[USA]

Hi Hendrick C

I’m sorry you and your pup are going through this! Seizures have many different causes and the first thing I would do is get a complete blood panel and a physical exam for your Shih-tzu ASAP.

Regarding flea and tick meds I would NOT use ANY of the edible or spot-ons (topical). Frontline, Advantage, Revolution, Sentinel, Nexguard, ALL contain NEUROTOXINS. They work by affecting the nervous systems of the offending insect and causing paralysis and death. They have definitely caused seizures in dogs. The theory is that Mammals (dogs and humans) are much less affected by these chemicals than insects are. But humans and dogs are affected they just don’t immediately drop dead as the insects do.

I would switch to a “greener” and more “holistic” approach to insect control. There are essential oils with a much lower chance of toxicity than the neurotoxins that work at repelling and eliminating fleas and ticks. There are boric acid and diatomaceous earth options for indoor flea and tick control and beneficial nematode options for outdoor flea and tick control.

I wish you and your pup the best!!!

[Margaret P]

Liver damage can also cause seizures. You can look up “liver shunt” since shih tzu’s are one of the breeds that can have them. Really first, you need to talk to a vet, and get at least a blood panel. It may have nothing at all to do with flea products.

[Cyndi]

Wayne G, I am so sorry for your loss too!! I am sitting here crying after reading this. As I said a few comments up, I used to feed these to my doberman, who died 3 years ago this Saturday, all the time. I still, to this day, can only guess what he died from. He went downhill over the period of 6 or 7 months though and the vet couldn’t figure out what was going on with him. I ended up having to put him down. I firmly believe it was a combination of the crap food I fed him, because I didn’t know any better, and now these treats, and vaccinations and toxic flea crap! Sorry for my rant, but stories like yours just really hit home. 🙁

Again, I am so sorry for your loss! It sure the hell isn’t an easy thing to go thru, losing your beloved pet that way. 🙁 My heart aches for you and your family as well. May your boy rest in peace.

[milly w]

Daily supplements for human beings are commonplace, but what about dog dietary supplements? Just as human beings require food and supplements to be strong and healthy, dogs also require good nutrition. Veterinarians, to complement the diet and maintain good health of your pet, prescribe dog nutritional supplements.

Most commercial dog foods claim to be nutritionally complete but they all provide a one-size-fits-all approach that might not necessarily suit your dog. Different things such as age, illness, pregnancy, energy levels etc can have an effect on the nutritional needs of your pet. Here are some important supplements that your dog can use.

Brewer’s Yeast – The supplement comprises of B vitamins that take care of some of the most important functions of your dog. The most well known benefit of the supplement is its ability to repel fleas. B vitamins can help metabolize carbs, proteins and fats, which in turn can help in weight loss. It also comprises chromium that can help decrease blood cholesterol levels.

MSM (Methyl Sulfonyl Methane) – MSM supplement is helpful in ensuring healthy skin, connective tissues and coat of your dog. It is also known to reduce swelling and pain caused by sprains, strains, arthritis and bursitis.

Calcium, Zinc & Iron – Calcium is good for the blood, nerves and bones of the dogs. Zinc helps promote healthy skin and coat. Iron supplements help promote healthy blood cells. Iron supplements especially formulated for dogs must be administered to pets, as human iron supplements can be poisonous for them.

Probiotic and Prebiotic Supplements – These are required to bring balance in pets when dietary changes, stress, age or prescription medicine causes an imbalance of bacteria in their intestinal tract. To get maximum digestive and health benefits, both the kinds of supplements can be used together.

Sure grow 100 – The product packs in several beneficial nutrients including vitamin A, calcium, vitamin D, phosphorous and is excellent for puppies when they are growing. It is also known to enhance growth of the teeth, muscles and bones in puppies.

Hip and Joint Supplements – Dogs are generally very active and this can take a toll on their joints, hips and other connective tissues. Incorporating these supplements in the diet of your pet can help prevent these disorders. They comprise ingredients that work to repair and protect your dog’s joints and other connective tissues.

Canine nutritional supplements are generally available in solid form and can be included in dog food. Be sure to check with your veterinarian before you pick any nutritional supplement for your pet. While pets suffering from any of the conditions mentioned above might benefit from these supplements, there may be some underlying issues too that need medical attention. While buying supplements, go for trusted brands and take care to follow the dosage instructions as mentioned on the label.

Today, dog owners are increasingly turning to nutritional supplements realizing that most dog foods do not fully meet the energy requirements of their pet. A high quality supplement can do wonders to a dog’s overall health and performance.

[Melissaandcrew]

Hi T..I personally will not use an oral flea or tick preventative. Why circulate a flea product internally through the dog to get it to the skin level? I can not imagine it doesnt effect the organs. If I would not swallow pesticide myself to kill and repel mosquitos or ticks why should my dog? One of my boarders had a horrible reaction to their glea/tick collar. Not sure which brand but it was one of the two mentioned above.

[Susan]

Hi T, alot of ladies from the dog park use Comfortis & swear by it, its used monthly….after apply for a couple of months the ladies said that they didnt have to re-apply some months as its was still working & the dogs still didn’t have any fleas…they just give the tablet now if they see a flea & the dog start scratching..they start giving Comfortis when spring starts then their dogs are flea free for the summer….1 lady said that she hasn’t needed to give any Comfortis for 6months & she has had no fleas….
Just be careful giving first dose, make sure you know your dogs weight & only give half the tablet with food in morning, if dogs shows no side effects, then give the other half of the tablet at night with their dinner..
Comfortis must be giving with food, as a few dogs have gotten real ill & some have died here in Austrailia when the drug first came out….

