[Tina]

Anyone own a Golden Retriever? If so what do you feed yours? My Golden Retriever Angel is 8 years old and has these problems;
*dry skin
*itchy skin
*red skin
*weak hip and joints (she is on cohesion for this)
*sometimes over weight
*eats very fast
She is on Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Senior along with other small bags of stuff mixed in. She has only had chicken her entire life and as a younger puppy/adult was on;
*Eukanuba Puppy
*Purina Pro Plan Puppy
*Purina One Adult
*Hill’s Science Diet Large Breed Adult
*Royal Canine Golden Retriever
*Blue Buffalo Large Breed Senior
*Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Senior
None of these I was happy with and none of them did the trick except for Royal Canine (kinda). What can you suggest? I’m open to ANY suggestions, including all life stages dog food. My only thing is that I need it to be inexpensive, not cheap but not like $80 for a 24lb bag.

[RescueDaneMom]

I definitely agree with Marie and C4C. Your GSD’s will need more than what is available in a food to help their joints. There are some threads in the Supplements forum on joint supplements. I am currently using some from Springtime Inc.

[crazy4cats]

I feed my dogs Victor’s Joint Health grain free food. It has extra glucosamine added to it. But, like the others have stated, it is probably best to add a supplement to ensure that they are getting the full benefit of it.

[InkedMarie]

I may be wrong but I’ve read that by the time dogs eat foods that have joint stuff added to it, it’s been cooked out. You’re better to add a joint supplement yourself.

[Nicole G]

Hi all,
I have 2 large GSD’s that are roughly 10 years old (both rescues). They are starting to show stiffness in their joints (one has some dysplasia) and I was wondering if anyone could recommend a good, affordable food that will boost their health and help their joints?
Thanks so much,
Nicole

[spaniel39]

Jason B
I now have a 1 year 2 month old 130 pound Komondor
I started her off on Canine Caviar Puppy Dinner (lamb)
but was pretty expensive
I had great luck with Petcurean NOW large breed puppy
Now Fresh Large Breed Puppy (5 stars)
But it’s not inexpensive at about $59 for a large bag.
NOW FRESH™ Large Breed Puppy food recipe is made with 100% FRESH turkey, salmon, duck & 100% fresh Omega 3 & 6 oils from coconuts and canola. NOW FRESH™ also features zero grains, gluten, wheat, beef, corn or soy. Zero rendered meats, by-products or artificial preservatives.

This recipe also features:

Calcium and phosphorus to promote your puppy’s growth
New Zealand green mussels to support hip and joint health
Added L-Carnitine to support heart health/fat burning
Pre + Probiotics to support digestion
Added Taurine to support vision and heart function

[Hound Dog Mom]

Yes – RMBs can most definitely be fed daily. My dogs get a ground red-meat based meal in the a.m. (I make my dogs’ meals from scratch – this is when I add items such as vegetables, fruits, yogurt, supplements, etc.) and in the p.m. they get poultry RMBs and some sort of offal (i.e. a turkey neck with a couple turkey hearts or a chicken back with a few chicken gizzards). RMBs are great for the teeth and also the joints as they’re high in glucosamine and chondroitin. Just make sure to feed an RMB that is an appropriate size for your dog because you want to minimize choking risk. The RMB should be larger than the dog’s mouth – my dogs are large (65-75 lbs.) so they only get large RMBs, I wouldn’t feed them chicken necks. For small dogs, however, chicken necks are great.

Both of these articles by Dr. Becker have some good information on selecting bones:

http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/05/19/caution-bones-can-kill-your-dog-find-out-which-ones-are-safe.aspx

http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/05/09/bone-supplements-for-pets.aspx

Also – if I’m not mistaken, it’s been awhile since I’ve ordered from Darwin’s – I believe Darwin’s actually sells duck necks. Duck necks are larger than chicken necks but smaller than turkey necks – they’d probably work out well for most small to medium sized dogs.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Nat R –

There’s no reason a Great Dane can’t eat a high protein food and, in fact, they should. It’s also not true that they should not eat puppy food as puppies, they need to eat a puppy food with controlled calcium levels appropriate for large breed growth. There’s a lot of information about this on the large breed puppy thread. Many many years ago it was believed that high levels of protein caused joint issues, it’s been known for quite some time now that this isn’t true however there are still a few vets, breeders and pet owners that believe this myth.

