[Evan G]

Thank you so much for this post!
We are the proud parents of a 3mo old Weimaraner puppy. When we got him, he was being fed blue buffalo wilderness large breed. After talking with our vet, it seems he feels the same way that a lot do, too much protein. While reading this forum it seems that may not be completely accurate. His explanation was too much protein would make him grow faster than his joints and bones could keep up.

In an effort to help him with his growth we have gotten him into swimming, to be a low impact exercise on his joints.

Back to the food though, with our vets advice in mind, we started him on Horizon Pulsar which is salmon based, and much lower protein, (28%)

I really want to find another option that will be a better fit for him. I’m looking for some advice. I tried looking at the 5star options, but they all seem to be very high protein.

Any suggestion for some good quality food within our budget of about 100$ a bag would be greatly appreciated.

[Mary G]

Hello everyone!

My 11 year-old beagle was diagnosed with arthritis on both shoulder and hip joints. The vet suggested we feed him Royal Canin Mobility and give him a supplement for that as well. We started him on it and he hates it. He refused to eat today – we are feeding him Taste of the Wild and he was doing great but this is for his own good. Any suggestions? I mix it with a home-cooked ground turkey meat and veggies so it coats the kibble and he still refuses to eat it. I believe he hates the mussles taste. He is not on any digestive distress but he just refuses to eat it. Please help!

[Sandy c]

My vet recommended Natural Liquid Glucosamine, but I searched around a lot and researched before buying. Too early to tell, but the taste is a hit. The amount of glucosamine along with the condroitin and msm is why my vet said to get it. I like that it is natural and made in the USA, and approved by FDA and NASC which regulates all these dog supplements out here. Anyone try this and have feedback? https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Liquid-Glucosamine-Supplements-Chondroitin/dp/B06XRPF5H9/.

[Sandy c]

How’s you chihuahua doing so far?

I’d searched high and low for a joint supplement and came up with Natural Liquid Glucosamine. https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Liquid-Glucosamine-Supplements-Chondroitin/dp/B06XRPF5H9/ I’d researched after my vet recommended it. It is made in the USA (and the ingredients are sourced here too) which was really important to me because there’s no regulation in many pet supplements made outside of the US. Also I wanted something natural as we are health conscious in our household, eat organic, stay away from toxins as much as possible. This one seemed to fit the bill.

Just started yesterday, so too late to say if it’s helping, but my 10 yo Lab likes the taste, and that’s a good thing! 🙂

I was curious to see if others here tried this supplement and came across your post. I hope your pup’s doing better and good luck to all our pets!

[Susan]

Hi Jeri,
out of all the grain free formula’s you have tried what are the common ingredients in all these brands you have been feeding when he has had diarrhea?? is there always tapioca, chicken, peas, beet pulp, potato, chickpeas, fish?? do you feed teh same protein source? go thru all the brands & formula’s you have feed & write down the first 12 ingredients…. do you give any treats, is he eating anything else outside, are you using a flea product, did you change anything the times he’s had diarrhea??
Start keeping a diary & write down every single thing that goes in his mouth & on his skin if the flea meds are spot on’s, when he has diarrhea or starts doing sloppy poo’s…..I have a diary & it sits on loungeroom table & I write down what Patch ate, times, what his pos were like on walks, firm, soft, sloppy, yellow, condom over poo etc when he eats any treats, he’s eating the Hills Vet Diet treats at the moment & doing really well, so if he does get diarrhea I can look back thru his diary & see what has happened or it might be his IBD & he needs his Metronidazole tablets for 14-21 days again….

When you buy a new bag of kibble always read the “Use By Date” & I try & keep getting the same Use By Date Batches, this is what I do when Patch is doing really well, stick with the same Use By Date bags of kibble they always have 12-18 months on the bags of kibbles…..When the diarrhea has happened did you start a new bag of kibble?
also do you store kibble in a cool place, in air tight container?

My boy has IBD & this happens with Patch I’ve given him a food or started introducing him to a new kibble when he gets the rumbles (diarrhea sloppy poos) & I’ve just found out this year he can’t have barley tapioca & chickpeas, or he’s having an IBD flare too much bad bacteria….
Patch does the best on “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb grain free gluten free formula, it just has 1 meat protein Lamb meal, sweet potato, potato, peas, egg, blueberries, raspberries, Costco sells Kirkland Signature, Nature’s Domain, made by TOTW but cheaper….Kirkland Signature Salmon & Sweet Potato is the same as the TOTW Pacific Stream Smoked Salmon formula, or there’s the Turkey & Sweet Potatoes aswell, the Beef formula has garbanzo beans, you want a kibble with the least ingredients…
Have you tried “4Health” sold thru Tractor Supply, I’ve read alot of dogs with stomach sensitivities do really well on “4Health” grain free limited ingredient formula’s…look at “4Health, Duck & Potato”, it has the less ingredients, it has no beet pulp, no tapioca, no chicken, or there’s
4Health, Special care Sensitive Stomach or Special Care Sensitive Skin, sometimes in certain brands the Sensitive Skin is better then the Sensitive Stomach formula’s, read ingredient list to both formula’s, I think the 4health Sensitive skin is better it has Hydrolyzed Salmon, potato free (he might be sensitive to potato??) & it has less ingredients & it’s higher in Omega 3 what you want for his Skin, Joints, Stomach, Brain, Heart. you can always try both & see which one works best, rotate between the 2, they both might be good…Google “4Health” Tractor Supply also have the wet tin food $1.19c a 13 oz. can
When you rotate foods it helps with food sensitivites & strengthens their immune system..

If after trying either the Kirkland Signature, Natures Domain, Turkey or the Salmon + sweet potatoes formula’s or the 4Health Duck Meal & Potato or Sensitive Skin formula & the same thing happens you might have to ty a limited ingredient grain formula & see does it happen as well?? if it does happen then he might have small intestinal bowel overgrowth S.I.B.O, stop feeding kibbles with Beet Pulp, is poo yellow, is it just a one off diarrhea? or do you need Metronidazole (Flagyl) from the vet to stop the diarrhea & get rid of the bad bacteria in stomach & bowel ??
I had to use the Metronidazole (Antibiotic) maybe three times a year to fix Patches bacteria & kill the bad bacteria cause it takes over the stomach & small bowel when he was eating kibble with Beet Pulp… S.I.B.O…..
Pick a new kibble with different ingredients to what he’s eating at the moment..
Good Luck keep me posted..

[Tabitha F]

Hi there! I could really use some advice! My Lily is a 17 week old golden retriever puppy. She is having what we think are food allergy issues, so we were trying to eliminate chicken and grains. She is currently eating Victor Yukon River which is grain free and contains salmon and sweet potatoes. It is an all life stage good. Our dog trainer recommended it, as well as the owner of the. Atrial pet supply store locally. I was fine with it until I read that high protein and calcium can lead to joint issues for large breed dogs! I adore Lily, and I am so afraid I am going to make the wrong decision given that goldens are so prone to joint issues.

On the Victor website, the protein content is listed at 33.9% and the calcium at 1.78%. Do you guys have any suggestions? I hate to switch her food again, because we’ve already tried several, but I don’t want to damage her joints. Thank you SO much in advance!!

