[NectarMom]

We feed Hare Todays ground rabbit mixture in the morning and in the evening we feed Brothers Turkey and Egg. We have been back on Turkey and egg kibble for approx 8 weeks since our bout with Pancreatitis and now We have been feeding 1/2 Raw and 1/2 kibble a day and my dogs are more itchy than ever. I am wondering if it is the carrot in the kibble because carrot has natural sugars in it and sugar feeds yeast as in result causing sugar to feed on the yeast so I am wondering since the ingredients are similar in the Turkey and egg as Natures Variety Instinct but NV has no carrot added , I would switch to the NV Rabbit LID. Yes once again considering a food switch because it is not atopic allergies, for them to smell yeasty it is food allergy. I kept going back to turkey and egg because I was told it takes 6-8 months to rid their systems of Candida but after doing a ton of reading up on it and asking another legit source it should only take 3-4 months at most. Any thoughts?

[NectarMom]

I would react just like I did when my 2 got Pancreatitis and bad bacteria when on Darwin’s I immediately get them to the Vet. The food Company would not help after your pet gets sick….Honestly they do not care and feel like you are just blamming them and or their food so they blow you off. I can almost instantly read it in their voice. Yes I agree Customer service is important but it is certainly not there anymore these days from my experience. I am still trying to find the perfect Raw for my dogs that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to ship. I can get Vital Essentials and Primal and Natures Instinct but my problem with the Primal and Natures Instinct is the veggies and fruits they put in them. My dogs are doing good on the Rabbit from Hare Today and My Pet Carnivore but the $45 shipping is killing me. What if I feed Raw low fat meats just from the grocery and add in Steve’s mix? I just don’t want to do all kibble since I have not seen a huge improvement on it. It seems like I am fighting a never ending battle with my dogs are their diet these days. I am beginning to think it has nothing to do with food but the way man has bred dogs for the last years, The DNA code has been terribly messed up. I know dogs to this day that are fed Pedigree and thrive and have no health issues…I won’t feed cheap/grain food to my dogs and try to feed the best I can but it seriously back fires on me. I am to the point of buying my own meat and cooking the snot out of it and adding in supplements and maybe then I won’t have problems. Sorry just venting. I honestly do not know which way to turn in the food direction.

[weimlove]

Hi everyone! Most of you know that I was feeding shadow a raw diet. After having a bout of pancreatitis, I have switched back to a high quality kibble because I got so freaked out. I don’t plan on going back to raw, but I am very interested in making a home cooked diet for him. I plan on this diet being grain free as well. I need some information about what supplements he would need. Especially calcium since he will not be consuming cooked bones. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!

[pugmomsandy]

“I have heard varying opinions in the forums about adding probiotics and enzymes. Someone said there are natural probiotics and enzymes without having to add and pay for supplements.”

There are naturally occurring probiotics in foods like kefir and yogurt and raw goat milk and tripe (which tripe also has enzymes). It really depends on how healthy or unhealthy your dog’s gut is. Has he eaten a variety of foods so that he produces a variety of natural gut flora? Or has he only eaten a few foods for a long period of time? Also yogurt usually only has a few strains of acidophilus. Some store bought probiotics have over 10 strains which I think is ideal. I have both Mercola and Dr Langers probiotics.

“How/when do I do this with a raw diet? How do I do this on his current diet while I’m transitioning to a raw diet? How do I transition to a raw diet?”

You can give probiotics and/or digestive enzymes with meals as you are transitioning and even when he is completely on a raw diet. I still feed kibble and raw so I still use these products. You can transition him to a raw diet in various ways. You can slowly introduce raw (like frozen raw medallions or raw bites like Instinct brand has) a couple times a day as treats to see how he does or you can feed one meal of old food and the next meal of raw food. Or every 3rd meal of raw food. Depends on how his stools are! Also raw foods generally have more fat so you must take that into consideration.

“Are there specific recipes for smaller breeds versus larger breeds, older versus younger dogs, etc.? Is it okay to feed him nothing but raw? Can I freeze/store what I’ve made if I’ll be on vacation?”

A homemade raw diet is good for all breeds and ages (except maybe for breeds prone to pancreatitis) and he can be fed nothing but raw. You can freeze in small batches and pull out what you need for 2 to 3 days worth. For vacation, if you’re taking your dog you might be interested in freeze dried raw as it is shelf stable. Some examples are Stella and Chewy’s, Nature’s Variety Instinct and Vital Essentials, Nutrisca and Primal. I wouldn’t give him marrow bones in the beginning as they are just fat.