[Naturella]

Jakes Mom, thank you, but I am just somewhat organized, lol. This menu is pretty flexible (for example, today he was supposed to have the raw egg for breakfast but had it for dinner; breakfast was yoghurt; no lunch) and it is not based on calories really (well, when he was eating solely kibble it was perfect because he ate just 1 cup/day based on the kcals of his food mix, but now I reduced his kibble to 3/4 cup and I just do additives to be 20% or less than balanced meals). He looks good, I can feel his ribs easily and I don’t bother measuring calories. If he became chunky, I would reduce both the kibble and add-ins to keep the ratio similar, but reduce his overall caloric intake. So yeah… I don’t know, maybe I should count calories, but meh… I just think that everything (that is safe for a dog to eat) is good in moderation and based on specific needs (skin/coat issues, tummy issues, kidney issues, bone/joint issues, thyroid/cancer issues, etc.) if any, so I just give Bruno general healthy stuff that should be ok and good for a healthy dog to maintain his awesome coat (I seriously love it and maybe I shouldn’t, but I take pride in facilitating his system to produce it like that by giving him good things, lol) and overall general health. So yeah. 🙂

And woah! You had to keep track of a lot of things! A menu can not stand up to you! You got this! Please do post it on here – I would love to see what you and others do as add-ins and maybe try something I have not thought about. And let us know if you need any more help. 🙂

• This reply was modified 11 years, 7 months ago by Naturella.

[Naturella]

All of the above are great responses, but one think I recently learned about are “satin balls” – you can look it up on Google but here is the recipe:

“Ingredients:

10 pounds hamburger meat [the cheapest kind]
1 lg. box of Total cereal
1 lg. box oatmeal
1 jar of wheat germ
1 1/4 cup veg oil
1 1/4 cup of unsulfured molasses
10 raw eggs AND shells
10 envelopes of unflavored gelatin
pinch of salt

Mix all ingredients together, much like you would a meatloaf.
Divide into 10 quart freezer bags and freeze.
Thaw as needed and feed raw!”

It is supposed to help with skin/coat and keep weight up and on really well. Also, you can use the Joint Gelatin or another oil (preferably flax seed and/or fish oil (but if fish oil mix it with another oil I would think) – they are more beneficial for their Omega fats content).

Good luck!

[weezerweeks]

I noticed when I bathed my yorkie today he was shedding a lot of hair.I noticed this last week but I thought it was because it was the first bath after he was groomed.The only thing different is I have added another canned food to his rotation that he’s never had before. It is Go Fit chicken,turkey and trout stew. He has never had trout before. I also started springtime joint supplements for a switch from mercola’s’ which I love.This is so unusual because he never has this much hair in the sink. I also give him Nordic natural fish oil every other night and krill oil the nights I don’t give fish oil. Any ideas what could be causing this. He’s not scratching at all. Thanks

[Mike M]

I could put this in one of several forums but chose this one since it has more posts.

Our dog – Wally, almost 15, small mixed breed, about 17 pounds, working towards 15.

Health issues – “sore joints” (we have set up a system of pillows where he jumps down from the couch or bed and in fact, I am considering having a trampoline floor installed though it could interfere with our getting around and cause some queasiness and vacuuming issues), collapsing trachea with an extra cough chaser that seems to have gone way down, after a course of antibiotics and changes in his diet and the addition of salmon fish oil.

I am brand new to making my own dog food, spurred on by Wally’s health issues and a change to the formula of Wally’s canned food (Wellness Chicken/Sweet potato) where they seem to be adding more “chicken broth”, effectively a price increase and it changed his poops. Anyway …. good that I’m doing this.

Have been researching and so far, am relying on (because they have the ring of truth):

Hound Dog Mom and others here
“Unlocking The Canine Ancestral Diet.”
Dogaware.com

Will be starting with the Urban Wolf mix and other supplements to add to my meats.

There is a lot to digest re supplements, fat balancing, meats, etc and I will have questions and comments as I go along. Appreciate any input – thanks!

[theBCnut]

For a large breed puppy, you don’t want to mess with the calcium when you are feeding the right food, which BBW isn’t. Too much calcium can cause joints to form too quickly and very poorly. If they are both grown, then no worries. However, one thing to consider with wolf hybrids is that they don’t handle carbs as well as dogs do and adding more carbs to a food may give him problems with digestion. Dogs don’t produce the enzymes necessary to break down plant cell walls, so you may just be wasting your money anyways though, unless the purpose of adding veggies is to add bulk for a dog that needs a diet.

[theBCnut]

Large breed dogs have unique calcium requirements to prevent joint issues. Look under the Diet and Health Issues forum for the thread on Large and Giant Breed Puppy Nutrition and read the first few pages of it. Hound Dog Mom’s newest list of appropriate foods is on page 15.

[Mom2Cavs]

I use Springtime, Inc. products pretty much every day. When I first start something new of theirs, like adding spirulina or a joint chew, I always start with 1/4 of the chew and work up to a whole one. They are split in 4ths and easy to break, imo, so it’s an easy thing to do. I’ve never had gas using them, but all dogs are different. Maybe you could back off and start with part of the chew first.

[weezerweeks]

I just started my yorkie on the springtime joint supplement and the fresh factors. He had just finished a bottle of the Mercola joint chews,which I love. I noticed he has a lot of gas today,something he never has. The switching of joint chews and adding fresh factor is the only thing I’ve done different today. Do you think it could be these? I will wait and see what kind of stool he has tonight on our walk. Hope it’s not loose.I wanted to rotate his supplements because BC nut says she does and I think she’s pretty smart along with some others of you on here. Thanks

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

[crazy4cats]

Actually, I get the Victor grain free joint health (green bag) in a 50 pound bag. I have to call and order ahead of time from a pet boutique. You can also order it on Amazon or Sport Dog.