[Elise S]

I show, and breed English mastiffs. There are Hugh different opinions on what to feed!
This is a low energy, exstreamly fast growing, big boned breed.
We are talking about a puppy going from 1-2 lbs. at birth to 25-30 lbs. in 8 weeks, over 150 lbs. by 1 year. Adult average weight for a male is 210-250 lbs. I even have a 20 month old male that’s already 275lbs. He is exception to the rule. Correct exercise is very important even for these guys that grow so fast, low energy, and can get over heated fast.
For more that 8 yrs. I’ve driven myself nuts reading dog food labels. Most dog foods I find are for energetic dogs about 100lbs. Maybe up to 150lbs.
I’m not ready to go raw, it seems you can just as easy give them the wrong ratio of nutrients.
I have 8 mastiffs so cost is some what of an issue but I put there health first. Small pieces of kibble can be a problem with choking even for slow eaters.
I’ve heard there are some ingredients that are considered “hot” foods. “?”
You can have a 200lbs muscular football player or a 200lbs couch potato. Developing muscle without putting to much pressure on fast growing joints is a trick.
With all this in mind slow growth low protein is a must.
Low energy is easy to get over weight.

Dose anyone have any suggestions?

[Susan]

Hi Jude,
once a dog has had Pancreatitis then he’ll need to be feed a lower fat diet, so he doesn’t have another Pancreatitis flare, stay under 15%-fat for raw wet diet, have you tried raw kangaroo?? Cats & dogs love Kangaroo it has a strong beefy taste & it’s very lean in fat & very healthy, you can get this brand in America, its called “Gourmet Game, Marco Meats, Kangaroo mince, here’s the link, scroll down to the bottom & it’s in the middle, Gourmet Game Marco meats is the only company in Australia that makes the human grade kangaroo & export all over the world… http://gourmetgame.com.au/products/kangaroo/

You’re better off making his raw diet, instead of buying a pet food pre-made raw unless it’s a small business that makes human grade raw for dogs, but they normally add grounded bones, my dogs Naturopath said no to the grounded bone for Patch he has IBD & Pancreatitis & she also said NO to the Pre-made raw dog food she said you don’t know what your getting & the fat % is way too high for his health problems….. are you adding anything else to his beef? you can add 1 crushed egg shell a day for calcium, give him a Krill Oil capsule for his Omega 3 fatty acids & in a few weeks try adding some broccoli, carrot, celery & apple, peel & de-seed fruit & vegetables cut up then put thru a blender stop just before it’s a pulp, you add 1-2 spoons of the veggie/fruit mix to 1 cup of beef meat or I froze 1-2 spoons of the veggie mix separate in ice cube tray & cover with cling wrap & thawed when I needed the fruit/veggie mix, I also froze the meat in sections separate, this way you’ll see if he eats his beef with some added pulped veggies/fruit mix.. or just added the grounded egg shell & give 1 krill oil capsule 3 times a week & see how he goes, don’t start adding too much to his diet at once, if something causes diarrhea or vomiting you won’t know what caused what….

Join this face book group “Canine Pancreatitis Support Group” Lisa who runs the group feeds her Pancreatitis dog a raw balanced diet, she may be able to help you add certain foods to balance his diet a bit better, you can buy “Balance It” they have Nutritionist vet as well & free recipes for some health problems but if the dog has too many health problems it doesn’t give any free recipes you have to contact Balance It vet nutritionist. https://secure.balanceit.com/

Even if you buy the pre-made raw dog food it has too many different ingredients & your dog will smell all the different smells & probably wont eat the pre made raw food, I don’t like the smell it didn’t smell like real raw, my cat wouldn’t touch the pre-made raw, I bought the Rabbit first then took it back & tried the Kangaroo she still would not touch it, now I just buy her the Aldis cat fresh raw mince, it’s Kangaroo mince & chicken liver & she loves it & it smells like proper raw meat should smell, I do live Australia & by-product kangaroo is in a few of our cheaper brand pet foods & she also eats her air dried raw “Ziwi Peak” air dried raw & dry kibble + I give the Green Lipped Mussel treats, try the K-9 Natural Green Lipped Mussels, mussels have what he needs for his joints, eyes, brain, skin & coat, Green Lipped Mussel is lean in fat & give about 2 freeze dried mussels as a daily treat, this way he’s trying different foods as a treat..so its special when given as a treat.

[Jude N]

Hi all,

Thank you for the replies. As an update, we did take him into the vet. We brought x-rays from his original appointment; the vet didn’t think he needed new images, and was comfortable dx’ing him based on the originals. He said that the old back injury has likely become re-inflamed, and that there’s some thickening around his knee joint. We went home with a 7-day script of Vetprofen, and then a decent amount 1/4 tablets of a painkiller.

I bought a supplement from Chewy. Here are the ingredients:

Active Ingredients Per Chewable Tablet: Glucosamine HCl (Shrimp and Crab) 750 mg Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) 400 mg Chondroitin Sulfate (Porcine) 400 mg Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) 100 mg Manganese (Mn Proteinate) 5 mg

Inactive Ingredients: allspice, brewers yeast, chicken liver flavor, nutmeg, silicon dioxide, stearic acid.

He eats 1/2 a tab at a time. I smash it into a powder and mix it into his breakfast, which is usually just raw tripe.

He seems to be doing a little better. He’s definitely stiff in the mornings.

We’ve had some back and forth with him not seeming very hungry, which is very unlike him, but I’m curious if it’s just because I switched from beef to pork…and he prefers beef above everything else.

I’m going to make another thread in one of the health boards with a couple of additional q’s…not sure how stringent you guys are here about keeping topics in the correct board.

I’m definitely going to look into the green-lipped mussels!!

[a c]

What’s difference between Dasuquin w MSM and Dasuquin? I am looking for joint health supplement. She doesn’t have arthritis. Thanks!

[zcRiley]

Your Milk Bones Wellness treats have flour and fat fillers plus salt and coloring. Causing more harm than good. Very crude ingredients that reflect its low price point):

Chicken, Wheat Flour, Soybean Flour, Glycerin, Tapioca Flour, Animal Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Water, Salt, Citric Acid (Used as a Preservative), Inulin, Fat Product (Source of Docosahexaenoic Acid), Caramel Color, Calcium Propionate, Beta-Carotene, Zinc Proteinate, Betaine, Zinc Propionate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Vitamin E Supplement, Natural Mixed Tocopherols (Used as a Preservative), Taurine, Sodium Copper Chlorophyllin, Kale Powder, Rosemary Extract.

However, you’re on the right track to helping your pups’ joint health! I do so with my boys who have bad knees, they fly around like Superman. May I highly recommend for you to get the best…

Dasuquin with MSM for small dogs. Worth every penny. 😊

[InkedMarie]

I’m not familiar with them but I choose high quality food and treats for my dogs. Anything by Milk Bone doesnt enter my house. Unless what you’re feeding is inferior, dogs dont need vitamins. If they have joint issues, there are many high quality joint supplements to choose from.

[joanne m]

Both of these are Daily Vitamin Treats – do they do what they say and are they good for my dogs? My 2 dogs weigh about 10 lbs each and I give them 1/2 of each daily.