[Ly]

I actually bought the Seresto collar! He has it on now, since I applied the Frontline Plus Sat and found a flea on him yesterday. I don’t prefer the collar and he isn’t much of a fan of it either. And the topical is so messy and I seem not to have any luck with it. A chew just seemed perfect. I came across Comforis, that seems pretty promising for fleas too. So if I were to get that, I would need to buy a topical for just ticks then, is that right? I live in PA. I’m preventing year long. He’s a flea magnet. I do everything I’m suppose to and they still find him.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi T –

I first heard of this product a few months ago. I have to say that I personally would be very leery not only of using a product so new to the market but also of using an oral product that could kill ticks. Ticks are very hardy little buggers so if a dog can eat something that would then result in ticks dying I have to suspect that whatever that pill causes to circulate in the blood can’t be good for the dog either.

None of the vets in my area are recommending or selling this product yet due to it being so new. I actually talked to a (conventional) vet about it to see what he thought and he said he’s definitely going to wait it out to hear about how it goes before ever recommending it because after reading the product information he’s very apprehensive.

As for using it with Comfortis – why would you want to? If Bavecto protects against fleas why would you need Comfortis as well? I highly doubt it would be advisable to use two forms of oral flea preventative.

I prefer natural means of parasite prevention but I do realize that in certain areas of the country some chemical means may need to be employed. I live in the northeast in an area with a lot of ticks and high incidence of lyme. From what I’ve heard from several veterinarians, technicians and pet owners that I’ve spoken to the products that seem to be most effective and have the lowest incidence of side effects for ticks are the veterinary recommended collars (like Scalibor).

• This reply was modified 11 years, 3 months ago by Hound Dog Mom.

[Ly]

Has anyone tried the new chewable flea and tick prevention medicine called Bravecto? I’ve tried Parastar and Frontline Plus and have gotten fleas with both. Also does anyone know if I can use Comfortis and that together?

[Kelly D]

Hi everyone! First time poster and I’m super excited I found your forum (so hopefully I’m posting in the right place). We have three dogs – two mutts and a pure-bred Newfoundland. For about two years now, the Newfie (he’s 6yrs old) has had problems with his ears. They’re juicy (gross, but best description), inflamed and painful for him. Our doctor has tested them for bacteria but none really so she says it’s some sort of allergy. We have done the elimination diet SOO many ways. I finally got him allergy tested through ImmuneIQ (much more affordable than vet) and they claim he’s allergic to so many things.

Do you all have any other suggestions as to what this could be? We’ve fed him daily yogurts; kept him away from our two cats, their food and litter box; he’s always been on flea and tick medicine. What could it be??

Here are the ImmuneIQ results:

Can you all recommend a food or should we start making our own?
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU so much in advance!

Kelly

[C W]

Vet said since she hadn’t eaten, she only had water moving through her colon and that’s what was causing the borborymi noises. They were pretty scary though. And I’m inclined to agree that she’s got GI issues or a food allergy or something.

She’s happy as a flea eating these tiny gold bars laced with crack that they’re calling the z/d formula. It has a pretty strong smell to it, so maybe that helps make it more appealing.

We’re going to stick with it for a few weeks and see how it goes — I’m really curious to see if it helps keep her ear infections at bay (in conjunction with cleaning and etc) because she’s had chronic problems her whole life with her ears. Maybe that was a symptom of this larger problem.

[USA]

Hi Omayra

A 5 month old puppy chewing carpets can be anything from normal puppy behavior (most common reason) to something nutrient related to a behavioral issue and so on. I would not rush into a nutrient deficiency diagnosis so quickly!

Before anyone can suggest any supplements for your puppy can you please tell us his current diet including treats please be as specific as you can.

What is his day like? Yard, Walks, Toys, People always around? How much time does he spend alone? Does he sleep and spend any other time in a crate?

Can you please also tell us what brand/type of shampoo and conditioner that you use and how often you bathe him.

And can you please tell us any medicine he is currently taking, including flea control. How much and how often and his vaccine history.

And last but not least has he had any blood, urine or fecal tests run and were there any abnormal or out of range results.

Is there anything you would like to add that will help us to know him better?

I don’t mean to pry but you must take into consideration the WHOLE dog to start figuring things out. Looking at a symptom or a behavior without knowing more about a dog usually results in treating a symptom instead of curing the cause of the symptom by returning the dog to complete and overall optimum health. This may not always be possible but starting with the whole dog is the way to go!!!

Keep Up The Good Work!!!

[Katy L]

Hi Cyndi,
I hope Bailey is doing better. I am completely amazed at Sophia’s progress! I thought Sophia was headed in to another full blown skin infection. She broke out in blistery hives. They almost looked like infected flea bites, the blistery hive things then turned in to scabby flaky places and her skin had flakes all over it. I think I’ll only have to bathe her once this I was bathing her every other day. She is still itching occassionally but nothing like she was. I agree with RescueDaneMom – I give Sophia Coconut Oil every day and it really seems to help.
I hope you are having a great week!

[DogFoodie]

It could also be an intolerance to one of the ingredients in the food.

Also, has he had vaccinations recently or is he receiving any medications, including heartworm / flea prevention (including spot on treatments)?

How old is your puppy now and long has he been eating this food?