[pugmomsandy]

I like to use different products. Right now I’m using Springtime supplements but I have Actiflex 4000 (horse version) and cetyl myristoleate and krill oil to use in rotation. You can give supplements all year that maintain joint health. For increased activity, you can also give the supplements that have an increased amount of anti-inflammatories/herbals that also help relieve pain/discomfort. Since she already eats some raw food, you can let her have a chicken foot or some raw trachea a couple times a week for the cartilage to maintain joint health.

This Actiflex 4000 dosing came from a raw feeding group: 50-75 pounds: 1 ½ tsp. daily loading dose for 5 days, ¾ tsp. daily maintenance dose

[Mom2Cavs]

There are several products that I think are good. I also like Wholistic Pet Organics products. I love their salmon oil and their digest all plus. I have used basicly all of their products over the years at one time or another. I also love Springtime, Inc.’s products. I love their joint health chews. It also comes in a powder. I used their chews for my Shih-Poo, Desi, when he was living. He had both rear luxating patellas that were a high grade. The vet I had at the time, since switched to a holistic vet, always remarked that he was close to needing surgery but keep doing what I was doing. He never had surgery in all his 8 years of life. I did kind of restrict his activity, though not much. He passed with another health problem. Anyway, those are the two I’ve used the most. Oh, I almost forgot about Missing Link Joint. I’ve used that and like it pretty well, too. Hope this helps.

[Ysabella J]

Hello all!

I have followed this forum for some time now but this is my first official post! Yay! Okay, so I am trying to do some research on Joint Supplements and Omega 3 fatty acids to give my 2 year old Golden Retriever (almost 3 on May 25th). We have her on a wonderful diet that consists of Orijen kibble and Merrick canned food for breakfast, a raw meaty marrow bone or a stuffed kong for a snack and a raw Stella & Chewy’s patty for dinner. Her diet does wonders for her health and we learned much about it from this website. As she gets older, I would like to put her on joint supplement. I notice from time to time her joints will pop when she gets up or stretches. We do live in an area that has all 4 seasons and in the winters it gets well below zero. Now that it is springtime we really enjoy taking her out for very long, extensive hikes. She loves to run and swim during our hikes and I would like to have her on some type of anti-inflammatory (omega-3’s?) and a joint supplement. Now I have been doing a ton of research but that just creates a million questions:

First and foremost – Should we give her joint supplements/anti-inflammatories year round? Or do we only give them on days when she will be more active than normal?

Secondly – Which joint/anti-inflammatory would you recommend? I have done research and am seriously considering the Wholistic Pet Organics product line. Has anyone used this and would they recommend it? http://www.thewholisticpet.com/products/canine-product-line/joint-support.html/ Also, does anyone give their pet krill oil vs. salmon oil for omega 3’s?

Thirdly – I am a big fan of holistic medicine and don’t usually like big brand dog medication distributors. Is there anything we can do for her joints, besides swimming and keeping her lean, that will help without any supplement?

And last but not least – if you do recommend a supplement and it’s human grade, what dosage would I give my 65 pound girl?

Thanks so much in advance for your help, I greatly appreciate it!

• This topic was modified 11 years, 8 months ago by Ysabella J.
• This topic was modified 11 years, 8 months ago by Ysabella J.

[JASTECH]

I think feeding a variety of raw is the best we can do. My large breed ate 3 large chicken quarters, raw of course, he’s had entire large rabbit, deer leg, turkey complete or whatever else I come up with for raw meat. He eats Fromm dry kibble w/o any problems. I think the hip and joint issues are mainly on man made breeds, they seem to be more prone to cancers ect too. I think we’ll better support these breeds systems feeding raw. JMHO

[KPC]

Hello, all!

I recently aquired a pup (Kaiser) & am feeding 4Health puppy formula. My adult dog (Jinx) is on the 4Health Salmon & Potato currently.

I was wondering if there was a distinct advantage of feeding formulated for puppies food over adult, or all stages. The caloric count is about 20 higher on the pup formula. I entered all the ingredients into a spreadsheet & there was only one notable difference (besides the different meat products) which was Chondroitin Sulfate, for joint support apparently.

So, the question is, should I keep feeding puppy formula or perhaps add supplements or vitamins to an adult formula for him?

(His mother is 50lbs, father unknown; just for a size/growth reference)

Thanks, all!