Yes, he is an inactive dog. After you start feeding, be sure to weigh and/or monitor “body condition score” so that he is an ideal “shape”. My dogs are heavy but are still of good body condition for their breed. There a several “body condition score” photos you can see online.

[NectarMom]

Yes my dogs got Pancreatitis on the Duck from Darwins because Darwins told me and it states on their website that duck is lower in fat than Turkey. We were on their turkey meals for 6 weeks without any issues and then when we fed the duck meals BAM Pancreatitis. I am not saying that Darwins is a BAD Company and it may agree with some others dogs but trying the duck with 2 of mine caused Pancreatitis. I was only feeding Darwins and nothing else so I know it was the duck in their meals.
The customer service is not up to par and everytime I eventually got someone on the phone ( very rare) they were very short with me. When you own a business and want to sell your product you have to please the customer to some extent. If I call you and leave a message on your answering service I expect a call back and when I don’t get that then it is horrible customer service to me and then that proves to me that they are not in it for the animals but to make a damn buck.

Hare Today called me back the same day and even though she was busy she answered all my questions in a pleasant manner and to me this does matter when purchasing from a Company.

Today is our first Day trying Hare Todays Rabbit and so far no reactions except one of mine would not eat it but we are still going to do Raw part time and Brothers Turkey and egg part time and see where we go from there but we are in no rush.

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

[InkedMarie]

I don’t know anything about pancreatitis but your dog got it solely because of Darwin’s?

I’ve had the exact opposite experience regarding their customer service. Phone calls answered right away except for once, when they had. Staff meeting but they returned the call promptly.

[NectarMom]

The thing with Darwins is that the website is misleading or misprinted , its a known fact that Duck is higher in fat than turkey but thats not what they say on their website or on the phone. I have gone to 5 legit people asking them about duck being as lean as they say and no one agreed and this is why my dogs got Pancreatitis. Plus I am not a fan of veggies and fruits in a raw mixture, especially when you have yeast build up. But thats just my opinion and my unfortunate experience.

[theBCnut]

Wow! That’s a huge change in fat level. Any dog prone to pancreatitis could have problems with that and owners wouldn’t even know. If you haven’t already, you should go over to the review side and post on the Bravo thread there.

[Wwhorse13]

Hi all,

I will try to make this as short as possible. I have a 4.5 year old male Irish Setter who has always had a pretty sensitive stomach. Back in February he started having diarrhea with a bit of blood in it and wasn’t as excited to eat as he usually is. He was put on metronidazole for five days and it cleared up. A few days after he was off the metro, he had diarrhea again. We did blood work which showed everything looked great but his amylase and lipase were elevated (not SUPER elevated like in pancreatitis but still elevated). The vet put him on Hills Prescription Diet I/D Low Fat and prescribed metronidazole and metoclopramide for about a month. He did great during that month, ate great, great stool, etc. Retested blood work at the end of the month and it was back to normal. However, a few days off of the metronidazole, he started having diarrhea again. We did an X-ray and ultra sound and both looked normal. Retested bloodwork a bit later and the lipase and amylase were elevated again. The vet thought it was more likely elevated because of inflammation and irritation in his stomach. We put him on Forti-Flora and it cleared up the diarrhea!! However, like 5 days later he started vomiting! It usually happened early in the morning (like 5:30am) and it was yellow, bile — sometimes if he wretched enough, it would have a tiny bit of blood in it.

We had him allergy tested via bloodwork and it showed that he was positive (allergic) to barley, beef, beets, lamb, cow’s milk, oats, pork, venison, yeast, banana, green beens and borderline for white potato.
So he is totally fine with things like chicken, fish, corn, sweet potato, etc

They gave me a list of dog foods he could eat but I am worried about all of them! Here is the food:

Active Care Healthy Joint Formula Chicken & Rice HPP Prescription Diet H/D
Hills Prescription Diet Z/D Ultra Allergen Free
Hills Prescription Diet D/D Rice & Egg
Hills Prescription Diet T/D Small Bites
California Natural Chicken Meal & Rice
California Natural Low Fat Rice & Chicken Meal NCN California Natural Grain Free Salmon & Snow Peas
Nature’s Variety Instinct LID Turkey Meal Formula
Purina Veterinary Diet HA-Formula
Royal Canin Vet Diet Early Cardiac
Royal Canin Vet Diet Anallergenic
Hills Prescription Diet C/D
Hills Prescription Diet T/D
Hills Prescription Diet J/D
Hills Prescription Diet J/D Small Bites HPP SD Adult Oral Care
California Natural Chicken Meal & Rice Puppy NCN California Natural Grain Free Chicken
California Natural Kangaroo & Red Lentils PNV Instinct LID Duck Meal Formula
Royal Canin Therapeutic Kangaroo & Sweet Potato RCW Vet Diet Urinary SO
Thrive