[crazy4cats]

My vet just recommended that we start giving our large dogs a joint supplement as well. They are turning six yrs old next week. She suggested glucosamine/chondroitin along with fish oil.
I just ordered a product from Chewy called Grizzly Joint Aid liquid that contains all of the above. I’m going to give it a shot. Has anyone else tried it?

https://www.chewy.com/grizzly-joint-aid-hip-joint-support/dp/116638

[Susan]

Hi Jude,
You may need to see vet & get an X Ray, so the vet can see what’s happening, there’s an monthly injection the vet can give to bring relief….I don’t know the name..
Also apply a heat pack for 20mins, this will bring relief to your dog….

Why don’t you buy the human grade Glucosamine & Chondroitin capsules? they are cheaper & work the best for joint inflammation, anything sold as a dog supplement like Sasha Blend etc the price is doubled……

Just be careful when giving any of these joint supplements as they can cause Acid Reflux & upset the stomach….they MUST be taken with a meal…Krill Oil capsules are the best for people & animals that suffer from stomach problems…

Have a look at “Canidae” Pure Meadow Senior dry, it’s excellent for aging dogs, my neighbours dog eats the Canidae Pure Meadow Senior dry Kibble & acts like he’s a young dog again, his owner also feeds tin Sardines in Spring water, he gives him a few sardines as treat daily…. https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products
I give the freeze dried Green Lipped Mussels daily, he gets about 2-3 mussels a day…

[pitlove]

Hi Jude-

There are a few good hip&joint supplements out there. Dasuquin, Cosuquin, and Glycoflex are some of the top ones. You can also supplement with a wild caught salmon or pollock oil as well.

Also what was the vet’s feeling about the inflammation? I’m surprised he did not suggest an anti inflammatory temporarily to reduce the swelling. Prescription drugs of course can have side effects, but they are often needed in the short term.

[Jude N]

I’ve read through quite a few older topics on here from ~2013, and it seems like several of the recommended Wysong products are no longer in production…so I was going to ask for more help.

I have a roughly 11 year old rescue dog, probably a chi/JRT mix, who has recently begun showing his age. He’s had inflammation in his back before, and over the weekend he’s been crying when we’ve moved him. Otherwise, he acts perfectly normal.

I’m looking at a Mercola pet joint supplement, but it lacks the ingredients I’m used to seeing with hip & joint support: chondroitin & glucosamine.

I’ve looked into a hip & joint supplement by The Missing Link.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a small dog?

Thank you!

[Tammy J]

Hi All,
I think this is a great forum. I’m hoping some folks can help me find the best food for my Sweetie. She is turning 9 in September. She is a shorkie (shih tzu/yorkie) She weighs about 15 pounds. She developed bladder stones about a year ago. The vet treated her with medicine and switched her food to urinary SO. The stones actually dissolved, no surgery needed. However, I was told she would need prescription food for the rest of her life. I was previously feeding her primal freeze dried nuggets. They said raw diets are the worst choice. Sweetie has always had allergies, and she did great on raw. She’s been super itchy and eating her feet since changing food. She’s developed a bladder infection and we are now on Hills urinary c/d. She’s licked her paws raw and developed a yeast infection (didn’t know that was possible on a paw) and is on medication for that. I understand that the prescription food has a reduced amount of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. I’ve read some not great things about Hills food. Sweetie has never been a big drinker, the other thing to prevent the crystals from coming back. She also benefits from glucosamine for her stiff joints. While researching senior foods, they seem so high in the minerals. Any ideas on the best food for keeping Sweetie healthy and happy? I wouldn’t mind making homemade, since we only have one dog. Thanks for your help!

[HoundMusic]

All life stage foods are better, IMHO, than puppy foods for certain breeds. I’ve grown pups on 21% protein feeds from around 4 months old, and those are always the ones who grew without a single problem. When I experimented with very nutrient dense puppy feeds years ago, I saw hitching, uneven growth and joint conditions in later years. Puppy foods, in my experience, can exasperate or cause problems in susceptible dogs, so I personally prefer to use an adult food with more moderate protein and mineral levels.

[Susan]

Hi mydogisme,
yes I’m the same with vet diets but over the last 2 years Hills have been improving most of their vet diets & making chicken free wet & dry formula’s….I looked at the Hills vet diet Metabolic + Mobility Tuna Stew a few months ago when we wanted to try a wet diet for Patches IBD, his joints are pretty good for a 8 & 1/2 year old dog, the high Omega 3 in the Metabolic + Mobility diets help heal the Intestinal tract as well they’re also higher in fiber….
Have you looked at the Hills Metabolic Vegetable & Beef Stew it’s chicken free & the fat is a bit lower at 12.5% then the Vegetable & Tuna stew….another good brand is “Taste Of The Wild” Pacific Stream Smoked Salmon & TOTW Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb wet tin & the dry kibble both formulas have limited ingredients & have no chicken & are low in calories the weight drops off Patch when he’s eating the TOTW Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb Dry Kibble, I have to increase the amount I’m feeding, he starts to look too thin, vet said he looks great & it’s better being on the thinner side….. Once you start walking twice a day same time & more active the weight will start to drop off…. http://www.tasteofthewild.com.au/portfolio-view/pacific-stream-canine-formula-with-salmon-in-gravy/

[mydogisme]

Hi everyone, I have had a ‘new ‘ little one for the past 4 years since my 10-year-old terrier, Dixie died and nearly broke my heart. This one is a rescue and a pom. She has had 4 surgeries in 4 years due to the abuse she suffered the 1 st year of her life. Super great Vet! She is doing extremely well, she is my baby after all 🙂 Anyway, I had her on LID Natural Balance can, she gained some weight because of surgeries, so her Dr. suggested the S.D. prescription metabolic and joint. She loves it but I feed her the Fish stew, I just can’t do any type of chicken in anything, as she was on Duck and Lamb in the Natural Balance. She weighs 19.4 and needs to be between 15-17, She is the large breed pom not the tiny breed, black and white called Parti. I am hoping to have more activity this summer and she ‘loves’ the water. I have concerns about Science Diet. Any others feel that way too? Hi Hound dog mom! and Inkmarie!

[Susan]

Hi C f
Did you know Glucosamine was first researched & tested, on Race Horses & worked a treat so they started to give dogs with joint problems Glucosamine & Chondroitin, how do you think they test most of our medications?? they test on poor animals..
also human grade medications & supplements are of better quality then the dog & cats medications….Just read the ingredient list on any dog Joint supplements & you’ll find they have the same ingredients as the human joint supplements except dog medications & supplements will be double the price..

[Zabryna M]

I got a rescue a few days ago and I’m very concerned for her. She is drinking well but she doesn’t want to eat. She is far to skinny unfortunately I do not know her breed. She has issues with her back leg and has a little trouble walking but I can see her ribs she is so skinny. I’m very worried about her its clear the previous owners did not care for her properly! What dog food should I get her to help her gain weight?! Also to help her joints. I’m still pretty young and haven’t had a dog in years and am very unsure. Please help me get this gorgeous girl healthy again.

[Cathy B]

Thanks anon! Yep, that’s the joint supplement I just started. LOL. I know you don’t like a lot of supplements, but I read up on it..and just wanting to help my sweet lil man.
He’s been on Cosequin for a long while, and it seemed to stop helping so I wanted to switch over to something new.