[Naturella]

Also, looking at the Blue Buffalo Wilderness profile, I would consider it moderate protein, as I always try to feed 30%+ protein diets, and the fat level and phosphorus level fit your needs. Like I said in the Blue Buffalo thread, it is more so the company that mishandled the recall, not that the food is horrible. My dog, and 2 other dogs that I know personally have done great on it, so I would feed it again. You can definitely try it and make sure you do a good slow transition, but if your dogs seem to have an issue with it, it may just not be their cup of tea. Added glucosamine and chondroitin, which is great for joint health. 410 kcal/cup.

As for the Holistic Select Senior, it also looks pretty good – decent grains, and I like the added glucosamine for joint health – a little more than in BB Wilderness, but no chondroitin. 368 kcal/cup. Fat and protein are both less than BB Wilderness Senior, phosphorus is the same. Looks like a good food to me.

So it is up to you, you can try both if you want. I would definitely suggest using the calculator tool posted above to know how much approximately to feed inactive dogs.

[theBCnut]

/forums/topic/large-and-giant-breed-puppy-nutrition/

Promoting rapid growth is what causes a lot of bone and joint issues in large and giant breeds.

[Steve K]

Need some advice for some good large breed puppy food Irish Wolfhound to be exact. Should it have glucosamine and chondroitin? Needs to promote rapid growth with healthy bones and joints.

[pugmomsandy]

Just because a dog is “senior” doesn’t mean it has these problems. All those problems can potentially happen at any age. I’ve fostered many dogs under 5 (even as young as 1 yr) with joint/eye/digestion/ear issues and have needed hip/knee surgeries and prescription eye and ear drops. A healthy senior can eat regular food (adult, maintenance and all life stages, puppy food). I have a 14 yr old with no active health issues. He is blind and deaf which he was already when I got him last year at 13. He is not on any medications and eats the same foods as all the other foster dogs I have. I use 3.5-4.5 star kibble and top it off with 5 star canned foods which is normally at least 43% protein. He even gets some raw food which I usually make without any plant matter. The dogs get joint supplements and vitamins, antioxidants, supergreen supplements and fish oil. My personal dogs don’t get chemical pesticides which has been linked to some cancers nor do they get unnecessary vaccines. You might want to research “over vaccination”. Try looking up Dogs4dogs dot com, b-naturals dot com, wholedogjournal dot com, dogsnaturallymagazine dot com. These are just a few of the sites pertaining to more “natural” care of dogs. If one of my dogs had late stage kidney disease, at that point I would change the diet, but I wouldn’t change the diet just because they’re a senior in general. Some things possibly connected to cancer is chemical laden commercial kibble, vaccines, the constant application of poisonous pesticides (heartworm and flea/tick meds, fertilizers), even air pollution.

http://dogs4dogs.com/

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Tina –

Not all senior dogs have these problems you mention. If your dog does have any of these problems, you can supplement the feed. For example, if your dog has joint problems you may consider supplementing with omega 3’s, glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, etc. If your dog has digestion problems you may wish to add probiotics, enzymes, additional fiber, etc.

[crazy4cats]

My bag of Victor grain free joint health does not state that it is GMO free. But, I’m not sure which ingredient would be GMO?

[InkedMarie]

Tina, I’m confused because in your OP, you stated “Senior dog food was created for the idea that senior dogs have special needs.”

Are you saying your senior dogs have these problems “Hip and joint problems, digestion problems, eye problems, ear problems” or this is why senior dog food was created? If its the latter, that’s a very broad statement from a dog food company. I’ve had my share of senior dogs, I adopted three of them as seniors and not all had hip and joint problems, none had digestion problems and what eye and ear problems are for seniors? Sorry, I’m just not following exactly what you’re saying and I have no clue what is special about senior dog food that would help the maladies you state.

[Tina]

Hip and joint problems, digestion problems, eye problems, ear problems

[Dori]

Just got this email from The Truth About Pets
For the entire story go to Susan’s web site.

Mars buys Iams, Eukanuba and Natura Brands
by Susan Thixton
Mars has agreed to buy Procter & Gamble‘s Iams, Eukanuba and Natura brands in major markets for $2.9 billion in cash, the companies announced in a joint press release.

[theBCnut]

Annamaet is first on any list because the list is alphabetical, not to say that Annamaet isn’t a good food, because it is. You might get a better response to your question if you posted it under a topic about arthritis instead of one about allergies though. With arthritis, grain free is a good idea because grains are known to be inflamatory. A good joint supplement with hyaluronic acid in it would definitely be in order. And finally, make sure that you keep any extra weight off of her. Oh, one more thing, slick floors are hard on joints.

Mel, I must be more cat than I thought. I know when I’ve been rubbed the wrong way. Good thing you aren’t in charge of the universe.

[crazy4cats]

Hi-
Have you given Victor Grain Free a thought? It is small kibble and it uses sweet potato as a binder like Taste of the Wild. I’ve been feeding my dogs the grain free joint health for a couple of months now and they are doing great. Good luck!

[Tina]

Yes both the Corgi and the Golden Retriever are on a joint supplement.