So here are my issues. I think the Hills Prescription foods have such junky ingredients! So many carbs in them! California Natural scares me to death because of all the recalls P&G have been having. Royal Canin I think is probably fine, but the more prescriptioney type stuff is loaded with junk, too. Nature’s Variety is also owned by P&G and I hate P&G as a company. Active Care appears to be ‘okay’ but I have NEVER heard of it before and don’t know anything about it!

I am so lost at what to do! I want to help him and if I knew that what they say he is allergic to is actually what is causing him issues, then I would switch. I just want him on a healthy food but none of those seem terribly healthy!! Any comments, suggests, support would be SO GREATLY APPRECIATED!!

[Mom2Cavs]

I’m not saying this is what you should do for your dog, it’s just my experience with my dog. Stella (and Laverne to some extent) had rumbly stomach. When she had this, she would not eat her meals. I started adding probiotics/enzymes but she would still have the rumbling. I feared it was pancreatitis or fat intolerance, so I switched her to a lower fat food….still happened. I also top with canned foods. I finally decided to put the dogs on a limited ingredient food (dry and can). I still added in the probiotic/enzymes. It worked in her case. Sadly, she went to the rainbow bridge in January with a neurological disease Cavaleirs are prone to. She was 12. I have determined that Laverne has mild allergies, and that she needs a chicken free, limited ingredient diet. I found that Natural Balance Swt. Pot. & Fish worked wonders for her (and all the dogs). However, with the NB/Del Monte merger I am very concerned about the food remaining a quality one. So….I have been transitioning over to 4Health grain free whitefish. I still use various canned foods and try to keep them as limited and lowest fat as possible. I only use probiotics/enzymes every so often now. I did try some other limited diets, such as Wellness Simple (Laverne had problems with the shape of the kibble pieces), Simply Nourish LID Salmon (dogs loved it, and small kibble, but stool wasn’t up to par). I’ve kinda figured out that tomato pomace and carrots bother Laverne, so I will keep those out of her diet from now on. I know that Wellness Core RF is a great food, but it is poultry based and has more ingredients than your typical limited ingredient diet. Perhaps you could change the kibble part of her diet, as well, to a more limited one.

[NectarMom]

I have a few questions. I know my dogs cannot handle high fat in raw and I am going to keep them on Brothers Turkey and Egg as the main diet and they have been back on Brothers for 6 weeks but they just smell so yeasty even though they get their tea tree and aloe baths and they are itchy and chew the heck out of their feet. I know since our Pancreatitis episode we have to get past the Candida yeast again since antibiotics but I feel if I just start them off slowly on lean young beef with Steves topper for the added vitamins mixed with the lean young beef that they might benefit from that quicker than just being on kibble 100% of the time?? I would order it from My Pet Carnivore. They just smelled so different than when on kibble. Am I trying to fix this sooner or do you feel this would be ok to try in small amounts?? Please I seriously need some help here.

[mydogisme]

James, A friend of mine has a bangle cat. He is 12 yrs.’ old. He was taken to a internist and had a biopsy done after his reg. vet put him on pred. so now owner doesn’t know for sure if he has IBD. or does he have pancreatitis. The biopsy did show he had an inflamed bio duct. She used same vet as I did and I’m not thrilled as to my baby’s out come as I’m looking for a pathologist to take her to ease my mind as why did Dixie die. I saw your cats picture and wondered if you had any insight. It’s been 2 weeks today that I laid my little fur ball to rest and it just is gnawing on me to still get answers. I cry all the time missing her and she just went down hill from August last yr. and her vet could never give me the answer as to why. Thanks, Dixie’s mom

[Cyndi]

I am going to post my problem in this thread, because I Need Help!!

Last night Bailey threw up, not a whole lot and certainly not everything she ate yesterday, but still, she threw up mostly chicken and bone. Maybe about the amount of a cup or a little more. AND she had very runny poop last night and watery diarrhea this morning. & or course the vomiting and runny poop last night was in my bedroom. Anyways, this morning I fed her half the amount of Fresh Pet that I normally due, with a bit of yogurt. I need to get to the store after work and get canned pumpkin, but what do I feed her for dinner? Should I keep with the chicken leg quarter, or get boneless chicken or what? I want to see this thru and keep her on raw, but the pancreatitis problems 2 of the members here have had recently have me very nervous and I don’t want to do the wrong thing. Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated!!