He’s also been on pain meds for years ( he’s my problem child.) He’s had back pain and 2 surgeries and vet said to always have pain meds on hand for him.

He’s never had a problem with them and I never give except once in a long while.
I did notice the one time I gave the Tramadol he was able to rest and get some slee

You and a few others are a blessing on here :0)

[Cathy B]

Hi anon, my vet gave me Tramadol pills a few months ago for my 14 y/o tiny Chi after he had another hernina surgery. I did give him one a few nights ago as I could see he was hurting from Arthritis.
I also have Carprofen. Which should I use for pain?

Just started Springtime joint supplements hoping they do him some good.

[John I]

My totally anecdotal experience.
For, 3 Bouviers des Flandres(2 male, 1 female).
Catelyn(70lb), she’ll be 3 this November.
Butkus(130lb..high weight, 100lb current weight), he’s 13 and will be 14 next March 2018.
Harley(90lb), lived to be 11years, had bone/joint birth defects. His back went out and he couldn’t stand or control his bowels @ the end.

I fed Harley and Butkus Blue Buffalo for 11 years. I had no health concerns and no soft stools. Catie has had soft stools as long as I’ve had her. I’ve had her checked by the vet several times, nothing has been diagnosed.
VET Recommended: 1TBsp Metamucil plain, this worked a little.

FOODS I’VE FED:
ToTW High Plains puppy: I fed this as recommended by the breeder.
BB Salmon/Sweet potato: Switched to this to match Harley and Butkus lifetime meals.
Victor Hero: Switched after some BB recalls. I was looking for U.S. made, reliable company. Butkus had no issues, and the food has glucosamine. Catie still had soft stools.

LOCAL Recommendations: From locally owned Pet food dealers were Probiotics, using goat milk or green tripe.

CURRENT DIET:
Tripett Beef: pure green tripe a very stinky suplement. I feed once every 2-3 weeks(Catey only).
Orijen Regional Red(US): Very high ratings, controlled ingredient sources, U.S. made in KY. Pricey @ $95/25lb bag. Butkus 1.5 cups morning and night, Catie 2.25cups morning 1.5cups night.

Both dogs have firm stools.

[Susan]

Hi why you need to feed more cups of kibble with certain brands of kibble & some kibbles you need to feed less cups is the Kcals per cup amount, the higher the Kcals per cup, you will need to feed less kibble….
You may find kibbles that are higher in Kcals per cup may cause more Intestinal Stress cause the kibble is more dense…..
A Kibble should be around 360 Kcals per cup & under when a dog has Intestinal Stress any higher then they may start to have digestive problems….. I hope this isn’t the case with Molly… Vet diets for Intestinal problems are around 360 Kcals per cup….. if you have any problems with a high Kcal per cup kibble then start feeding a kibble that isn’t as dense & are under 370Kcals per cup & feed a kibble that has 1 protein with limited ingredients….

If your dog continues to do sloppy poo’s or has diarrhea daily she’ll end up with thickening of the bowel & you’ll end up with a dog with IBD when she’s older….. I’d start her on a Probiotic like Purina Forti Floria to make her gut healthy & strengthen her immune system & start adding healthy foods high in Omega 3 to her diet… I would also stop giving her the Glucosamine supplement until her poos are firm, did your vet say to give the extra Glucosamine to an 18 month old dog that has no joint problems & has diarrhea ?

[Susan]

Hi Kathy, have you seen a vet that specializes in IBD?? what works for one dog doesn’t always work for another dog, if you go onto the “Review” section “Natural Balance” there’s a few dogs that are doing well on Natural Balance…
Sometimes a dog needs a lower fiber diet when they have bowel problems, I cant see the Glucosamine firming up her poo’s, it’s best to give the Glucosamine & Chondroitin tablets your self & add to her diet, add tablet with one of her meals, this way she gets the proper amount she needs, the amount of Glucosamine in a kibble isn’t enough for her bones & joints…..
What colour is her poo’s ?? When it’s the small bowel with problem, poos will be real yellow & sloppy, (S.I.B.O) when it’s the large bowel poos are darker & look like cow patties, your vet needs to do tests & work out is it food intolerances is she reacting to a certain ingredients??? does she need a vet diet with more In-Soluble fiber or more Soluble fiber?? Royal Canine Vet diets have a few vet diets low & high in fiber, then you’ll start to get a better idea what the problem is??
My boy didn’t do well on the Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Digestion, read the ingredient list it’s not good, it doesn’t digest easy, so don’t always believe what they right on the kibble bags..
Two really good kibbles that have worked for Patches IBD are “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb, a grain free, single protein, (no other proteins just Lamb meal) limited ingredient kibble…
“Canidae” all life stages, Large Breed, Turkey Meal & Brown rice, Adult, Puppy & Senior formula’s it’s new in Blue packet on page 4.. it has 750mg/Kg Glucosamine, but your still better off adding your own Glucosamine to your dogs diet.
http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products
I would be trying the TOTW Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb & see a vet to put her on a course of Metronidazole tablets for 21-28 days to kill any bad bacteria she may have in her stomach & small bowel & just feed the limited ingredient TOTW kibble or their Pacific Stream Smoked Salmon has less fiber at 3% a lot of dogs with EPI & IBD & IBS do really well on the TOTW Pacific Stream & Sierra Mountain, I don’t know why?? maybe cause the water TOTW use is Purified or the probiotics they use are the right ones for dogs with Intestinal Stress I don’t know but TOTW was the only kibble that helped him do firm poos where the vet diets made him itch & smell cause he has food intolerances to most of the ingredients in vet diets. TOTW & Canidae are both money back guaranteed kibbles & wet tin food..

[Adele M]

“I am absolutely abhorred by Nuvet. For one I am so figusted by their lack of ethics. Would you look at all these paid/ employee / repeated reviews. Their blog reputation is a sham.”

Really? Well, I’m here to tell you that the testamonials are NOT “paid/employee/repeated”. I’ve written two myself. If you want to read one, you can go here: https://www.nuvet.com/testimonials.html and the subject is “See the difference?”

The day I was adopted I wasn’t a NuVet dog, but I am now! See the difference?

I still take a NuVet Plus and NuJoint tab EVERY DAY so I can look AND feel great!

