for muscle meats and below 20% for organs. To show they didn’t use trimmings.

A protein content no lower than 70%. Again to show that they are using whole pieces of lean meat or Organs. Also because MOST dogs eat a diet that is low in meats and high in carbs (IMHO) so I would only want to add high protein meats to their diet.

[Mom2Cavs]

I sometimes give fish oil, but tend to feed a fish based food instead because Laverne gets loose stools if I add too many oils. COQ10 is a supplement that is good for the heart and also gums. I give both made for human and dogs. The dose is usually 1 mg per pound. Right now I have on hand 10 mg capsules and 30 mg capsules that are fine to give. The 10 mg are vetri science for dogs and the 30 mg I ordered from Swanson’s. I have also given heart supplements for dogs that contain other good things to give like hawthorn, taurine, l-carnitine. Some brands I have used are vetri science cardio strength, thorne bio-cardio, nature’s farmacy heartwise. I am going to order some chews from Ark Naturals that are from their gray muzzle line for the heart soon to try.

[Jean Ann]

Hello and THANK YOU for the reply, Mom2Cavs. Lily’s vet suggested grain free, but I’ve looked on Chewy.com and found the Wellness Toy Breed which is rated 5 stars. It has ground brown rice, ground barley and oatmeal, but no corn or corn gluten. So it wouldn’t be grain free but it would be without the corn, corn gluten and wheat.

I’ve been feeding a little Merrick grain-free canned on top of my Cavaliers’ dry to help make the fry a little better, but all three of my Cavalier are voracious eaters, so no worries about appetite. Their dry was Victor and Iams Veterinary Formula because Dr. Jones doesn’t like too much protein, so I mix the two to keep the protein down. My Cavaliers get Carlson’s Fish oil, about 1000 mg, twice daily. It has made a huge difference in their heart health. Piper (6 years old) was diagnosed at 2 yrs. of age with early onset MVD, stage 0, and she actually improved at her 3 yr old check up. Maintained ever since. Presley has the same but with irregular heartbeat, and his checkups at 2 years old and at 3 were great… maintaining well. Do you give your Cavaliers fish oil?

I would like to hear about the CoQ10, though. Is it for people like my Carlson’s and you give it to your dogs? What strength, etc? Thanks again for your kind reply!
Jean Ann

[Jean Ann]

Cardiologist Dr. Charla Jones (Austin, TX) sees my Cavaliers, and she says the high protein, grain free dry foods are too rich for my dogs. Too much protein is hard on the kidneys, etc. Also, my dogs tend to gain weight on it (bad for their hearts); their normal weights range from 17 to 19 lbs. The other dry foods that are not rated well. My Cavaliers get very high grade fish oil twice daily and are doing beautifully heart-wise. Limited ingredients have about 21% – 24% protein and doesn’t taste very good, but they’ll eat it.
Also our 6 month old, 7 lb grand dog, Lily, gets dark gunk in her ears when eating the Victor dry and she started having congestion and a wet nose wheeze when on Merrick grain-free, but that could be seasonal allergies, I guess. At a loss as to what to feed her.
We fed Muenster organic for years. NEED HELP Any help out there?
Many thanks, Jean Ann Jones

[Leslie R]

I have read your reviews and the lack of positive review on the Royal Canin brand. I did not find the Satiety one reviewed but am guessing the ingredients are all comparable within the brand. My vet recommended this food after my dog got extremely ill (rushed to the hospital ill) on a grain free food I food highly rated on this site. He was hospitalized for 2 days. He had also gained a couple of pounds so she put him on Royal Canin Satiety two years ago and he is doing very well at 11 yrs old. He gets 1/2 cup in the morning and for dinner he gets Dr Harvey’s Freeze Dried food ( lots of veggies, oats, etc) with a teaspoon of oil, pumpkin and a cooked protein (switch between chicken, turkey, fish and eggs.) He hates raw meat and vegetables.
I don’t want to worry about the Royal Canin but feel concerned when I read your reviews. Am going to show this site to my vet but wanted your thoughts. He has some arthritis and some benign lipomas but is otherwise in good health with a clean coat and energy. Good appetite. Does take synthroid twice a day but this has been for a long time. Comments?