[Marietta B]

My mom uses Trifexis on her dog with no problems. I don’t use any chemical flea and tick medication on my dog, only natural. I have been using diatomaceous earth along with Ark Naturals Flea Flicker Tick Kicker for 2 years and my dog has never had fleas or ticks. When I was poisoning her with Frontline she had ticks all the time. As far as heart worm medication goes, I follow a map that I found on Dogs Naturally Magazines website. It shows the states that you live in and when to start and stop the medication. The temperature has to be above 57 degrees F for 14 days for it to be possible for a dog to get heart worms and if it falls below 57 F the cycle is broken and starts all over again. I will look for the article and put a link here. For the few months that I need to give heart worm meds, I give Heartguard. It does make my dog a little sick for a few days so I give it to her every 45 days. The strength of the medicine is still at 99% at 45 days.

[Cyndi]

Hi Betsy,

Well, I’m not quite sure. She’s been scratching a bit, not always in one spot though & she’s got a few red marks on the inside of her back legs. She’s been playing with my boss’ dog quite a bit, and they do play rough, so, I’m not sure if that’s what it’s from or not. I’ve been checking her every time I see her scratch, which isn’t that often, but I don’t see anything. Also, I did go ahead and use the Sentry Natural Defense on her, because I do not want fleas and I want to make sure she is protected with that and the other stuff I use. USA had mentioned something in that could have been the culprit of her itching and scratching and losing her hair. I should have waited longer before I put that on her, but I didn’t. I’m still kind of in the “keeping an eye on her” phase. If the scratching gets worse, then I am kind of thinking it may, in fact, be that Sentry Natural Defense stuff. Still got my fingers crossed.

Thanks for asking! 🙂

[crazy4cats]

Hey Bobby dog-
Would you mind heading over to the review site’s off topic thread? I replied to Sandy about flea control. I would like your opinion as well. My sister’s dog is a mess. I printed your advice on what to do about his skin. Is think she is finally about to actually listen. She has thought that I was too extreme before. But, now, she is at her wit’s end. She has started using garlic, and a topical dose of front line or advantage. Not sure which. But they are still covered. The garlic was started too late, I’m afraid. Anyway. Probably should continue conversation on other thread. Don’t want to side line Akari’s coupon thread. Thanks!

[Bobby dog]

Tindaisy:
You are welcome!

His name really fits him, thanks.

Sorry about the long winded explanation about my avoidance of Diamond when you already were aware; I should have just asked. lol

I am not sure about Missouri, but I think there is a facility there. The South Carolina facility was involved with most if not all of the recalls. That is definitely where the Diamond food sold in my region comes from unfortunately.

I am not sure what kind of dog Bobby is. He came from a shelter in Tennessee. At the time the pets only had three days to be adopted because they were at full capacity. The story goes he was dumped off prior to the shelter opening and waiting by the door when employees arrived for the day. He was too young to be separated from his mom and they were able to find a foster family to take care of him until he was adopted. He was a tiny little guy when I got him. I was looking for a dog that would be the size of a short legged JRT at maturity. They felt he was a terrier mix and wouldn’t weigh more than 20 lbs at maturity. He was full of worms and fleas when I got him. When I finally got rid of the worms he grew like a weed. He is now a little over 40 lbs. lol So much for my small dog. He might be some sort of a cattle dog mix. He has a coat and coloration of a short haired german pointer, has ears that stand up and are a little too big for his head, and his tail is a little short for his body type. He is obsessed with birds and points every now and then. He also likes to herd chickens and cats. Every so often I see pictures of puppies or dogs that look very similar to him and they are either a cattle dog breed or a mixture of one. Funny thing is my friend recently took her son to visit a college in Tennessee and she said every dog she saw looked like Bobby. They even had a picture of a dog that looked very much like him in their brochure. So who knows what he is, but he definitely is a lot of fun!

I forgot about one other budget friendly canned food, sorry C4c (it’s one of her fav’s along with others on DFA). It is by far the most budget friendly of the five star canned foods, Costco’s Nature’s Domain Turkey & Pea Grain Free. I don’t have a Costco membership so I always forget about it. You purchase it by the case and the price might vary a little depending on location, it’s $20.79 for 24 13.2 oz cans. I have a membership to BJ’s and buy their Earth’s Pride canned food for Bobby. It isn’t as budget friendly as the others, $8.99/6 pack, but perfect for my rotation.

That’s ashamed to feel pressured to buy something in a store you frequent. It would also be frustrating if the person selling the food did not understand each of the needs you must address when feeding your pets.

I recently finished a bag of Nutrisource chicken & rice which Bobby loved and did well on. I have the GF Lamb to feed after I finish the kibble I am feeding now. I also plan on trying the cat food kibble you are feeding. I like the company and they must be doing well because my pet store chain is now fully stocked with Nutrisource, Pure Vita, and their Organics line too. Thank goodness they never try to pressure me into buying food. I keep hoping Victor will reach my area, but no one seems interested in carrying it so far.

[DogFoodie]

I used Trifexis previously for my Golden. I hated giving it to him. Each time I did, he was lethargic for a good 24 to 28 hours and would occasionally vomit the day after getting the medicine.

I still have some at home that I need to dispose of.

My plan to use Ivermectin and natural products for flea control got derailed when he had an apparent food intolerance to one of the products that I had intended to use. I’m using Sentinel now and although I’m not thrilled with it, my integrative vet recommended it and uses it herself. It “seems” safer.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 4 months ago by DogFoodie.

[Naturella]

I am not so sure about it either – I was pretty happy with Trifexis, but it got kind of pricy, so I switched Bruno to Sentinel for heartworm and fleas. So far so good with Sentinel too.