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi shelties mom –

There are going to be some probiotics in raw milk. Unless your dog has serious digestive issues this would probably provide your dog with all the probiotics it needs. If you’re interested in making kefir I know they sell starter packs on Swanson’s – I’m sure it’d be great made with raw goat’s milk.

As far as fat content, some breeds and individual dogs are prone to pancreatitis but most dogs can tolerate a relatively high level of fat. I’ve heard of sled dogs eating up to 80% of calories from fat during races with no ill effects – obviously the average dog doesn’t need this much fat but I just want to demonstrate that dogs have a high fat tolerance. My dogs generally eat anywhere from 30% – 40% fat with no problems. The important thing is to gradually introduce higher fat items. Check your dog’s stools as well – if you’re introducing fatty foods too quickly the dog will often get loose stools. I don’t personally wouldn’t think feeding chicken feet a few times a week would cause any problems just watch your dog. My dogs get things like skin on chicken backs, chicken feet, pork necks, etc. on a daily basis (in addition to lean muscle meat and organ meat).

[theBCnut]

Were they running a fever with the pancreatitis? Fevers can knock out gut bacteria, so that may be an issue in addition to the pancreas needing a break.

[NectarMom]

I just switched my dogs back to Brothers Allergy after having Pancreatitis with raw with two of my dogs and I feed the recommended amount to maintain weight and probiotics and enzymes and spirugreen all from mercola products and I mix just barely enough of wellness 95% turkey can food to coat to coat the kibble, I mean almost nothing. I also give wheatgrass powder which is suppose to help with gas and bloat but yet my dogs still have gas. What is giving them gas?

• This topic was modified 10 years, 12 months ago by NectarMom.

[NectarMom]

Has anyone used this Companies products? They got excellent reviews on their enzymes and probiotics. I currently use Mercola and have run low on Probiotics so I read a bunch of reviews on Nusentia’s probiotics and I was pretty impressed and also they have double what mercola has in their probiotics so I am willing to give it a try if it helps with my girls now new issues since their Pancreatitis and Salmonella.

[pugmomsandy]

If they’re already eating raw foods then they *should* be ok. Nectarmom had a bad experience with it just recently. Her girls have pancreatitis.

[NectarMom]

Just picked up my shihtzu from the vet and she not only has Pancreatitis but also Salmonella poisoning. And now one of my other Chihuahuas has runny poop with blood in it so I will bet shes got Salmonella poisoning too. We have a whole freezer full of Raw and it looks like its all going to go to waste because I am not feeding it anymore. This is horrible that my sweet girls have to go through this. 🙁

• This reply was modified 11 years ago by NectarMom.
• This reply was modified 11 years ago by NectarMom.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi weimlove –

Sorry to hear Shadow’s having a bout of pancreatitis. 🙁

As Nectarmom stated, pancreatitis is brought on by fat – it wouldn’t have to do with whether or not the food is raw, although raw diets do tend to be higher in fat than kibble. Some dogs can handle very high levels of fat with no issues (i.e. my dogs) and others are very sensitive to fat. Some breeds are also predisposed to pancreatitis and don’t tolerate high levels of fat in their diet. Rancid fats can also cause pancreatitis – this wouldn’t be an issue with the fat on fresh meat but kibbles can go rancid as can fish oil (if you’re supplementing with fish oil it should be refrigerated and used within a couple months of opening). As Patty stated, raw diets are only required to state a minimum level of fat – often the actual level is much higher. So be careful if you go with pre-made. The best way to determine the true fat level is to look at the calorie content (foods with over 50 calories per oz. are likely higher in fat) and/or ask the company for a batch analysis in which they provide you with an actual nutrient analysis run on a batch of food (this can give you a good idea of what the fat levels are actually in the food but can also be inaccurate given that it’s possible to have great variance between batches). Personally, I think your best bet (if you want to continue with raw) would be to use a pre-mix and add lean meat from the grocery store. Human foods are required to list the actual fat levels (not a minimum) so you know what you’re getting. I’d stick with at least 95% lean and supplement with minimal levels of omega 3’s (he’ll still need EFA’s, but don’t over supplement).