[InkedMarie]

Tina, for your Golden & Corgi, getting weight off them is of the utmost importance, for their joints. I used Wellness Core Reduced fat with great success. While I have not used it, others have had luck with Annamaet Lean (this may need to be ordered as it’s not as widely available). Both can benefit from salmon oil added to their diet. You can use human form or buy those available online or at pet stores for dogs (I use human). Are they getting a supplement for their joints?

For the cocker & mixed breed, I’ve read that people use Nutri Source with good luck for dogs with sensitive stomachs.

I know nothing about colitis but hopefully someone else can answer. Its possible the foods I listed won’t work. If I was you, with dogs with issues, I’d consult a holistic vet who would be able to advise you on dogs with their issues and probably offer a non vet food. You could go to DogAware.com and contact Mary Strauss from there or Lew Olsen at b-Naturals.com.

Both of them could give you some advice. Good luck!

[Tina]

My Golden Retriever is 7 years old and she’s on Nutro Large Breed Senior
Chicken, Whole Brown Rice & Oatmeal Formula. She has a sensitive red, dry skin and dry coat, a little overweight and hip and joint issues. My Cocker Spaniel is 8 years old and she’s on Hill’s® Ideal Balance™ and Nutro WHOLESOME ESSENTIALS® Senior
Chicken, Whole Brown Rice & Oatmeal Formula.
Natural Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Mature Adult. She has colitis, bad eyes and ears, bad teeth, sensitive stomach, dry skin and coat and hip and joint issues. My Pembroke Welsh Corgi is 5 years old and she’s on Hill’s® Prescription Diet®
Canine Metabolic Advanced Weight Solution. She has bad hip and joints, over weight, no energy, dry skin and bad teeth. My Large Breed Mutt is 1 year old and is on Hill’s® Science Diet®
Adult Large Breed. He has a weak immune system, dry skin only and high energy.

[Tina]

I have four dogs with four different needs, ages and lifestyles. Gidget is a 9 year old Black Cocker Spaniel with colitis and dry itchy skin. Angel is a 7 year old Golden Retriever with bad hip and joint issues and dry itchy skin. Shadow is a 1 year old large breed mutt (German Shepherd, Australian Cattle Dog, Belgian Shepherd) with skin and coat sensitivities, stomach sensitivities and very low immune system. Ginger is a 5 year old Pembroke Welsh Corgi with a weight problem and dry, itchy skin. I’m looking for a Budget Friendly dog food that I can find in South Florida. There are many different pet stores all around me including Petco, Pet Supermarket and Petsmart. What can you recommended for me?

[Sharon Buchanan]

MastiffLove ~

First, I hope more people will chime in here with helpful advice. Now, to get to your questions as best I can.

It looks like your family is adding a lot of new members to the family. How great for all of them to be able to grow up and play together – and be fed raw. Looks like you’ll have your own little support group!

1. From all my reading on forums and Facebook, finding green tripe can be tricky. Some places ban the sale of it directly to consumers while others seem to be able to get it locally. I’m currently getting mine from MyPetCarnivore.com. I’m hoping that when I find someone who will sell direct, that they’ll also be able to provide the tripe. You’ll just have to ask and if they can’t, perhaps they’ll know where to get it.

2. Sure, you can grind necks. They aren’t terribly meaty, but they’ll grind easily enough. You should be able to start giving them whole when your pup gets a bit older. Chicken necks are tiny and I give them whole to my seven month old cat. I’ve been giving whole duck and turkey necks to Mystery since I started raw, he was 10 months at the time – he’s getting a turkey neck as part of his dinner tonight.

Different nutritionists/homeopathic vets will have various opinions on what, when, how and why to feed certain ingredients. I tend to lean toward Kymythy’s advice at the moment. She raises Newfies and feeds them raw as early as four weeks. The proof is in the health of her pups and adults.

3. I’m still not feeding veggies or “super” greens. Not a “purist” or anything but I wanted to first be sure I was feeding correctly the balance of meat/bone/organs and then get a blood panel or hair sample analysis – I’ll be scheduling that next week. Mystery’s only issues are a skin flaking problem – solved with coconut oil, and motion sickness – I’m still working on that and hoping he’ll grow out of it. So, until I get an analysis that says he needs more of this or that, I’m holding off on supplementing. I do give Mystery garlic for natural pest control and I also supplement with curcumen and vitamin C because Goldens have a high cancer mortality rate. I know a lot of people use “super” this and that as well as create their own veggie mashes. I would lean toward making my own purees since I believe nutrition from the source is best.

4. Most fruits have a lot of sugar in them. I would avoid most or feed them judiciously. I’ll share a banana with Mystery from time to time as well as give him apple slices, but not as a regular part of his diet. Here’s a basic chart that lists not only veggies and fruits that are toxic to pets but also plants as well as symptoms to watch for: http://www.acreaturecomfort.com/toxic.htm. And of course, you’ll find other sites that list fewer or additional foods.