~ Moose, A NuVet Dog since April 2011

[Susan]

Hi another thing I’d add to your dogs diet buy tin sardines in spring water or olive oil & add about 1-3 small sardines {I don’t know how big your dog is}?? add to one of the meals a day, Sardines are excellent source of Omega 3 fatty acids for the dogs skin, coat, joints, bones, eyes, brain & heart…

[Susan]

Hi another thing I forgot to mention it’s not just a dogs diet that matters also Flea products stay away from all the new flea chews & tablets like Bravecto, Nexgard & Comfortis any flea products that need to be taken orally… cause you have senior dogs your dogs may have under lying health problems giving any of these new oral flea products can lead to major health problems that can’t be reverse, some of these flea products stays in the dogs system for over 4 months…. best not to give any chemicals…
Two years ago Patch made a new friend at the park, she was a 12yr old Border Collie, always at the park every morning 7-730am chasing & rounding up her ball & bringing her ball back to her owner, then one day I saw her owner walking all by himself looking so lost & sad, I said where’s your girl, she not playing ball this morning, he said she passed away, I asked what happened she looked great the other morning, he said, I took her to the new vets on the corner, cause she was real itchy & kept scratching around her lower back & tail, the vet gave her a steroid injection & Comfortis tablet, then that night she wouldn’t eat, she went down hill, he took her back to the vet & she had Liver failure…..this poor dog was so healthy, she was never sick a day in her life…..
also make sure they’re getting daily exercise…. add foods that are high in omega 3 fatty acids like tin sardines in spring water, tin salmon, almonds a dog can have 3 almonds a day, berries are great, green lipped mussels, I buy the K-9 Natural green lipped Mussels freeze dried & the Ziwi Peak air dried formulas are great….
google foods high in omega 3 fatty acids, sardines are excellent for their joint’s, bones, brain, heart & eyes…

[Susan]

Hi T E,
if you want to start feeding a healthy diet then start adding some fresh raw foods or fresh cooked foods to his diet, chicken frames, turkey legs, chicken is the softest bone, stay away from chicken necks, the chicken necks just have fat & bone no meat, not that great, also rotate between a few different brands of kibbles with different proteins, so he’s not eating the same brand & protein 24/7…..
Follow “Rodney Habib” on his face book page he’s into feeding a healthy raw diet & feeding healthy whole foods to prevent cancer… they did a study for all the kibble feeders & they found by adding 1-2 tablespoons of fresh whole foods to the dogs bowl of kibble reduces their chances of your dog getting cancer by 90%, Rodney talks about it in the video, he also has heap of other videos, go to “Planet Paws” a lot of his video’s will be found there….

Omega 3 is a anti inflammatory & it reduces chances of getting cancer, start adding foods high in omega 3 fatty acids, like tin sardines in spring water or olive oil add a few sardines to your dogs kibble, coconut oil, almonds are high in omega 3 fatty acids, I give Patch 1/2 of an almond & I eat the other 1/2 this way he chews the almond properly its the size of a kibble give about 3-4 almonds a day….
https://www.facebook.com/rodneyhabib
Once your on Rodney’s page scroll down a bit & watch the video where Rodney’s holding up a sign that say Cannabil Oil the video has really good info…..

Take baby steps, don’t feed all these foods all at once to your dog, he will probably get diarrhea work out which ones are the best for him & you, adding a few sardines to his kibble would be a good start, Aldis sell cheap tin sardines in spring water, also add some tin pink Salmon, the bones are OK to feed, just crush them they break really easy…..
In the video Rodney also talks about when you open up a bag of kibble, as soon as it’s opened the air/oxygen gets to all the oils in the kibbles & they start to go rancid & oxides, so your dog isn’t getting the right amount of omega 3 fatty acid that he should be getting in his diet, same as glucosamine, when dogs get older people think they need to start feeding a senior food, that has Glucosamine, but you’d need to feed a heap of Senior kibble to get the right amount of Glucosamine needed for their joints, so your better off adding Glucosamine tablet supplement to your dogs diet also I forgot Green Lipped Mussels are great to add to diet, in one video Rodney asked Steve Brown if you could only pick 1 food to add to your dogs diet what would it be? Steve Brown said “Green Lipped Mussels, 1 tablespoon of Salmon & a pinch of kelp…

[LovelyBear]

My 8 yr young 104 lb rottweiler has been raw for the past day and a half. She has been given 2 chicken quarters a day (1 twice a day), pumpkin puree, coconut oil (she loves it), and some chicken gizzards. All night she never woke me or acted like she would have “cannon butt”. This morning I watched her poo and it was solid and about 4 inches. I couldn’t find in the yard, but ill keep a better eye out them to make sure everything is digested. She is having stinky gas.

For her first meal the texture freaked her out and she got insecure, because she didn’t know what to do. I waited 15 minutes and tried encouraging her. I had to put the food up and try again for dinner. Dinner was the same, but I kept trying. I got meat scissors and cut about 90% of the meat off the quarter and hand fed her small pieces. At first she spit it out and then she realized it is edible. Then I popped out all of the joints in the quarters and hand fed her the bone part. The next day I did the same and she eagerly ate all the chicken pieces. She even chewed apart pieces she thought where to big. Plus she chewed all of the bones slowly and very gentle. I’m glad she isn’t a gulper!

There is something I am stuck on:

Where do you feed your pup? Or what do you feed them on?

The past meals I have been having her eat on a towel, but it gets tedious to wash a bunch of towels. One meal I fed on a trash bag and that seems wasteful to me and she was a little scared of it. I cleaned out her crate to possible feed her in that and since it has been 3 years since she has even seen the thing it terrified her and she wont get in it. Also I’d love to feed her outside in the grass, but my dad uses fertilizer, weed killer, and bug killers……. I do have a lanai though with a concrete floor. If I fed her in there how can I keep the floor sanitary? Although I have a crazy neighbor who spies on my family, so they will probably think crazy things if they see me feeding her raw body parts lol.

My parents are slightly grossed out and apprehensive about raw. I thought that I’d be the germophob, since I eat a plant-based diet lol! They haven’t researched it like I have and I never want to feed my pup kibble again.

Have a great day!

[HoundMusic]

“She’s concerned his little bit of extra weight may be causing an issue we are seeing with one of his front legs where he limps on it. We think (since she’s done x-rays, etc) that it may be joint related ie: arthritis. And the extra weight isn’t helping matters.

Here he is. You can see his tiny, knobby front legs in this one”

Look’s like he’s got some Beagle mixed in there, and if that’s the case, I’m going to say he appears to be only slightly overweight – that overly long back, over-stuffed sausage shape and “bench” legs (meaning legs that bow outwards) are just a sign of a common condition in Beagles called chrondrodystrophy. Not that he isn’t a bit fluffy, but in consideration of that body type, he’s not really overweight at all, or else doesn’t seem to be in that pic.

On that note, the limping you are seeing, despite it being in the leg, may actually be a symptom of intervertebral disc disease, which is almost inevitable in bench-legged Beagles. The first indication of IVDD coming to the surface is limping on one or more legs, so you might want to get that checked (it is diagnosed with a spinal x-ray), because it can be a life threatening condition if left untreated.

I’m generally trying to get weight on my hounds, but I find home-cooking keeps them thin, and barring that, any commercial kibble that is 300 kcals per cup or under should do the trick nicely. Also, watch the calcium:phosphorous content, meaning, no grain free, ultra high protein foods. Careful with exercise too, because if there is an underlying condition there causing the limping, too much can very easily aggravate it.

ETA: I very stupidly forgot to mention that my older bitch with IVDD does very well on and stays extremely slim begin supplemented with Iams Premium Protection Mature Adult. It’s not the regular Iams – this is in a white bag – and it’s difficult to find, so we don’t feed it consistently, but thought I’d just throw that suggestion out there 🙂

• This reply was modified 8 years, 7 months ago by HoundMusic.

[Robin M]

He doesn’t really. He’s built low to the ground (heh) He’s a mix breed of shepherd and some smaller breed that has the small knobby front legs? We haven’t been able to fit him into the second category yet. She’s concerned his little bit of extra weight may be causing an issue we are seeing with one of his front legs where he limps on it. We think (since she’s done x-rays, etc) that it may be joint related ie: arthritis. And the extra weight isn’t helping matters.