[Barbara]

Thank you pugmomsandy for the reply and the informative link… I saw that Snopes stated it was “undetermned”. I don’t plan on using any flea and tick killer that is ingested ever… I have used Frontline plus (seasonally and now only every 45 days) and heartgard plus without any issues for over 20+ years. My golden retriever Maya passed away from stomach cancer at almost 16 yrs of age 7 years ago I still miss her :(… My border collie mix is 13 1/2 and in better shape than most dogs that are less than 1/2 his age. Thanks to this site over the years I have improved my dog food options and went from the middle of the road now to Victor’s grain free and Kirkland Cuts in Gravy (being replaced by ND Turkey and pea stew). They are all doing well especially the older ones…!

• This reply was modified 11 years, 4 months ago by Barbara.

[Barbara]

Has anyone heard about Trifexis the chewable tablet that is supposed to kill fleas and prevent heartworm disease killing dogs?? I was at the dog park this morning and some people were talking about that but I can’t find any information. Just wanted to get a warning out there if it is true….

[USA]

Ladies,

I believe that the Sulfides in Garlic, Onions, Leeks, Chives, etc in ANY AMOUNT have an effect on the red blood cells of cats and dogs. I think that at a low exposure the effects are sub-clinical meaning there are no signs of toxicity. But I do believe that the red blood cells are affected at any level of consumption.

I know there is plenty of information out there to support both sides of this debate and I know that plenty of people use garlic for fleas and as a spice in their dog’s food.

I have a dog whose red blood cells are affected by any amount of garlic. She is a rare example of a dog that shows clinical signs of red blood cell damage at any level of consumption. I know she is VERY sensitive to the effects of garlic but her experience has led me down the path of believing that although most dogs are not as sensitive as her that ALL dogs red blood cells are affected by Sulfide ingestion.

So I have provided a couple of links. 1 agrees with me and 1 says that the toxicity of garlic is not affected by cooking.

Just my 2 cents.

http://www.lifewithdogs.tv/2012/06/the-dangers-of-onion-toxicity/

“The organosulfoxides (sulfurs) in onions, garlic, leeks and chives react with the cell membranes of the red blood cells of dogs, causing the cells to lyse (explode). Cats are even more sensitive to the lytic effects of allium (onion family) toxicosis than dogs.

It is a common myth that a small amount of onions or garlic is not harmful to dogs. In fact, many homemade dog treat recipes include garlic powder as a flavoring because dogs tend to love it so much. Dogs are more tolerant of garlic than onions, and small amounts of either often do not produce effects that are noticed.

However, I believe that any amount of garlic or onions is unacceptable, because it always causes damage on a cellular level, whether or not we notice the effects of the damage and label it “toxic.”

A small amount of garlic or onion ingestion will cause a small amount of subclinical hemolysis. That is, a small amount will cause a small amount of red blood cell explosion. Dogs need their red blood cells to oxygenate their brains and other important organs.

A moderate amount of garlic or onion ingestion will probably cause your pet to feel light headed and lethargic, which may go unnoticed.

A large amount of garlic or onion ingestion will cause clinical signs that are felt by the dog and noticed by the people. Signs may take several days to develop.”

Regarding cooking:

http://vetmedicine.about.com/od/toxicology/a/onion-toxicity.htm

“The chemicals found in cooked, raw or dehydrated onions begin reacting with a dog’s metabolism soon after consumption, preventing the red blood cells from carrying oxygen to the body. Within a few hours, the patient becomes lethargic and has trouble breathing. Other clinical signs may include dark-colored urine or a yellowing of the gums (called icterus). The patient may also vomit up the onions or other foods consumed from the trash.”

[Bobby dog]

Hi Alana:
I use the recipe for bone broth (or some variation) from the link that Cyndi provided on a regular basis for my dog, check it out!

As Betsy wrote many on DFA use garlic, I am one of them. In the past I have used Springtime’s Bug Off garlic for pets with no health issues. I now feed my dog fresh garlic 3x/week. As usual I run out of it before I get to the grocery store so I have garlic pills on hand to use when I don’t have fresh garlic. Since using fresh garlic or pills, Sentinel, which contains an ingredient to inhibit flea eggs from maturing, and a daily dose of apple cider vinegar this season my dog has been flea free. I have not had to use a spot on treatment this season; first time since I have had Bobby that I haven’t had to. Here’s some links to information and studies about garlic and dogs:
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/garlic-for-dogs-poison-or-medicine/
http://www.springtimeinc.com/product/bug-off-garlic-dogs/All-Natural-Dog-Supplements

[DogFoodie]

Hi Alina,

The amount you’re talking about feeding to your pup should be no problem. There are plenty of people here who offer their dogs fresh garlic regularly or supplement with garlic capsules to keep fleas away. The amount that would cause toxicity is alarger quantity than the small amount you’re talking about. Cooking destroys the allicin in garlic and I would therefore assume the same for the onions.

[arwyru24]

Hey Bobby’s Mom, the flea med situation is pretty good right now. Neither seem to have fleas and I got the comfortis down Wyatt with ease. I just broke it up into smaller pieces and hid those in soft treats which he gobbled down. He didn’t even know he was taking meds. He is easy like that.

[Cyndi]

Yes Betsy, she is itching and scratching. Mostly the belly area. She has a few almost bald spots on her lower sides, by her belly area. I haven’t noticed any bumps, but her skin is a bit red in areas she scratches alot. I just went over her real good again, and no fleas. Just to reiterate she is scratching AND shedding. The shedding is worse that I’ve ever seen.

I’ve been using the same shampoo that I’ve always used for her. It’s Earthbath Mediteranean (sp?) Magic. I also got, after the increased shedding and itching, Dr. Harvey’s Herbal Protection Shampoo.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 4 months ago by Cyndi.