[theBCnut]

Do your research on which premade raws are high fat. They only have to list a minimum and some of them have a lot more fat than that. A dog that is susceptible to pancreatitis needs controlled fat levels.

[Hound Dog Mom]

NectarMom –

I think Sandy had a good suggestion. You may want to forget the Darwin’s and possibly even the MPC and just use a pre-mix and mix in very lean meat (if you want to continue with raw). I would go with meat from the grocery store so you know exactly the level of fat you’re feeding – 95% lean ground beef, 97% lean ground turkey, chicken breast, etc. As for adding EFA’s – I’d just add a sardine or a fish oil capsule and maybe a very small amount of coconut oil a few days a week. I’m so sorry to hear that your dogs are having these issues. Some dogs just can’t tolerate high levels of fat and some breeds are pre-disposed pancreatitis. All of my dogs tolerate very high levels of fat (I sometimes feed up to 40%) – thank god, they eat so much the higher fat levels help me keep their food more calorie-dense.

[weimlove]

Oh my goodness I am so sorry to hear that! It is so frustrating when you spend so much time researching a raw diet and preparing their meals, for it not to work out. Shadow stayed at the holistic vet lastnight. I picked him up this morning and when we got home he had liquid diareahha and still wouldn’t eat. All they did at the holistic vet was give him fluids. Since he was still worse I took him to a normal vet that’s close to my house. She says he may have a touch of pancreatitis but that she thinks we caught it in time. She gave him some antibiotics and an injection to calm his tummy. I went to the store and bought some wellness chicken and rice canned food. Thankfully he ate almost a whole can! The vet I went to was very kind and understanding. I think for now I’m going to use canned food until his appetite comes back all the way. When it does, I’m thinking about just going to a pre made raw such as primal. I want to feed shadow the best, but I don’t want to risk his health.

[NectarMom]

Thank you Weimlove. Pancreatitis is brought on by high fatty diet. We maybe switching just our shihtzu back to kibble due to she was only given 1 teaspoon of raw when we got back home and I ended up rushing her back up there, she blew out basically nothing but watery diahrrea and was trying to throw up the teaspoon that I fed her so it is not looking good for Raw for her in which I really hate it. Shes going back in tomorrow for more test and I guess they enjoy trying to see how many times they can stick her to get blood 🙁 Poor baby, Vet said once again no food for 24hrs….shes going to starve to death and I feel so bad while everyone else is eating and shes sitting there licking in the air……….. 🙁

Weimlove, how is your baby today?

[REASMITH]

Have a 10 yr old Boxer who has a sensitive stomach and also “chews” his paws. He has been eating Iams ProActive Health mini chunks, but recently has started vomiting “little piles”. I need advice on which is the best canned food to feed him. He doesn’t chew the dry food, so therefore, canned food will be the best option. Several years ago he was diagnosed with pancreatitis and recovered and no problems until now. I have read information on several canned foods that will help with sensitive tummy and allergies, such as chewing paws. Any advice will be appreciated and I value advice from dog lovers and hands on experience.

• This topic was modified 2 years, 4 months ago by Mike Sagman. Reason: Fix Duplicate Topic Title

[weimlove]

Nectarmom-
I’m so sorry about your babies 🙁 what causes pancreatitis? I know, my whole family is blaming it on raw.

[NectarMom]

Don’t beat yourself up Weimlove, you could not have known this would happen and it can happen feeding dogs anything these days. My husband is giving me grief over 2 of ours getting Pancreatitis from feeding Raw and now I am scared to death that if I get my shihtzu cleared up that giving them it again will be even worse and my husband isn’t helping matters. I hope your baby will be ok, did they run a test for Pancreatitis on your baby? Its so very painful watching your babies hurt 🙁

[NectarMom]

Since my 2nd bout with Pancreatitis and this girl is even worse than the first girl. I bought some Organic ground turkey and bought a bag of Organic brown rice and planned to cook the rice but mix the turkey in just raw. She cannot eat until tomorrow but I am afraid to feed her anymore Darwin’s. Shes has very runny stools all day so my vet said no food today so I plan to feed her tomorrow morning and the organic raw turkey is all I could think of to feed her unless I go back to kibble which I am trying to avoid. I should get my order from My Pet Carnivore tomorrow and I ordered 10lbs of the young ground beef but I am sure it will be in the afternoon before I get it delivered plus I want to try to mix that with the Darwin’s turkey meals to try to cut the fat in the Darwin’s meals at least in half if possible. Anyone have any thoughts to help me out?