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Dane –

First off, if he’s drinking large amounts of water, urinating frequently and he won’t gain weight you need to get him to the vet to have some diagnostic tests performed. These are potential symptoms of kidney disease or diabetes. A dog that’s fed a raw diet shouldn’t drink much water at all – my two (large) dogs don’t even drink one bowl of water per day between the two of them. I’m not trying to scare you but if something is going on the sooner you catch it the better the prognosis will be.

Second, are you adding anything to the Blue Ridge Beef grinds? Unless they’ve recently come out with a new complete and balanced product that I’m not aware of, I thought they just make meat/organ/bone grinds? Meat/organ/bone “grinds” (as they’re referred to) are not a balanced diet. They’re meant to serve as as the base of a meal and they make things simpler by already having the muscle meat, organ and bone in the correct proportions. Supplements still must be added to make the diet complete. While it’s possible to balance a homemade diet using whole foods only, for simplicity’s sake and to get him on a balanced diet as soon as possible, I’d recommend adding a multivitamin (look for one with <10% DV calcium – one I frequently recommend is Twinlab Daily One Caps). I’d also add 1/2 C. of cooked and pureed vegetables (baby food veggies are fine if you don’t want to cook and puree them yourself) and feed a tin of sardines or salmon once or twice a week OR add a capsule or two of fish oil daily. These additions will provide him with the vitamins and minerals he needs, a little fiber and omega 3 fatty acids.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 9 months ago by Hound Dog Mom.
• This reply was modified 11 years, 9 months ago by Hound Dog Mom.

[cindy q]

Thanks theBCnut! I feed the orijen with fish oil in the morning and then they get a little pumpkin at night they get go and a few times a week I give them a little yogurt. After reading what you feed I feel like I might not be doing enough.

[theBCnut]

Oh boy did you just open a can of worms…

I give digestive enzymes, probiotics, coconut oil, fish oil(or some other omega 3), raw ACV, super greens, bee pollen, garlic, and some high antioxidant fruits and veggies. And that doesn’t include the eggs, oily fish, oysters, etc. I may have forgotten something, but I don’t know what.

[losul]

Jerry was just reading on the global span site – So i Guess even though coco oil is very easily digested and takes very little enzymatic action to do so, it might still be advisable to incubate first;

“Incubating supplements.
Some supplements should be incubated, because they require digestion
Example: Kelp, fish oils, coconut oils
Some supplements should not be incubated, or they will be destroyed
Example: Probiotics (such as acidophilus)
For some supplements, it doesn’t seem to matter
Example: L-Glutamine
Whether or not a supplement should be incubated can be confusing. A general rule of thumb is that if it’s a food-like substance which likely contains carbohydrates, fats, or proteins, it should be incubated. Some supplements may contain fillers or extra ingredients that require incubation, so read labels closely. Good advice on this topic is available from the K9-EPIGLOBAL Yahoo Group.”

• This reply was modified 11 years, 9 months ago by losul.

[zcRiley]

Thanks, guys. Sorry I wasn’t more specific. I have two 1 yr 2 mo old AmStaff mixes. They’ve been great on Orijen Dry Puppy Food (adding NutraMax Lab’s Cosequin DS for glucosamine much later). I used to mix in Horizon, Merricks or Acana for some zing; that was until I started doing major research on ingredients/hi end fillers, recalls etc. The Giardia & Campi was diagnosed with only 1 of my pups (the one that always had a digestive issue). At that point, I started mixing in Orijen 6 Fish with a crumble of Dr Foster & Smith’s Omega 3 chews. After the Giardia was taken care of, his behavior went down the tubes, I cried during that time thinking was it me, was it his brother, is he dying of something? After $600 doing the full bloodwork panel, fecal float, fecal ELISA & the fecal culture, it was the culture that found the Campi bacteria. 2 shots later & a slew of antibiotics per dog, it was time to add some “help” to their tummies. I got the Purina Veterinary Diets FortiFlora (not knowing that animal digest & Enteroccoccus faecium was bad) & Nzymes (which has soy sprouts). I stopped immediately after four days of small doses/horrifying results, thus initiating the deeper ingredient research I should have done before. I’m now waiting for my new order of Nusentia’s Probiotic Miracle & Enzyme Miracle. During this wait, the pups are switched to Nature’s Balance Synergy Dry Dog Food (has prebiotic & more fiber). AND ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ELSE ADDED & no treats. The rice & boiled chicken routine doesn’t sit well with them either. I DO add tons of kisses & hugs as to how sorry I am for making them worse.