[Cyndi]

No lethargy, but she has put on a bit of weight I’ve noticed so I’ve cut down on her feeding by a few ounces per meal. I check all the time for fleas, I go over her with a flea comb and when I bathe her I don’t see any at all. I was thinking too that it could be something outside. The weather here is nuts. Really hot and humid one day, the next day in the 60’s, tons of rain, but mostly just really humid.

I keep a log of everything she eats and I keep going over it looking for something that it could be. I hate to go spend a ton of money on a bunch of blood tests and have it be something silly like treats of something that aren’t agreeing with her.

Oh the worry these pets cause us is right, C4C! Lol!

[crazy4cats]

I really kind of doubt that the thyroid is the issue as you haven’t mentioned any lethargy or weight gain along with the hair loss. But it is one of the symptoms. Last year when my oldest cat had a senior blood panel test, it showed her thyroid levels off. Then they did another more specific test for the thyroid. I’m guessing it would have shown up on the test you already had, but not sure.
I’m sure you have already checked for fleas. Also, it is so itchy outside right now anyway. Everything is dry and there are so many bugs. Maybe it is a seasonal thing?
Oh, the worry these pets cause!

[Cyndi]

Here is everything she eats: AM: Ground Beef, Ground Beef Organs and Tripe mixed, with either See Spot Live Longer or Dr. Harvey’s Veg 2 Bowl, along with either an egg, or sardines and coconut oil, a garlic pill, veggie baby food. I use Fresh Pet occasionally and give her that for breakfast every once in a while. PM: I switch it up between Rabbit grind, a chicken back or leg quarter or a turkey neck along with liver, or gizzards or heart. That’s pretty much the staple of what I give her on a weekly basis.

I have been using Mercola’s flea & tick spray & Sentry Natural Defense flea and tick topical.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 4 months ago by Cyndi.

[Bobby dog]

How is everyone’s summer going? The rabbit moved out a few weeks ago. There is a small bunny that I see sometimes when I am mowing. I like to think it’s him/her. Lol Now I have a nest of baby swallows in my barn. I have a family move in each year. The first nest was attacked by a black snake earlier last month. Needless to say I now look up before I walk into the barn now. Yuck, that was creepy to see that snake hanging from the rafters eating those eggs.

Sharon: I hope you are having a better time with flea meds.

So I did a little shopping this week. Stopped at the pet store and Bobby got many sample bags of Stella & Chewy’s “Carnivore Crunch” beef treats. Huge hit with him. They are about 1 x ½” long and are tube shaped. He also got samples of Precise Naturals GF Lamb, which he loved, and samples of PMI Exclusive Lamb & Rice and Chic & Rice recipes.

I found one new dry kibble for the kitties, Simply Nourish Source GF Chic & Turkey, they all love it. I like the shape; it is a small “T” shape, not too thick. I also got samples of Fromm’s Salmon ala Veg and Beef Livattini. They hated Salmon ala Veg, haven’t tried the other. It is half the size of Wellness kibble, round with two flat sides. Still searching for a third kibble for rotation. KLN’s Pure Vita might be a posssibility and the store is also selling Natural Planet Organics (both from Nutrisource’s parent company). Even though Organics is not GF I still might give it a try.

I tried the Freshpet Roasted Chicken too. Only two cats would eat it and they never cleaned their bowls. I mixed it with their usual canned and tried feeding it on its own. Archie ate a little then begged me for other food. Still trying to introduce it to them, but I don’t think they are going to warm up to it.

They had by Nature Organics Chic & Mackeral on sale so I thought I would give it a try. All the cats loved it. I am going to try the plain chicken flavor next. It didn’t have a bad regular price $1.39/6 oz. I don’t think it comes in this size anymore though.

The last food I tried was Purina’s new Beyond canned. Found it at my Wal-Mart for $1.07/can. Can anyone say overpriced? I picked up the GF chic pate’ and the GF turkey with gravy by mistake. I didn’t read the label properly because I don’t like to feed food with gravy. I fed both flavors, they loved them. The turkey with gravy is a small chunk style food with not too heavy gravy. I’ll feed the GF chic pate’ again, not the turkey because of the gravy; another food for the rotation.

[Melissaandcrew]

Anything can trigger seizures in any given pet. Or, it could be purely coincidence. If she were mine, I would stop all flea/tick meds for 30 days minimum and put her back on her regular food..and wait and see. I personally will not use anything but frontline for fleas and ticks(why feed them a bug killer that then circulates through the system to get to where it needs to be??) and I used one of the “ad” brands(can’t remember if advantix or advantage II) and my epileptic had a horrible time with anesthesia. Never again.

If she continues to seize on a regular basis, you will need to start her on meds for epilepsy. My girl is on zonisimide and phenobarb at this time and it controls the seizures 99 percent of the time.

[Hendrick C]

Hello…

I have a 4 year old Shih-tzu and she had her first seizure about 2 weeks ago. I attributed it to NexGard, which we started giving to her about 3 months ago. I stopped giving it to her and switched her back to Advantix II for flea and tick. We also switched her to Wellness Complete about a month ago and this morning, she had another seizure (paddling, shaking, snorting, eyes wide open, unresponsive, foaming at the mouth type). The flea and tick medication and the food were the only two things that I can think of that changed in the past couple of months. Could the change in food have triggered her seizures? I’m not sure if I should change her food to something else that can help with or stop her seizures. If so, any recommendations?

Please let me know.

Thank you,

Worried Dad (Hendrick)

[Akari_32]

I swear by Little City Dogs. It’s cheap, it’s 100% safe, even in the case of extreme overdose, and I cannot find a single bad review on it (other than people not understanding how it works). A one year supply for a normal sized cat or small dog is $25. Can’t beat that at all! They have a website and an amazon store. I check between the two because the small dog and cat ones sell out quickly on Amazon, but they also have great sales. Either way is free shipping. The “control” kills the flea eggs and larvae and is given monthly, and the “killer” is a once daily pill for adult fleas. I use the Control.