5. Ah, SWEET potatoes. I haven’t read anything that shows a good reason to add most starches. That includes potatoes, peas, some beans. Many of these veggies convert starches to sugar when cooked. I used to give a tablespoon of pumpkin when our Sunset would have loose stools, but Mystery has had no problems there – and especially not since going raw.

6. I must defer to Kymythy on adding anything at all to an eight week old puppy’s diet. If you’re balancing 80/10/10 your calcium/phosphorus ratio is in perfect sync. Adding anything may not only increase the amount of calcium but may throw off that balance. Mess with that ratio and excess calcium can be deposited on the outside of the bones causing a number of issues. We had no idea that there was an issue with LBPs and calcium when we got Sunset 11 years ago. Before she was two, she required double-hip surgery. We got her from a backyard breeder (another ignorant move on our part), didn’t know much about hip scores and fed her what surely is on the one- or two-star lists here at DFA. I’ve been ultra focused on calcium since before I got Mystery.

An excerpt from Kymythy’s book, Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats:
By the time the young are ready to go to their new homes, they should be eating whole necks and regular meals with all the extras, and you may discontinue the enzymes and probiotics (although they may help counteract the digestive stress a youngster endures when going to a new home). Youngsters may be fed three times per day from eight weeks until four to six months old, then twice daily from four to six months old until one year of age, and once daily after one year of age. Giant breeds of dogs may need to be fed twice daily occasionally during growth spurts from one to three years of age. Either feed two complete meals or one complete and one of meaty bones (bones with ample meat) only. Observe your pet and adjust amounts accordingly. Do not feed so much that the stomach becomes overly extended. Do not let your pet become obese. A very thin layer of fat over the ribs is healthy, but too much weight puts extra stress on growing bones, joints, and hearts. A healthy wild animal is a lean animal. If your pet needs to lose weight, reduce its food intake. If it needs to gain weight, increase its food. Keep in mind that growing youngsters will eat more per pound of body weight than adult animals.

Schultze, Kymythy (1999-10-01). Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats (p. 67). Hay House. Kindle Edition.

Note the information on probiotics and enzymes is directed toward breeders who feed and wean pups to raw. If your puppy has been weaned to kibble, you might want to add some kefir to his diet for a time.

7. See #6, but I will take a look at the three products you mentioned for future use. I am not trying to discourage the use of any supplementation, just use caution and be sure you’re feeding only what is essential and beneficial.

8. I’m assuming you’re referring to the products in question 6 and maybe 7, not 8. LOL! I couldn’t find a guaranteed analysis of the Urban Wolf Balancer so I would be very wary of adding it. They do provide a recipe that uses their products with an analysis and it looks good. If you feel a strong need to supplement… Questions regarding their recipe ingredients might include, where do they get their fish oil from; is it guaranteed not to contain any toxins; if you use “canned” fish, do the cans contain BPA; if natural ingredients are better, why so many dried/powdered ingredients in their mixes? This is the hard part for me – giving my money to companies that sell premixes and toppers when I can just hit the market for fresh ingredients.

9. When you’re deciding on recipes, remember that your eight week old puppy is capable of handling chunks of raw meats, organs and bones. Even if he’s been weaned onto kibble before you get him, there should be no need to transition him as he hasn’t developed an addiction to the sugars and starches yet. I’d been feeding my kitten a kibble diet for about five months when I decided to transition the cats. Since he’d been stealing raw food from the dog, I went straight to raw with him and he jumped all over it, including chicken necks and other appropriately sized bones. I feed grinds only when the weather’s so bad that I can’t even put Mystery on the screened deck, usually when it’s too cold. The cats get fed in the tiled bathroom since they don’t feel the need to drag food all over the place – yet!

Any time you freeze or cook food, you’re going to lose a bit of nutritional value. Most of us have large freezers because we buy in bulk so frozen it is. Be sure you thaw foods and try to bring them to room temp before feeding. As Alpha in my house, I pull food from the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter until I’ve finished my coffee – then they get to eat. I know some people feed frozen foods but I wouldn’t do that to a puppy. Ever get brain freeze from drinking a shake too fast? Imagine a puppy’s digestive system trying to warm up frozen meat. There may be other opinions out there on this, but I would definitely feed three times a day for the first six months and then move to twice a day until he’s at least a year old. You should be feeding him 10% of his current weight until that exceeds 2-3% of his target weight.

I love Mercola. There is a chart floating around that shows who is fighting GMO labeling and who is supporting it in WA. I use it when I go shopping and yes, some of the products I’ve purchased in the past come from companies fighting WA. Let me know if you can’t find it. I get that having to label a product 50 different ways could put a hardship on business so I would support a federal label that is nothing less than FULL disclosure. That said, I don’t trust the FDA or any other governmental agency to have my best interest at heart. I’m a big fan of personal responsibility. The government assumes I’m ignorant…, I believe it’s a choice. (Whoops, gone political.)