[ladyquixote]

Hi all, first want to thank ya’ll for all the great info you supply here. Have been gathering nutrition info for about a year now and have some major budgeting concerns regarding planning cooked meals for my two dogs. Background: Eldest dog, Gracie is 12 y.o./55# (she is much bigger than standard Aussie) and has major yeast and anxiety problems. Found an alt vet last March who prescribed a variety of chinese herb powders which have significantly helped both problems but still a work in progress. Second dog, Tonto is about 3-1/2 (turned up at my front door emaciated last year and ended up part of our family). He weighs about 60 and is experiencing airborne allergies, due for vet check tomorrow for further input. Both are Aussie mixes.

Foodwise, they were on a mix of the 5-star dry no-grain dog foods since beginning of last year, then began adding the usual recommended toppers plus supplements and then transitioned to all-cooked meals over the last three months. It’s quickly begun taking a lot of my time to prepare meals, so this evening I sat down to figure out my monthly cost. Until now I would go out and buy enough food for a week so the cost bite wasn’t so noticeable.

I knew it was getting too costly but the final tally ended up being $15/day for two dogs! Way, way too much. In addition to the food, there are the supplemental herbs and now monthly visits to the alt vet to check progress which should end once both dogs level off with their itchies.

I’ve removed cottage cheese, carrots and rice which make great fillers because both dogs’ itchies worsened. So more meat takes the place.

My question to you is this, if I switch back to at least level 4-star dry dog food and toppers what would you suggest would be the right ratio between the both?

Gracie’s daily calorie target: 1037, Tonto’s daily calorie target: 1280
Here is a sample 1-day meal divided into two meals for Gracie:
— Chicken Liver pate, (chicken liver smothered then pureed): 2 TBSP 47 Cal
— Chicken Hearts, (lightly smothered then chopped fine): 1-1/2C 402 Cal
— Turkey, Ground; 93% Lean: 1-1/4C 425 Cal
— Mixed Veggies, 1 Cup Cooked then pureed: 40 Cal
— Pumpkin, Canned; 2 TBSP: 13 Cal
— Berries, 1/2 C: 36 Cal
— Alternate Every Day: Either 1-Egg or 1/2 tin Sardines in Water: 65-72 Cal
— Supplements include, Probiotics, 1/2 tsp finely ground eggshells, 1-multi, fish oil or coconut oil.

I’d be interested in your input as well as hearing what your average cost per day is for two medium sized dogs! Thanks so much.

[Bobby dog]

Hey Akari:
Maybe consider giving Bentley some coco oil too. It has antiseptic properties that may help him and also will help moisturize him from the inside out. He would only need about a teaspoon/day.

Now that Bobby is all healed up I only supplement coco oil 2x/wk. I will up it if he needs it, but so far that seems to be enough. He also gets fish oil 2x/wk and Vit E 1x/wk (the water soluable variety) too. It was the added fish oil and coco oil that helped him though because I just started the Vit E recently. If you would like some info on it, let me know, you know I love to post links! lol

[Akari_32]

Looks interesting! I like the short ingredient list. Could use the two land-critter gravy grain free ones every now and then. The Pate non-fish one ended up having fish, so oh well. This isn’t too high on my list anyways as he would need 4 cans a day. But if the price is ever right, I wouldn’t mind it.