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[arwyru24]

So I have been struggling with flea preventative for my cat Wyatt who has some skin issues as of lately. He did fine on revolution, but the last time he got it he had a little teeny tiny bald patch where I applied it, so my vet said it was suspicious and not to re-use it. So last month I tried activyl but when I applied it he seemed like he was trying to run away from it, I think it stung or burned. Plus the activyl was really greasy which is not a big deal if it is safe and it works but I was concerned about the burning sensation he seemed to be having so back to the vet and now I have Aaron back on revolution since he’s always done fine on it (although he has a sensitive stomach and barfs all the time if I don’t watch what I feed him) and I tried Wyatt on Comfortis. This was a few days ago, we didn’t have any vomiting or gastrointestinal symptoms so thats good but I was a little wary of using it since I don’t know much about it. They are indoor cats but I just so do not want a flea infestation, and the puppy comes over to visit now so its important.

[Akari_32]

On my walk with Haley today, we had to stop like four times so she could pee. And she only peed for a few seconds. She’s not one to mark, and she didn’t have a marking posture, so it wasn’t that. It was more like she really did have to pee, and settled in for a good long pee brake, but only got out a little bit (probably about a cup each time).

She also knows I’m not one for potty breaks on walks, and knows that pottying is only allowed in “her” yard, unless she really has to go while we’re out (because walking is for exercise, not for potty breaks!). She’s good about going before we start, but she does occasionally have to stop one time for a pee break, and it’s a full ladder sort of deal when she does. Certainly never four stops.

She is an outside dog, along with my other dog (not by my choice), but she’s always been in good health, is on flea and heart worm prevention (Trifexis– bugs me every time I give it to her. I’ll be getting her off it when this box runs out), and sees the vet every year, or as needed. She just turned 11 this January. The only thing different is that I have them on EVO right now, and they’re about 5lb away from finishing their second 28.6lb bag (so they’ve been on it a while, longer than I would have liked, but I bought them on short sale with upcoming expiration dates so I couldn’t rotate another brand in between bags). This is their first time on EVO, and probably their last, once I get rid of whatever is in the freezer at a later date, since Mars now owns them. They also get a can of wet food split between them a few times a week.

She’s fine otherwise right now, so I won’t be rushing off to the vet just yet. She doesn’t seem to be in pain, or anything, either. We walked a good mile plus, and she kept up with me the whole way. I walk fast, and keep her at a solid trot. Should I be watching for anything specific, given her age or anything? They both love the food, but could the high protein be bothering her? The highest protein food they’ve been on is Wellness CORE, since I can get it very cheap with coupons here. So this is something very new to my old guys. Any insight would be great 🙂

[Lilmonster]

Hi everyone!

Another lurker here eager and (almost) ready to make the switch to raw. Like other newbies, I have so much respect for everyone here for not only committing so much time and effort to their fur babies, but also taking the time to answer endless, potentially stupid questions from nervous dog moms like me! I would never even have known about raw diets, let alone been able to work up the nerve to take the plunge if it weren’t for this forum, so thanks to all of you!

Some background info: My fiancé and I just adopted our little one, Lily, two months ago from a rescue. She’s 41 lbs and the vet estimates her age at around 1, much younger than the rescue thought – her teeth were pretty yellow when we first got her but presumably because she wasn’t given anything to chew on to clean plaque, so they thought she was 2 yrs 8 months (!), which leads me to think she sadly may have been malnourished as a puppy since they were feeding her as an adult. As soon as we gave her bones and chew toys her teeth became pearly white. Anyway, we switched her to Fromm’s Surf and Turf kibble when we got her, but we noticed she started itching more and more. Took her to the vet to ask about the itchiness as well as a suspected UTI, but the diagnosis for the itching was understandably vague. We’re not sure if it’s a food allergy or environmental – she doesn’t have fleas, and we’re pretty sure it’s not a yeast issue. She doesn’t smell yeasty at all and I think the vet would have picked up on that. So after a recent bout of diarrhea due to too many high fat treats after a training session, I figured it would be a good time to begin the transition to raw after her system cleared up. I fasted her for a meal then fed her a mixture of white rice and pumpkin for two meals, which brought her poos back to normal, then began feeding her a 50-50 mix of ground turkey and pumpkin with the See Spot Live Longer mix added in. The vet is holistic and also trained in Chinese medicine, and she suggested that I switch to beef instead of turkey since chicken and turkey is considered “hot” and could be contributing to the itchiness, so yesterday I made the switch to ground beef and her poo was still fine this morning. But then I remembered reading somewhere (I think on preymodelraw) that it’s not recommended to start with beef, but I think for the time being I’ll stick with it just to avoid changing her diet too many times (unless anyone here would strongly advise against starting with beef?). At the moment, her daily food (divided into two meals) is 1 lb 90% lean ground beef + 2 tbsp SSLL + 1/2 tsp hempseed oil + 1 tsp coconut oil (just started adding it) + 1 human probiotic. She is also currently on a one week course of antibiotics for the urinary problem.