[NectarMom]

2nd dog with Pancreatitis 🙁 I am completely at a loss and thinking I made a HUGE mistake switching my girls to Raw. May have to find a kibble that is lower fat and grain free….ugh.

[Mom2Cavs]

A few foods I would recommend are: Wellness Core Reduced Fat. It’s available at both Petco and Petsmart. Not all that inexpensive, though. I also think a new food by Natural Balance looks interesting for weight loss. It’s called Fat Dog lol. Note, though, it’s not grain free. However, it does have a decent amount of protein (for a weight loss food) and lower fat and higher fiber. I would try it for mine if they needed to lose weight. I also think this food might benefit a dog that had pancreatitis issues. Fat Dog by NB is available at Petco and I think it’s price range is average for this kind of dog food.

[NectarMom]

WOW Really?? I always get a response from Mr Brown. I actually just got an email from him today after asking him a ton of questions and he responded with such kindness and very concerned about my dogs Pancreatitis situation. I just bought his book and 3 bags of the mix because I plan to make my dogs meals myself. I have not gotten the book or mixes yet but I just placed my order over the weekend so I am sure sometime this week it will be here. It looks as though to me that they tried to make it right with you and you did not even give the product a try. No one is perfect as this is not a perfect world and things happen. I don’t give up or complain unless it is effecting the health of my furry friends. I will let those know how it works out for us.

[NectarMom]

I am going to order from My Pet Carnivore but I am wondering if I need to add any supplements to this meat orders? I want to feed all natural and lower fat and so they recommended Young beef chunks and so I added a few others to my order since these meats looked a bit lower in fat also. Does my shopping cart look ok for my Pancreatitis girl? Do I need to delete or add anything else from this company?? I need to order today so it will ship out Monday.

I am sorry for constant asking questions but I am such a newbie to feeding raw. Thank you very much 🙂

Info: The product was added to your cart.

Cart
YOUNG BEEF CHUNKS-5 LB.
010052 $11.45 $11.45
Ground Whole Mutton-2 LB.
010039 $7.50 $7.50
5 LB. Ground Chicken SUPERMIX
CGSM5 $10.75 $10.75
Ground Beef Trachea & Gullet-2 LB.
BGTG-2 $3.98 $3.98
Ground Lamb Supreme-2 LB.
LMSP-2 $7.75 $7.75
Subtotal: $41.43

——————————————————————————–

Total: $41.43

——————————————————————————–

If you have a coupon code, please enter it below:

Continue Shopping Checkout

[NectarMom]

Are chicken feet fatty? I am still looking at something my girls can chew on and I thought of chicken feet but I don’t want the same thing to happen that happened with the marrow bones? Pancreatitisis an issue for my one chihuahua. I can also get dehydrated duck feet at a local chain store so are those an option too? They are not raw though.

[NectarMom]

I have been using Mercola enzymes for approx 3 months now and it has pancreatin in it. If there is another brand that you might think is better or has more in it that she could use please feel free to post it.

For now we are sticking with Turkey but before the Pancreatitis issue I spoke to Darwin’s about mixing in Duck and I recall the girl on the phone from Darwin’s said Duck is lower in fat? I was talking to a co-worker about it and she ordered her yorkie the turkey and she said it made her yorkie very sick but I would bet she did not do a slow transition. I asked her about trying Duck because her dog was on a duck kibble and she said Duck was too high in fat from what she read up on the different proteins??

Also something I noticed more of is that since we switched to Raw my Chihuahua that had the Pancreatitis has been dropping fur like crazy, shes a black short coat chihuahua. Last time that happened my vet said it was due to her missing something in her diet and so that is when we started food searching, we were using Azmira back then.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Do you supplement with digestive enzymes? Enzyme supplements that include pancreatin, in some cases, is believed to help reduce the risk of acute pancreatitis or control chronic pancreatitis. Pancreatin is comprised of the amylase, lipase and protease produced by the pancreas. The idea is that adding supplemental pancreatin to the diet of a pancreatitis prone dog will lessen the stress on the dog’s pancreas. Another option would be a pancreas glandular – most glandulars are derived from bovine sources so I’m not sure if that would trigger a sensitivity (I know you’re trying to stick to turkey for the time being). Just some things to consider.

[NectarMom]

Thank you!! I am going to give it a shot and a slow transition. I wrote to Steve and he answered back very quickly and was very helpful so I am off to shop. Steve recommended that I feed as low in fat protein as possible to my one chihuahua that has Panceratitis and he also recommended sardines ( in water) not oil once a week or fish oil. He said I can feed veggies and fruits and probably should with my Pancreatitis girl. turkey is what we have been feeding so I imagine he means all white lean turkey.