I’m glad you were able to find a farm so quickly to meet your raw needs. Don’t forget to pick up chicken feet, green tripe, testicles, heart, kidneys… Go for goat and rabbit as well as chicken, turkey and beef. Something that I would have gotten wrong is differentiating between what are considered organs and what is not.

Organs: Liver (5% of the diet), kidneys, spleen, brain, thymus gland, panaceas and testicles (the other 5%)

Not organs: Heart, Gizzard, Tongue, lung, trachea, green tripe (all considered as part of the 80%).

Another site for learning more about feeding raw is here: https://www.mypetcarnivore.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=78&Itemid=116. It’s a culling of articles from a variety of sources.

I better turn my attention to the vacuum and washer now or I’m going to be overrun by tumblefurs. I look forward to seeing you on Facebook soon.

[Naturella]

Patty, wow, yeah, I haven’t seen NutriSource elsewhere yet (besides at that Petland), and it’s too expensive, so I try to snatch a free sample when I can, lol.

Betsy, I was having a hard time to find the best by date on my Victor free samples too, so I hope I have better luck with the actual bags of food.

Melissaandcrew, yeah, I don’t know what’s wrong with me, lol. I am pretty stocked up with Earthborn and Holistic Health Extension for a while now, so I won’t need Victor till next year probably, but I did order me some samples and I CAN’T WAIT for the little black baggies! I hope Bruno likes it, I really really hope so! After he’s out of the Earthborns and HHEs, he will get him some Victor Ultra Pro-Victor Joint Healt-Back to Basics Open Range mix.

And THEN, some others that I have coupons for – Avoderm (interested in), Wellness (also obsessed over), Canidae Pure (somewhat excited about), Blue Buffalo Wilderness (had it before with great success), Solid Gold (hmm, we shall see how this goes. They have interesting names, lol), Nature’s Variety Instinct + Raw Boost (I know, recalls, but COUPON – I will just watch the pup and make sure he is feeling well on it), and Merrick (interested in). And THEN, I have a $5-off coupon for ANY bag of ANY food for Petco. So I will get another one of a brand he has liked/did well on. With those, plus the ones he currently has, Bruno will be set for most of 2015. But I will get the coupon foods toward the end of the year so they are hopefully fresher longer into 2015. I watch my best by dates closely. 😀

[theBCnut]

That really isn’t high for glucosamine and even if it were it would be fine. The only problem would be that later on if you need a joint supplement, glucosamine might not be as effective.

[InkedMarie]

I’m a little confused by your question, sorry if I’m missing something. I was under the impression that by the time dog food is cooked, whatever glucosamine was there is all but gone. Buy a joint supplement if you need it.

Why do you need a senior food?

[Jackie L]

I have a 7 year old Bernese Mountain dog (Jax) who has had to have his anal sac glands drained by his vet every 5-6 weeks for years now as the vet said they are not draining naturally. Since he was 3 his vet has had him on Royal Canine Joint and Bone formula as he has bad hips and knees.
Now it seems that the vet is having a difficult time draining his glands and she needs to use a special instrument (costing double the $$$$) in order to drain and has now recommended surgery to remove the glands. I am having a very hard time understanding why now would this be necessary after all these years ??? So I am researching the web and came across this great forum. Our vet never mentioned to us changing his diet to a grain-free high fiber diet nor has she mentioned trying green beans, pumpkin or sweet potato to help naturally harden his stools. He doesn’t scoot and he doesn’t smell – but seems they do not empty on their own and the vet says they will absess if not drained.
So before I see our vet tomorrow – I am wising up and looking into my own solutions for my Jax. Can anyone recommend a good grain-free high fiber dry dog food that I can start him on ?

[hamptonmeadow]

I would be more concerned with diabetes. Tke her to the vet and have her tested. It is controllable and you need some advice. Buy good but not high carb dog foods. Not science diet or any of those vet sold ones.

Joint supplements are being highly debated. I don’t know which ones work and many of them don’t. I think you may be seeing a change in food rasing her blood sugar. Good luck and let us know what it turns out to be.

[weezerweeks]

Fixing to order the bug off garlic for my yorkie, along with the joint chews. Shoul I order the chewables or the powder? I’m using mercola joint tablets now and they are working but I thought I’d try the springtime joints for a switch. What u think?

[Nyanko-sensei]

I have an 11 year old Terrier mix with arthritis in one of her front legs. She’s about 23 lbs. She’s been eating Earthborn Primitive Natural for about a month and a half and I ‘ve noticed she’s drinking loads of water since. She’ll drink water for a minute straight, several times a day. This is a dog who would barely touch her water before. I’m glad she’s drinking more, but I’m worried about her. She doesn’t have any kidney problems but will drinking so much overwork them and cause kidney problems later on?

I know it’s because the food is high-protein. It’s time to buy more, so I was wondering if I should switch to a lower protein food from the same company. I was thinking Meadow Feast or Coastal Catch from Earthborn.