Here he is. You can see his tiny, knobby front legs in this one 🙂 BTW..my son named him Cheeto…because he said “he’s shaped like a big Cheese Puff” LOL

Thanks

• This reply was modified 8 years, 7 months ago by Robin M.

[anonymous]

Natural Balance for Fat Dogs, check it out, only 250 calories a cup and the ingredients don’t look bad at all. I give a 1/2 raw carrot as a treat (not baby carrots/choking hazard)
https://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/dog-formulas/dry/fat-dogs/original

I would feed this to a senior. I might add a little lean ground cooked turkey or a bite of scrambled with water egg to it. Plus a splash of water to the kibble (a lot of dogs don’t drink enough water)
I never give yogurt or any dairy products to dogs. The only supplement I add is one fish oil capsule a day.

Increase walks, activity. Any way you can take him swimming? One minute of swimming is equal to 4 minutes of running! And easy on the joints.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 8 months ago by anonymous.

[Susan]

Hi,
I buy human 5 star grounded Beef mince & the 5 star grounded Pork mince, it says fat is 5% that’s all the fats together, the pork is a bit lower in fat-4.8%, I buy 1kg, (2lbs) I whisk 1 egg, chop up a few small broccoli heads, some chopped parsley about 1 heap teaspoon, I chopped up 1-2 kale leaves or spinach leaves, what ever is growing in the veggie patch, I stick with green veggies, I was grating 1 peeled carrot as well but Patch got itchy ears & starts scratching his ears/head when he eats carrots, I also add 1 teaspoon of Flax Almond Baking Meal, Flax meal is high in protein & Omega 3 ALA, Almond meal is another good source of protein, I mix everything together & make 1 cup size rissoles & make them long instead of a round rissole, I put the rissoles on a baking tray that’s lined with al-foil & bake in the oven after they have been cooking for 15mins I take them out of oven & drain any water, fat that comes off the rissoles, then I turn the rissoles over, I only get about 8-9 rissoles from 1kg, 2lbs of mince, it depends on what I’ve added to the mince meat, they only take about 25-30mins & they are cooked, I cool & wrap indavidally in cling wrap & put in a clip lock plastic bags & freeze, I also peel, cut & boil a few sweet potatoes, they also freeze really good, I feed 1 cut up rissole with about 1/3 a cup sweet potato mashed thru the cut up rissole….
My vet recommended I buy the meat whole & not buy grounded minces, she cuts off the fat around the meat then grinds up the lean pieces of meat, this way you know no fat is added, in the Pup Loaf video, the cook grinds the pork steak up cause they couldn’t find any lean, grass feed, organic pork mince..

Acroyali gave good advise using a crockpot if you google “Dr Judy Morgan” has some really good recipes on U-Tube, I think she has about 8-9 dogs, all have different health problems…Bone broth is excellent for their bones, joints, brain & soothes the stomach/bowel…
Here’s Judy Morgan’s Bone Broth recipe & Golden Paste recipe for Arthritis & other health problems- http://www.drjudymorgan.com/category/recipes/
Judy’s “Pup Loaf” recipe for her sick dog- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0tBgV7xU8k

[Susan]

Hi Jasmine, how’s your boy doing are his poo’s firming up?
I buy human 5 star grounded Beef mince & the 5 star grounded Pork mince, it says fat is 5% that’s all the fats together, the pork is a bit lower in fat-4.8%, I buy 1kg, (2lbs) I whisk 1 egg, chop up a few small broccoli heads, some chopped parsley about 1 heap teaspoon, I chopped up 1-2 kale leaves or spinach leaves, what ever is growing in the veggie patch, I stick with green veggies, I was grating 1 peeled carrot as well but Patch got itchy ears & starts scratching his ears/head when he eats carrots, I also add 1 teaspoon of Flax Almond Baking Meal, Flax meal is high in protein & Omega 3 ALA, Almond meal is another good source of protein, I mix everything together & make 1 cup size rissoles & make them long instead of a round rissole, I put the rissoles on a baking tray that’s lined with al-foil & bake in the oven after they have been cooking for 15mins I take them out of oven & drain any water, fat that comes off the rissoles, then I turn the rissoles over, I only get about 8-9 rissoles from 1kg, 2lbs of mince, it depends on what I’ve added to the mince meat, they only take about 25-30mins & they are cooked, I cool & wrap indavidally in cling wrap & put in a clip lock plastic bags & freeze, I also peel, cut & boil a few sweet potatoes, they also freeze really good, I feed 1 cut up rissole with about 1/3 a cup sweet potato mashed thru the cut up rissole….
My vet recommended I buy the meat whole & not buy grounded minces, she cuts off the fat around the meat then grinds up the lean pieces of meat, this way you know no fat is added, in the Pup Loaf video, the cook grinds the pork steak up cause they couldn’t find any lean, grass feed, organic pork mince..

Acroyali gave good advise using a crockpot if you google “Dr Judy Morgan” has some really good recipes on U-Tube, I think she has about 8-9 dogs, all have different health problems…Bone broth is excellent for their bones, joints, brain & soothes the stomach/bowel…
Here’s Judy Morgan’s Bone Broth recipe & Golden Paste recipe for Arthritis & other health problems- http://www.drjudymorgan.com/category/recipes/
Judy’s “Pup Loaf” recipe for her sick dog- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0tBgV7xU8k

[Acroyali]

Even dogs without pancreatitis sometimes don’t tolerate a high fat diet. I have one who does not, and he does just fine on raw provided I stick to low fat options for him. My IBD’er is doing great on cooked; I cook the meat in the crockpot until it falls off the bone and add some broth back in; I then re-add the bones to water and make bone broth for everyone.
Like you I prefer to feed my family (which includes the animals) real food. When I was feeding an elderly pet with organ problems and joint problems, fresh food made all the difference.

[anonymous]

I imagine it is similar to Rimadyl a very effective NSAID. Some dogs do very well on NSAIDs for pain management and as an anti-inflammatory.
However some dogs (not all) experience gastrointestinal side effects, not always right away.
I had a senior small breed that did very well on it for several months and then developed diarrhea, so he could no longer tolerate it.
So, I would say keep an eye on him and if he develops GI symptoms, don’t assume it’s GI related, I would hold the med and head right back to the vet.

https://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm491552.htm
March 21, 2016
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced the approval of Galliprant (grapiprant tablets), a new animal drug intended to control pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis in dogs.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a condition where cartilage – the protective material that cushions a joint – breaks down over time, causing the bones to rub against each other. This rubbing can permanently damage the joint and cause pain, inflammation, and lameness. Older and overweight dogs are at a higher risk of developing OA.
A new treatment option for dogs with OA, Galliprant is a prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) EP4 receptor antagonist; a non-cyclooxygenase inhibiting, non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). All NSAIDs carry certain risks, including vomiting, diarrhea, not eating/eating less, and lethargy. These drugs must be prescribed by a licensed veterinarian, because professional expertise is needed to diagnose and provide guidance in the control of OA pain.
Other NSAIDs that are FDA-approved for use in dogs include deracoxib (Deramaxx), carprofen (Rimadyl, Novocox, Carprieve, Quellin, Carprofen), meloxicam (Metacam, Loxicom, Orocam, Meloxidyl, Meloxicam), and firocoxib (Previcox).
The application for Galliprant is sponsored by Aratana Therapeutics