I have Steve Brown’s Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet, ordered the Dr. Becker’s book, and have read through many of the threads on this forum but like other newbies I’m getting lost in all the information and feeling as overwhelmed as Cyndi was in the thread where she first started, lol. I’m thinking of sticking to the ground boneless meat with the See Spot Live Longer mix for a bit while I figure out all the supplements that are needed and place my meat orders. A few questions that I’d really appreciate if someone could help out with:

– I know you can’t add the See Spot Live Longer dinner mix to bone-in meats, but am I also correct in assuming that if I begin adding RMBs in the PM and continue to feed boneless ground meat + See Spot Live Longer mix in the AM that it would be too much calcium? Ideally I’d like to continue using the SSLL simply because it’s the easiest way for me to not have to worry that her nutrition is unbalanced while I’m still learning to balance her meals myself. I did see the most recent topic mentioning CarnivoreRaw but that’s a bit out of my budget. Hound Dog Mom, do you use the Twinlab Daily One with or without iron? Also, I noticed the Twinlab does have calcium in it, does that not matter because the amount is so low? If I choose to go the multivitamin route, can I then add other things like fruits and veggies and such without worrying about overloading on a specific vitamin/mineral or will I have to be careful with what I add?

– This may be a bit much to ask, but if one of the veterans has the time to respond I would be so grateful. Could someone make a list of the essential vitamins/minerals (or alternatively, foods that will provide those vitamins and minerals) that MUST be added to a diet that consists of boneless meat in the AM and RMBs in the PM, and the approximate amounts? This is the part I’m feeling especially in over my head with. Vitamin D, vitamin E, fish oil, manganese, so many different things I’m seeing that they need, it’s hard to not feel kind of scared to do it all from scratch, which is my eventual goal. I think I’m having a hard time figuring out what is absolutely necessary vs. optional but ideal.

– So from what I’ve read so far it seems to be a good idea to start her on chicken backs and quarters, then begin alternating boneless meat every other meal. How many meals should I feed the backs and quarters before I begin incorporating boneless meals? Also, should I already be giving her supplements during this time, or should I wait until she adjusts then begin adding supplements. As for stuff like organ meats, heart, and green tripe, how long should I wait before beginning to incorporate those? I promise I have read the other threads, but I’ve seen a few different recommendations on timelines so I thought I’d pose the question again just so I can be clear about it.

Thanks in advance to anyone willing to take the time to answer my questions!

[fey W]

Raw is less wasteful, cheaper and much easier. On raw the dog gets to eat zero carbs and chew on bones to naturally keep teeth clean and possibly sugar levels more stable. It is low in ingredients so perfect for allergy prone dogs.

My dog is currently eating cooked food. I had to cook up a whole chicken and bone it, cook up pork and chop those meats, cook up hamburger and rice and mix together along with a small amount of liver and add in a calcium source, some bits of this and that to balance the diet. Then I had to go back to the original amount of raw ingredients to figure out how many meals that would be and divide accordingly so I won’t over/under feed her pack up in 2 day packets and freeze. On raw I give her boneless red meat and every 2-4 days she gets a bit of raw bony meat plus organ along with the same supplements I have to give her with a cooked diet minus the calcium of course. She loves it all but sure has more enjoyment from the raw.

Never heard that dogs get snappy if taken off raw. Many dogs get possessive of raw bits so practicing trading is a great idea. Many people only find out their dogs can be possessive when some delicious raw bony thing is given, even rawhides, bully sticks don’t have the same value.

My lucky never ever had any parasites from raw feeding or fleas or ticks or contaminated water, Sassy once got a tapeworm from eating a flea. Raw meat from the store is very safe. I have always cooked raw meat and it is very easy to keep juices contained and the kitchen clean, lots of water and soap.

A great primer on raw feeding is here.
http://www.chanceslittlewebsite.com/prey-model-raw.html

[Debbie L]

I keep reading about the good luck people keep reporting about using coconut oil, both for themselves and their dogs. Some rub a small amount into the hair and skin of the dog and some add a little to their food. One lady said she added about a teaspoon to her dog’s food daily and it was flea and allergy free.

[Ricardo V]

Hello everyone, this is a first time post for me. Very informative site, and one I have used many times to check food ratings. However, my question is about allergies. Specifically, bath allergies. I recently noticed that my dog Tonks (Pitbull) has bumps after a shower. I am thinking it may be the shampoo but I have been using this shampoo brand for a while now and have only recently noticed the bumps. At first I could have thought that she was infested with ticks! That is how the bumps look, just as if there was a tick burrowed under her skin. Of course I checked her and she was flea/tick free.

I bathed her more often to see if in fact it was the bath and it came back sure enough after a bath. I have reduced her bath time to only once a week now. I plan on eliminating her current shampoo which is an Avo Derm shampoo and buying Vet’s Best Allergy Itch Relief Shampoo for Dogs. Before I do that though, I just wanted to ask whether or not that would be a good choice for the problem I seem to be experiencing.

Lastly, I know many allergies can be attributant to the food as well, so I will mention that the food is Merrick Beef+sweet potate GF. I have noticed loose stools with this food, but I have noticed the bumps right after a bath which is why I never pegged it to the food.

On a completely different note, I am planning on switching the Merrick food out because she never use to have loose stool. I transitioned her for roughly 3 weeks, starting with a 75-25% ratio.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Debbie L]

HARPERS MOM: You can mix up a solution of food grade DE with water and spray that in the yard. When it dries it won’t be exactly like the dry powdery form, but will be similar. I think it would still have the same destructive effect on fleas and other pests.

Same with the dog, a small amont can be mixed with water and used as a drench like you would a dip.

Safer IMO as a wet form, as if you inhale too much of the powder it can cause some serious lung damage. If you prefer the dry form and have a lot to use be sure to wear a mask that filters dust so to not breathe in the DE powder. Outside if there is a wind the small particles from the dust tend to float around in the air.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 5 months ago by Debbie L.

[Harpers Mom]

Can DE be used in the yard? My mother in law has tried just about everything to rid the fleas in her yard and house and on their poor dog. She is absolutely miserable.