How important is protein for a dog with arthritis? Should I stay with Primitive Natural or go with lower protein? She’s also taking Nupro as a joint supplement. I haven’t seen much improvement from the Nupro but it’s only been a few weeks.

[Lea J]

dchassett, appreciate your response. Did not put a whole lot of stock in allergy tests-and injections just seemed silly and did not help one bit. One vet had her on oral steroids- which helped but at what cost?! Needless to say, weaned her off. Currently, she is on Natural balance and home made “glop” (meat, veggies, fruits mixed in processor) I give her Benadryl when she seems uncomfortable by itching and/or drives me crazy with her itching. I am going to try the Springtime Joint Health as well. I am a bit reluctant to start the raw diet as I live in a small town in Alabama and resources for this sort of thing commercially are limited except via internet. We have been to five different vets over the years and each has a different expensive test to order! I am going to take your advice and try more homemade.

[Dori]

Hi Lea J. I feel like this is my mantra but I will say it again. I have a 4 1/2 year old Maltipoo, Katie, has had severe food allergies and intolerances as well as environmental allergies since we got her at 9 weeks of age. I’ve tried any and all suggestions out there. Went through a ton of food, most of which to no avail. What finally worked for her is commercial raw foods. I like Primal Pronto the best. I also rotate her foods with Darwins, and Answers raw. I’ve tried Stella and Chewy’s raw and Nature’s Variety Instinct Raw which I didn’t like at all. Anyway, I have three small dogs that I feed 1/4 cup twice a day. I do add and/or feed sardines (canned in water, not oil), coconut oil, probiodics, digestive enzymes, fresh fruits and veggies. Their treats consist of fresh fruits or veggies. I don’t use store bought treats. To many issues with Katies allergies. My 14 1/2 year old Maltese has arthritis in her right hip and also two degenerated discs mid spine. I rotate supplements as well as their foods. I haven’t found any particular joint supplement that has worked miracles. I have just ordered Sprintime’s Joint Health and Fresh Factor. Some people have been reporting that they are having good luck with these. Anyway, I think I’ve digressed here from my mantra which is: Grain, Soy, Poultry (in all forms), White Potato and Rice Free food as well as anything else you think your dog may be allergic or intolerant to. Your allergy list really doesn’t seem to be that bad though I wouldn’t doubt that she has more problems than just the ones you named. Full disclosure, I don’t believe that food allergy testing for dogs can be trusted. My dogs allergist/dermatologist as well as their traditional vets all would not do the testing. They said the tests are inaccurate, misleading and cost a lot of money. When vets tell you they won’t take your money, you know they are being accurate. To this date there are no known food allergy testing on animals that are accurate. As far as kibble goes, I can’t really recommend any because I’m not comfortable in my knowledge of their ingredients anymore. I figured out most of Katie’s food allergies by her reactions to the foods I was feeding and then comparing ingredients with other foods trying to figure out what was bothering her. She has many many issues. She just recently became allergic or intolerant to alfalfa. Allergic or intolerant to me is all the same. All I’m sure of is that either way, she can’t eat it so I don’t care whether some people say that it’s not really an allergy, it’s an intolerance. It’s all trial and error really and constantly researching ingredients. What works for my dogs may not work for others but eliminating the obvious typical allergens is a good place to start. It’s an incredibly long road in helping our allergy prone dogs but the work is well worth it for them. Exhausting on us. Oh, Spring is finally here in Atlanta where we live so for the last two days I’ve been giving her Benadryl twice a day. I hate having to do that but there is nothing I can personally do about environmental outdoor allergies. Trust me, if there was a way I would have found it by now. This is the first time I have ever had a dog with allergies and I’ll just say it keeps me on me on my toes with all things food related for her. Katie’s how I came across this site a couple of years ago and I, she and my other dogs have benefited immensely. Good Luck. If you need any clarification on anything I’ve said or any more questions please ask.

[Lea J]

Also new to this forum. Have a new/old problem. 5 year old Shihtzu mix with congenital hip dysplasia (was not told about this until recently-another story) who apparently is beginning to have problems with this as of yesterday. Any thoughts on joint supplements for this condition? Hindquarters are popping in and out-mostly out yesterday and today. Weight 15 pounds.

[Andrea P]

So, first off, I am new to the forum. I am going to start a 35 pound beagle (he’s big for his breed, not fat -_-), who is 9, on joint supplements. I want to dose everything like RescueDaneMom has. How do I figure out the dosages of glucosamine hcl, chondroitin, and msm for my dog?
He isnt severely arthritic, but his joints are starting to pop here and there.
Thanks!!

[InkedMarie]

Hey Sandy,
Gemma seems to be a bit stiffer the past few weeks. She takes Swanson joint mobility plus five days on/two off and Kan Essentials Benefits hips & knees (Chinese herbs). I believe you said on the previous page that you’re having luck with Springtimes Longevity and Fresh Factors (hope I have them right); I may try Gemma on them. If I do, should I discontinue the Swanson’s?