[Susan]

Hi Barbara, stick with the homemade raw diet, change from the carrots to frozen beans you get in supermarket they will thaw, also one day or 2 days a week feed 1 raw meaty bone for breakfast instead of the 1/4 of a cup meal, it can be a chicken leg NO skin, chicken wing, NO skin, chicken bones are soft easy to digest & will clean his teeth & he’s getting a different protein in his diet, also start adding tin sardines in spring water to his diet add about 2 small sardines to 1 of the meals so he’s getting his omega 3 fatty acids, vitamins & minerals for his skin, joints, brain & heart, sardines are very healthy…. watch his coat start to shine after eating sardines or feed tin pink salmon or tuna in spring water drain the water…Replace 3 or all of his breakfasts with the tin salmon instead of the grinded meat, the weight will start to fall off with fish, is his grinded meat very lean, not much fat?? Tuna or Salmon would be more leaner & higher in protein, change the proteins in his diet around a bit, in 1 week he should get at least 3 different proteins in his diet, the bones in the tin salmon are good leave them, just crush them with a spoon if your worried..
It takes time to lose weight, it’s quicker to gain weight but losing weight is hard, do not go back to a kibble, kibbles are very high in carbs unless you see vet & feed the Hills Metabolic + Mobility vegetable tuna stew wet tin food, this vet diet is suppose to be very good & dogs do lose weight..
With his 2 walks a day start walking him at a faster pace, get his heart pumping, at first you start off slow then each week you increase the walk & speed also throw a ball out in the yard or up & down the hallway & have play time once a day, you will get there… if after changing to the tuna sardines & salmon for breakfast instead of the meat & if in 2 months he hasn’t lost any weight see a vet & try the Hills Metabolic + Mobility wet tin food, Hills guarantee your dog will lose weight within 21days from 13% to 60% weight loss… Good Luck oh for a treat or snack, give a few small peeled apple pieces, size of a kibble, you can even add grated apple no seeds or peel in his meals.

[Susan]

Hi can you buy each dog their “own” bowls, all different colours, make them all sit, call each ones name & give him/her their dinner in “their” bowl, the way your feeding them at the moment you don’t know if one dog is eating more then another dog, if one dog isn’t eating much one day & is feeling off…..I have a kitten 11months old & dog the kitten is very impatient when her food is being put into her bowl, so she is feed first up on her scratching post thing, Patch is feed in the lounge room so I can sit down on lounge & put a few kibbles in his bowl at a time, other wise he gulps all food under 1 min, he has IBD mainly stomach…..

For your old boy have a look at “Canidae” Pure Meadow Senior kibble, it’s easy to digest & has only 7 ingredients, excellent for dogs with sensitive stomachs, I would send Canidae a email asking what is their lowest Phosphorus kibble, normally large breed puppy formulas are lower in Phosphorous & ask can is their large breed puppy formula Duck Meal Brown Rice & Lentils formula wet & dry be feed to your girl with Kidney problems, its 0.80% Phosphorous & kibble size is nice & small, all Canidae formulas have small easy to digest kibbles…
I know when I’ve emailed kibble companies asking can my 8 yr old eat their new large breed puppy formula, they have all said yes, puppy formulas normally aren’t over 30% -protein, fat isn’t high & have DHA which is excellent for skin, joints, eyes, brain, heart etc so it will also be good for a senior dog as well….
When I emailed “Taste Of The Wild” last week, 2 vets emailed me back within 24hrs asking further questions about my boy health problems, then they recommend which formula’s NOT to feed, so you could give TOTW a try & have a look at their wet tin foods for your young pup, dry kibble isn’t good for dogs with kidney problems, wet food is better…
If you email Hills or Royal Canine or Purina, ask can a vet nutritionist please contact you…

I don’t know if all your dogs can all eat the same formula??? this is Canidae’s Large Breed Puppy, all Life stages formula & it’s low in phosphorous, email Canidea & ask them, it come it wet tin as well..
https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products/canidae-life-stages-large-breed-puppy-duck-meal-brown-rice-lentils-dry-formula

• This reply was modified 8 years, 8 months ago by Susan.

[anonymous]

Go what the vet that has examined them recommends. I would give no snacks except raw carrots (1/4) to chew on once or twice a day. Add water to their kibble. In fact, if you presoak it, it puffs up and they think they are getting more.
I would find a way to increase their activity, more walks around the block, even if leisurely and only for a few minutes at a time.
Swimming is the best activity for burning calories and it’s easy on the joints for seniors.
By any chance, do you have pet health insurance? I ask, because I have heard that if the vet orders aqua therapy (swimming in a heated pool, offered at pet rehab facilities) for weight loss or a medical condition it may be covered. One minute of swimming equals 4 minutes of running.

[Susan]

Hi, Canidae has brought out a few new grain free formula’s one is Pure Meadow Senior, my neighbor just order a bag of the Canidae Pure Meadow & it smells & looks really good, she gave me 2 kibbles so I could do my kibble test to see if the kibble digest easy & yes after soaking the 2 kibbles in very warm water the kibbles were soft all the way thru in
15-minutes, so very easy to digest, my boy has IBD & can’t eat chicken 🙁 so I’m looking at the new Canidae Pure Wild Boar….
Ingredient’s Canidae Pure Meadow Senior are, Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, peas, potatoes, a 50-75lb dog only needs 2 & 1/2 cups per day…
There’s also “Holistic Select” Chicken Meal & Rice Senior Health, same the kibble digest real easy was soft within 15mins….
Holistic Select Senior Ingredients are, Chicken Meal, Ground Brown Rice, Ground White Rice, Oatmeal, Chicken Fat, Anchovy & Sardine Meal….
You could rotate between the 2 kibbles, Holistic Select Senior has grains & Canidae Senior is grain Free the fat is 10%min in both kibbles & protein is around 26 to 28% min…
Just make sure when changing from your old kibble you look for new kibble around the same amount of fat, protein & fiber %, you can go up a few percent but don’t go from feeding a kibble that was 20% protein to a kibble with 30 + % protein, same with the fat % don’t go from 10-12% fat up to 17-20% fat….You can get some digest problems but your dog might be fine & is OK..
Canidae- http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products
Holistic Select- http://holisticselect.com.au/recipes.aspx?pet=dog
I feed my senior boy he’s 8yrs old “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb & he gets a cooked meal for dinner or lunch about 5 times a week + Yakult probiotic drink, Almonds & apple, a few peeled pieces apple as a treat, tin salmon in spring water with sweet potato, K-9 Natural Green Lipped Mussels treats, just make sure you give foods that are high in omega 3 fatty acids, & supplements for joints like Green lipped Mussel + Turmeric, Sasha’s Blend, Rose Hip Vital, there’s a few on the market, make sure you give with food they can cause stomach reflux….
Dr Peter Dobias has just brought out a new Omega 3 oil supplement, that has no mercury made from Calamari, it took him 2-3 years to make, it’s all on his F/B page Called “Dr Peter Dobias, Natural Healing For Dogs” he has a 15-16yr old dog that runs around like he’s a puppy same as my 8yr old he runs & acts like a young puppy…. Diet is the key to a healthy dog…

[Susan]

Hi, “Canidea” formulas are all small in size, the size off small finger nail……
Small kibble digest easier, so less chance of getting bloat, a few kibble companies are making their kibbles size smaller now… I always go to pet shops & feel the kibbles thru the bag, I don’t like “Wellness” kibbles, they are big, thick triangle in shape…..