Also an update: I fed him Sheba the last couple days so that I could give him small meals and he could still get the amount of calories he needed. I started back on his normal routine today, and gave him Wellness, and he ate about a 1/3 of his breakfast and then left it, and Bentley ate the rest of it. This is after he didn’t eat all day yesterday, except a couple bites in the evening of the food (Sheba) I put out in the morning, but I accidentally put a bunch of coconut oil in there, so he didn’t really want it. Being the mean mommy I am, I gave him the “too bad, you eat what I give you” treatment lol I gave him the second can of Wellness tonight for dinner, and he’s been picking at it (and also trying to bury it) for a good hour. Not sure if he finally finished it off or not yet, but he did sit and eat for a while not too long ago. The lights off and I don’t feel like getting up out of bed to go see lol So anyways, he’s being a picky butt. Too bad for him, mommy don’t play that game LOL He does appear to be back to pooping, though, and is back to his crazy antics. I went into the bathroom with out him (God forbid the humans should pee alone! They might fall in or something!) and he was scratching on the door so hard the bottom was pushing in a good two inches away from the frame LOL Poor unloved kitty XD

[Shasta220]

What other brands have you tried? Have you tried supplementing with fiber (canned pumpkin or cooked sweet potato), digestive supplements (like probiotics), or extra oils (like fish or olive)? The reason why SD makes him poop so much is because of all the worthless fillers in there.

I went from a 1 star to a 4star food with my dog way back years ago. He went from making 7-10 BIG piles daily to only 3-5…

[Cyndi]

Akari, with the dog being so small, doing commercial raw wouldn’t cost all that much just for him. Then you wouldn’t really need to add any supplements, except maybe some fish oil, tinned sardines are great and coconut oil. Even raw eggs as a topper would be good. It would probably be pretty cheap to feed a small dog like that a raw diet. Good luck!

[Akari_32]

Hey guys! Good news: we have poops! Found some this morning. It wasn’t a lot, but it was some, which is better than nothing 🙂 he only ate like 6 oz of food yesterday, anyways, so I wouldn’t expect him to make much poop with that as it is lol I didn’t see anything not-poop in there, but I will continue to give him a little coconut oil with each meal since that’s helping. I also gave him a little raw honey this morning, since that an anti-inflammatory, and I’m sure his tummy is not too happy with all this lol

He is feeling much better today, though, and him and Bentley were tearing through the house like a bunch of lunatics this morning before I left lol He’s getting more vocal again, as well.

Oh, and here’s how much he likes coconut oil: yesterday I was cleaning fish tanks and making his food at the same time while the bucket filled up in the sink. The bucket started to overflow after I got some oil in his bowl and the can of food open, so I left it to go turn the water off and haul the thing into my room to dump into the tank. I hear clinking and noises in the kitchen while I’m filling the tank, and figured he was getting into the can of food. I bring the bucket back in to refill, and what’s he doing? Licking the coconut oil out of his bowl! Never mind the open can of food, let’s go for this liquid plant stuff! LOL Good thing I closed the jar up or he probably would have gone for that as well :p

[Bobby dog]

Hey Akari:
That’s really good to read!!! Poor little guy. It is so nerve wracking when your fur baby is sick especially when you don’t really know the cause.

I suggest checking in with the Vet; it wouldn’t hurt to keep them up to date. They might give you some more instructions/suggestions to try no matter if he is the same or better. That way, if there is a need to take him in they know more about how he has been doing.

That’s great he likes coco oil. Mine don’t particularily care for it all the time. Archie eats it okay, the others sometimes. When they don’t eat it I just rub it on their fur. I am sure I have written this before, but any cats I get in the future will like and eat (with no issues, lol) pumpkin puree’, coco oil, never eat dry food, and never know the taste of fish. Pumpkin puree’ would be good for my kitty with hariball issues, but he smells it a mile away and would probably starve himself for a week rather than eat it. He is doing well with coco oil and daily brushings though, no hairballs since I began this routine. Oh well, like Jakes mom wrote, “when you know better, you do better.”