[shelties mom]

Nectarmom,
Here is a great article on pancreatitis http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2009/12/16/dont-let-this-organ-ruin-your-pets-life.aspx

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi NectarMom –

If Darwin’s telling you the fat levels aren’t what I told you then they’re likely trying to give you the “unconverted” fat levels. To obtain the true fat level it’s necessary to convert the fat to a dry matter basis (same goes for protein) – to get an accurate representation of the nutrient values this is especially crucial for foods with high levels of moisture (raw and canned). Darwin’s general analysis states that the food has 7% fat, but the food is 74% water (this means the fat levels are much higher they’re just diluted by the water). To calculate you first need to determine the percentage of dry matter, we’ll do this by subtracting the wet matter from 100%: 100% – 74% moisture = 26% dry matter (this means that for every 100 g. food you feed 74 g. are water and 26 g. are actual food, this is why the fat levels appear lower than what they actually are on the general analysis). Next, we divide the “as fed” fat level provided on the general anlysis by the percentage of dry matter we just calculated: 7% fat/26% dry matter = 0.26923. We now want to convert this value to a percentage: 0.26923 X 100% = ~27% fat. This is the only accurate way to truly compare fat levels because for example, the fat levels for kibble are practically on a dry matter basis. Kibble is generally only 10% moisture so if the fat level is, say, 15% on an as fed basis the “true” fat level is 17% (doesn’t change much). I hope all that makes sense.

My question is this – did Darwin’s tell you the fat levels I stated were higher that what the actual fat levels after you told them your dog got pancreatitis? They should have a general analysis with all the nutrient values on a dry matter basis and to try and fool you into believing what I told you is not accurate – especially after when you have a dog with pancreatitis – tells me they’re either 1) clueless or 2) trying to be deceptive in an attempt to sell food. I’m not a fan of Darwin’s customer service so neither would surprise me.

I’m going to have to agree with Patty – use a pre-mix and make your own food using extra lean ground turkey. Steve Brown has a great balancer powder that’s specifically designed to balance the fats in poultry (seespotlivelonger.com).

[theBCnut]

After pancreatitis, fat levels are a big factor in recurance.

[NectarMom]

My one Chihuahua with intestinal allergies has mild Pancreatitis from the marrow bones. At least that is what the vet said it could very well be and Darwin’s also said it was more than likely the marrow bones since they told me the Raw turkey meals are 12% Protein and 6% Fat in a wet matter which Raw is and plus we have now been on the Raw for a solid month and no issues until the marrow bones so those who have dogs with intestinal issues just beware marrow bones are really high in fat.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi tonwol –

If it were me, I’d just start trying high quality, grain-free, fish-based foods and see what works. There’s no way to know what will work and won’t work unless you try. With that said, I really do think Sandy’s suggestion to make homemade food would be your best bet (you could use a pre-mix or vitamin/mineral supplement designed to balance homemade diets if you aren’t comfortable making food from scratch). All the brands you’re looking at are good brands and would be worth a try, however if your dog is prone to pancreatitis you may find she can’t tolerate the fat levels in some of these foods (the RC is only 10% fat). The Honest Kitchen’s Zeal might be worth checking out – it’s a grain-free dehydrated food with haddock, whiting and salmon and it’s only 8.5% fat.

[tonwol]

I am considering switching my 15 year old lab/shepherd mix’s dog food. I am currently feeding Royal Canin Hypoallergenic Selected Protein Large Breed Adult PW prescription diet. It is a potato (white potato) and white fish (herring) limited ingredient diet. The reason that I am looking to switch is due to cost. The price has been increasing on and off for the last 3 years and the last time I picked up a bag from my vet it was nearly $106.00 for a 26.4 lb bag, one month ago it was $98.00. She has been on a prescription diet since she was only 5 years old and has had many health problems so I have reservations about switching. She has inflammatory bowel disease and heart disease. Specifically she has an enlarged heart, leaking mitral valve and leaking tricuspid valve. She also had pancreatitis three times in her earlier years. She is on an ACE inhibitor and diuretic for her heart (Enalapril and Furosemide). The prescription diet is for her IBD and not her heart.

What I am looking for is a food with a fish based protein source. I would like to keep her on herring but I am not finding many OTC foods that have herring and after reading about the California Natural recall that one no longer a choice for us.