“Holistic Select” Adult/Puppy Salmon, Anchovy & Sardine grain free kibble is small & excellent for skin, joints, high in omega 3 fatty acids & has added DHA for brain & eyes they have a Large Breed with grains or grain free, email Holistic Select & ask is their Grain Free Large Breed kibble have small size kibbles like their other formulas?

“Pro Pac Ultimates”, Meadow Prime Lamb & their Bayside Select Whitefish has nice size kibbles & cheaper in price same makers that make “Earthborn Holistic” also has small size kibbles but is dearer in price….my cat loves the Pro Pac Ultimates dog food…

Canidae- http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products
Pro Pac Ultimates- http://www.propacultimates.com/dog-food/
Holistic Select- http://www.holisticselect.com/

[elaine c]

I wonder if the cartilage would work for my knees!! Let me know .

I would recommend Answers Pet food. It is raw. easy to feed and really the fantastic. All the kibbles you are feeding are bound to not be great because they are PROCESSED and limited. This is very low in carbs. It is fermented and truly wonderful. As far as I am concerned all dogs should be on a diet like this. You can feed just the meat which is complete and that will keep the calories down ( depending on how much you give him) and it will be so good for him. Contact the company and ask they about the Fermented fish stock they sell this may help his joints a lot. I know the owner drinks it herself because she had a broken back at one point. Good luck and keep me informed!

[InkedMarie]

Jane: it’s DuMor joint supplement, available at Tractorr supply & probably elsewhere

[Susan]

Hi Matthew,
I have a 8yr old English Staffy with diagnosed IBD, thru Endoscope & biopsies, the vet said Colitis, food sensitivities, before we got biopsies done….. it can take from 1 day up to 6 weeks to show signs of food sensitivities…
Are you 100% sure she isn’t eating anything she shouldn’t be eating having free run of the house?? the only kibble that has been the best & worked for Patch & heaps of other dogs with IBS, EPI & IBD is “Taste Of The Wild” kibbles, I feed TOTW Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb or TOTW Pacific Stream, Smoked Salmon kibble, but Patch likes the Roasted Lamb the best….
I’d stop feeding the brand of kibble your feeding & stop feeding chicken… Limited ingredient kibbles are the best to feed less ingredients are best & add some cooked foods to her diet, foods high in omega 3 fatty acids for her brain, stiffness & joints BUT always feed the same cooked foods, I make pork rissoles & sweet potatoes & freeze them in sections & cook a batch once a fortnight & freeze….
What I have found with my very sensitive boy was some of these kibble companies DO NOT have good quality control or don’t use regular suppliers & just but the cheapest truck loads of potatoes, sweet potatoes & veggies etc, not wanting to pay more money for better quality ingredients….When I have feed Patch different brands of kibbles some that are 4-5 star kibbles Patch does really good when eating the smaller 2.5kg bag, then when I’ve bought the bigger 12kg bags or 6kg bags that were from a different batch, Patch wakes me up crying at my bedroom door, then runs to front door, poor thing, he needs to get outside ASAP always around 12pm or 2am or 4am then runs outside & all you can hear is loud noisey diarrhea & then he wants grass & wont stop eating it… when I emailed one kibble company, I said the last bag of kibble was lighter in colour he was fine, no diarrhea but this new bag kibbles are darker & the lady said oh it’s probably a new batch of kibble that’s why the kibbles colour varies, we don’t buy the same make of potatoes, sometimes we get rustic or white or brown potatoes, then I thought they probably buy cheap rotten green potatoes, the cheapest they can get & cause Patch has a very sensitive stomach & bowel he reacts, so then I tried TOTW & touch wood, Patch has been eating TOTW for over 1 yr now & Patch hasn’t woken me up thru the night, oh only after my grandson visits sometimes or I’ve tried a new kibble that doesn’t agree with him, I have had a few problems cause my grandson has given Patch whatever he’s eating & Patch has had diarrhea about 5 hours after my grandson has left, so I’ve made a new rule, no food around Patch no more & “no feeding the dog” like your girl, Patch takes Metronidazole for 10 days after he has diarrhea that doesn’t stop within 2 days, the vet has written out repeat scripts to keep at home so if it happens I just get the scripted filled at chemist….What I like about TOTW kibble the kibbles are ALWAYS the same colour I never open a bag & the kibbles are lighter or real dark & they use purified reverse osmosis water & I’d say after what has happened with the Diamond company they have really good quality control now & have really cleaned up their act…… here’s a video showing their food safety.

Food Safety

[anonymous]

Is he getting enough exercise? Long walks? Maybe increase the amount of walks…..
Anyway you can take him swimming? Some vet clinics offer aqua therapy (swimming in a heated pool) if you have pet insurance and your vet orders it for weight loss, it may be covered.
One minute of swimming is equal to 4 minutes of running and it’s easy on the joints.
Exercise improves mood, decreases pain (release of endorphins) and therefore reduces hunger that may be caused due to boredom or discomfort.

[Susan]

Hi,
I have a rescue English Staffy & he’s a gulper with his food, I have to divide his kibble up & I give it to him slowly in his bowl, you can buy those slow feeder bowls but my boy big snout couldn’t get the kibbles out of bowl properly then he was gulping & licking up air, so if you do buy a slow feeder bowl make sure it’s for X large breed dog, or buy a 12 hole muffin tray & put a few kibbles in each hole in the muffin tray to slow him down while eating….
I feed TOTW Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb, it’s an all life stages kibble, Patch loves his TOTW & does really well on it, he has IBD & Skin Allergies, email TOTW & ask can you have their booklet with all their formulas & the booklet tells you what formulas are the life stages formulas & then you have the puppy formulas also ask do they have a any samples of the Puppy Formulas & the all life stages formulas….
I tried the Wellness kibbles their Complete & their Simple kibbles & Patch started doing real sloppy yellow poos & had bad gas……. I also feed Pro Pac Ultimates Bayside Select Whitefish & Meadow Prime Lamb these formulas are life stages formulas, Earthborn Holistic make the Pro Pac Ultimates formulas, they’re just a bit cheaper but same quality…..
When you cook start adding boiled sweet potato instead of the rice, sweet potato is more healthier & once he has settled & is a bit older start rotating between a few different brands of kibbles & changing the proteins, once you find a few brands that agree & work for him, so he’s having a variety in his diet & add some cooked foods with his kibble as well, tin sardines in spring water are excellent for the skin, coat, brain, joints, heart, add about 2-3 small sardines with meal 4 times a week…
With skin problems best to feed a kibble with salmon/whitefish etc… I feed the salmon/fish kibbles thru the Summer months so Patch is getting his omega 3 fatty acids in his diet.