[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.

[Debbie L]

Actually I have tried some chemical topical flea and tic treatments but these did not seem to be too effective. I applied them as per instructions, but I think fleas and perhaps tics too have become immune to a lot of this stuff. So far I’ve not noticed any definite signs and symptoms of tapeworms. I remember years ago when our family had some property in the deep Texas Hill Country region my dad said he picked six tics off himself in one day. He said he began taking garlic tablets and soon thereafter never got another tic. I’ve read people say they give their dog garlic (not every day) in small quantities and the dog does not have fleas. I’m a firm believer in treating from the inside out.

Back in ’09 my female Collie was aging and her immune system was down, thereby making her more susceptible to fleas. Plus, we had a lot of rain that summer and the vet said that was a factor in the heavy flea load also. I began feeding her Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul and within about a month the fleas all but disappeared and she pretty much quit scratching. I didn’t want to use harsh chemicals due to her advanced age. As long as she ate that she was fine, but it doesn’t have the hip/joint stuff in it she needed so I had to add that. She passed in February of 2011 at the age of 14 years and 2 months. I’d try Chicken Soup for the dogs I now have but they have reduced their quantity but gone up in price.

I’ve noticed some places where the dogs have lost hair it is growing back some, so something is working. I’m always looking for ways to keep my dogs healthy and so far these two males, one given to me as a stray when he was a puppy (large mixed breed), and the other a give-a-way no one wanted (Peke-a-Chon), are doing well. Barney is the large dog and Buster the small one.

[Lynn J]

Even dogs with excellent nutrition and a robust immune system can be subject to problems with fleas and or ticks. If you have a real infestation or a pet that is allergic to flea bites, you may have to break down and bring in some prescription flea/tick medication. As for your dogs not liking certain foods, you are right not to waste money on a product that they won’t eat. Hopefully you can find a good quality food that you can afford, they like, and aren’t allergic to any of the ingredients.

[Melissaandcrew]

You state that your dogs have fleas severe enough to be causing dermatitis-Put some frontline on them and get the problem under control. No way can the skin/hair repair itself while in this chronic state of attack. We would all love to use only natural flea killers, but the dog’s comfort must come first. In addition, if they have enough fleas to cause dermatitis, then they probably have tapeworms sucking the nutrition right out of them.

[Debbie L]

I think I’d add a little more than just potatoes and peas. The apples and oatmeal sounds good. Perhaps some egg as well.

Many years ago my aging female Collie had a terrible time with fleas, as her immunity was down due to age. I started feeding Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul and within about a month on that the fleas all but vanished. I looked at the ingredients, and unfortunately your dog may be allergic, but the oatmeal and another item listed were high in B vitamins and I believe that’s what helped to repel the fleas.

If you Google it there are many natural homemade dog food recipes on the net. You can supplement the dog’s diet with dog vitamins. To be safe I would if I were making my own dog food recipe.

Another suggestion would be to occasionally give the dog some probios paste, pronounced pro-bee-ose. Your farm and ranch store will know what it is. Very high in vitamins and minerals. Just takes a small bit at a time. Or sprinkle some powdered milk for baby animals on the food. Also at farm and ranch. High in vitamins, minerals and also calcium animals need.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 5 months ago by Debbie L.
• This reply was modified 11 years, 5 months ago by Debbie L.

[Debbie L]

It has always been a great concern of mine to find a dog food that is both nutritious and one the dogs like and eat. Recently I checked with Dog Food Advisor, as the dog foods at Walmart may not always be considered ideal. So I bought 4Health Beef and Rice Grain Free, as my smaller dog had been scratching a lot and I was afraid he may have been allergic to the grain in the food I was feeding him and a larger dog. However, neither dog seemed to care for it too much so I went to Diamond Naturals which the Advisor gives a high rating. Same thing. I went back to 4Health Salmon and Sweet Potato, and to my surprise the dogs seemed to like this the least.

In the meantime on these foods the dogs are scratching a lot and hair feels dry and rough. I cannot believe these foods are ideal as the fleas are causing dermatitis and thus the larger dog has also lost some hair. A good dog food should help increase their immune systems, thereby repel fleas and mites, and these foods Advisor recommended did not in our case. I’m trying to stay away from the chemical flea and tic repellents as much as possible and going the natural route.

So I went ahead and bought some Beneful, even though Advisor gives it the lowest rating of one star. The dogs are eating it and their hair feels softer and smoother. Plus, neither dog is constantly scratching like on the Advisor recommended foods. I’m sticking with it for now.

[DogFoodie]

Unfortunately, my dog with food intolerance issues reacted to Springtime’s Big Off Garlic or if be using that. I tried it and both of my ate it right up just thrown into their food. I used the granules. It’s know to help deter fleas, flies, mosquitoes, etc. Here’s a link to the product: http://www.springtimeinc.com/product/bug-off-garlic-dogs/All-Natural-Dog-Supplements

I had planned to use BOG with Mercola Natural Flea and Tick Defense: http://products.mercola.com/healthypets/natural-flea-and-tick-control/

Unfortunately, since BOG didn’t work for us, I resorted to more toxic methods and ended up with Sentinel, which does nothing to deter mosquitoes. I also have the Halo Herbal Dip that Sandy recommended to me last summer. Her little cutie s wear a few drops on a bandana.

[pugmomsandy]

I’ve been using Halo Herbal Dip (can be made into a spray) for the past two years and either feed Bug Off Garlic or Flea Free Supplement. There are also natural products out there with rose geranium it (like Sentry Natural Defense) or you can purchase rose geranium essential oil.