I have some questions about the fish and potato sources.
How big of a difference would it be to switch her from herring to a different fish like salmon? Would it make a big difference if the potato source is sweet potato vs. white potato?
Would it make a big difference if she has been eating a food with only one fish source and I switch her to a food that contains many different fish sources like Orijen’s 6 Fish formula?
Lastly, her current food does not have any Omega 3 or 6 added and my vet has advised against giving her Omega 3 supplements due to her IBD and pancreatitis in the past, therefor would it pose problems if I switch her to a food that has added Omega’s in addition to the fish source?

The brands I am currently researching are Evo, Orijen, Wellness, Canine Caviar, Innova Prime, Fromm, Diamond Naturals or Earthborn Holistic. Do any of these brands stand out in a nutritional aspect more than others? Are there any other brands with a fish formula that I am missing that may be an option for her?

I am sorry this is so long. Any help at all would be so very much appreciated!

Thank You,
Tonya

[Mom2Cavs]

Hey all! I was at a local specialty store that carries name brand dog foods and noticed a new food from Natural Balance. It’s actually called FAT DOG food lol! They have one for cats, too. Anyway, it is not grain free, but it is a decent protein percentage (for dry food) and very low fat and high fiber. It might be a good food for a dog that has pancreatitis or other fat issues. The calories are very low, though, so you would have to feed more. They are claiming that the food will satiate a dog so it won’t beg for food and that the dog will lose weight. Hmmm…..just an fyi. I was surprised to see it.

[maddymoiselle]

thanks so much for the recommendations:) will give them a try

[Hound Dog Mom]

The Honest Kitchen’s Zeal would be another great food for a pancreatitis prone dog – 35.5% protein, 8.5% fat. and 5.8% fiber. As would Acana’s Light & Fit – 35% protein, 10% fat and 8.5% fiber.

[Mom2Cavs]

I’m not a vet, but when my Shih-Poo, Desi…rip, had an attack of pancreatitis the food that worked best for him was Wellness Core Reduced Fat. There are some very good enzyme supplements on the market. The Mercola brand uses animal based instead of plant based and are considered very good. They also make a probiotic supplement with multiple strains. Go to mercola.com in the pets section to read about them. Some sources to read about pancreatitis are: dogaware.com, b-naturals.com and askariel.com to name a few. You could also ask your vet about the enzymes….my vet gave me some when Desi had his attack.

[maddymoiselle]

my 10 yo golden retriever was hospitalized over the weekend for pancreatitis. she is home now and just starting to eat small amts of boiled chicken and rice. tolerating it well:) any suggestions for commercial food for down the road with low fat, high fiber and protein. also, can anyone recommend any supplements(enzymes) for dogs prone to pancreatitis.any suggestions would be appreciated.

[K6RBS]

Our 6 year old pug has a history of struvite bladder stones and following surgery to remove them she spent a year on Canine C/D. She recently developed a UTI and while diagnosing that the vet found that she had stones again. He put her on antibiotics and Canine S/D (to try to dissolve the stones). When the lab tests came back they showed that the stones were actually calcium oxalate and therefore could not be dissolved. By then she was fully on the S/D food (which she loved). The following day she started vomiting, became lethargic and shows signs of severe distress.

The diagnosis was pancreatitis, triggered by the high fat content of the S/D food.
5 days (and many $$$$ later) she is slowly recovering and we need to find a food that is low in fat (< 10%) yet unlikely to add to the calcium oxalate stone problem.

Ideas are welcome.

Thanks.

[theBCnut]

Any time you have screaming diarrhea, fever, antibiotic usage, you should use probiotics. That said, Fortiflora is not one of the best, it’s just readily available. You might want to go to a health food store and get the one with the most different strains. If you need to keep your pet on it long term then I would suggest you order from Mercola. They have a great probiotic. Swansons has a pretty good human one for a lot less.

[Anonymous]

You didn’t say what food & treats you were feeding. So many health problems are food/treat related.
My Shih Tzu had pancreatitis at 12 yrs. Plus terrible allergies with both my dogs & getting steroids. I started studying dog nutrition. I decided to try Blue Buffalo as this was the only company to write back out of 3 others I contacted.
Within 3 weeks all allergy related problems started going away. in 2 mo. the pancreatitis was GONE and she has never had another bout. She is now 15 1/2 and the boss of the house. no steroid shots or pills for over 3 yrs.
Hound Dog Mom is very knowledgeable so you might also ask her.