[Tiffany A]

My husky is 8yrs old and we just figured out she has hypothyroidism. On top of that she has slightly elevated liver enzymes(we still dont know why) and high calcium (which we strongly believe is her parathyroid). She has not eaten a consistent meal for over 2wks now and I am stressing the heck out. She is on antibiotics and thyroid meds(theze only a week now) a pain killer for her back legs which we believe she has arthritis. I am completly tapped financially from the past three weeks of tests and buying her any food I can think of she might eat. I am at my wits end. My vet is stumped. She is normally very very food motivated. I have tried the following foods.
Northwest naturals (her original diet which raw isnt the best right now with her body going through so much)
Hills i/d (she ate ok for 3 or 4 days)
Vitality (ate for 2 days)
Pet pantry(cooked stew)
Koha(canned cooked stews)
Acana meadowlands(she was on before raw)
Boiled chicken and beef with rice(chicken one meal beef the other ate for a couple days)

She will beg for my food even thougb she knows I wont feed it to her I know she is hungry. She wont touch tripe I have tried gravy tricks,toppers,etc. Maybe I am switching to much but with all these meds she needs to eat something. She is already dropping weight from the thyroid meds and her energy is now through the roof. Its early but my vet agreed to lessen her does a bit because she has been panting and tanking water.

I know no one here is a vet her anything but I just dont know what to do anymore 🙁 am I supposed to just medicate her and wait until she is hungry enough to eat here or what? She hasnt fought me on food like this since she was a puppy.

[Susan]

Hi Stacey.
Raw is easier to digest then cooked, raw food has enzymes, when we cook food we kill the enzymes……
What are the ingredients, he’s eating in his raw diet?
When my boy does bad smelly farts, gets bad wind & wind pain means he’s sensitive to an ingredient he’s eating, I’d re start his diet, start feeding him an elimination raw diet, just feed 1 lean muscle meat, say turkey, kangaroo or pork, I started with Kangaroo mince for breakfast & Chicken breast for dinner + blended green veggies + 1-2 blended fruits & 20mins after eating the chicken & blended veggies, Patch got 1 red hot swollen back paw & was licking his back paw like crazy, then he started farting, doing smelly farts, so I stopped the raw chicken & just feed him the Kangaroo mince & I was blending peeled green veggies, broccoli, celery, zucchini, apple & some parsley then freeze in a ice cube tray, 1 cube in tray is about 1 spoon, then you cover ice cube tray with cling wrap freeze & take out as you need the blendedveggies & fruit……

Feeding raw is so easy, easier then cooking their meals, I slowly added 1 spoon of the veggies/fruit mix then after 1 week whenPatches poos were firm I added 2 spoons of the blended veggies & fruit mix, you add 2 spoons of the blended fruit & veggies to 1 cup of raw meat for 40lb dog.
Slowly add 1 new ingredient to his diet over 1 week, then if he starts having bad wind then you know its the new ingredient you’ve started to add…..dont add too many things to his diet at once, you will not know what is causing what if he starts having health problems, farts, sloppy poos etc..

Organ meat is very rich & can cause diarrhea. gas etc, are you adding Liver, Kidney Hearts, Tongue etc, reduce the amount of organ meat if your addding any organ meat & see does he improve, or stop adding any organ meat for a couple of days & see if he’s better, then just start adding some organ meat only 3- 4 times a week to 1 of his meals..

You have to remember this dog stomach & bowel is probably use to processed dry kibble he may have never eaten a raw diet before & it can take a up to 3 months for his stomach/bowel to get healthy & strengthen up..

I bet you he loves his raw meals, my boy does, I’m introducing dehydrated free range raw to my 9yr old boy, he has IBD & food sensitivities, so I have to take baby steps with him…the Holistic Vet who helped make this new free range dehydrated freeze dried raw said it can take up to 6 months for their stomach bowel to get use to raw & to do it slowly with Patch but that’s cause Patch has IBD…

Just make sure you balance his diet over the week, doesnt have to be daily & add either tin salmon or sardines in spring water or olive oil, it adds EPA & DHA all those good fats we get from fish, add about 2 spoons to one of his meals a day, 40lb dog, add 1/4 can of sardines 1 serving per day…

Steve Brown also recommends adding, 1 heaped tablespoon of salmon, 1-2 mussels & a pinch of kelp, this will balance his raw diet, mussels are very healthy & have manganese, Iodine, Fats, Vitamin D, other vitamins & minerals he needs, Steve said just buy the frozen mussels in the freezer section at supermarket…
also Beets contain natural anti-inflammatory agent that support heart health, vitamins & minerals, B1,B2,B12 & C, copper magnesium, potatssium, iron, phosphorus & iodine protect us against liver disease & fatty liver disease, Steve recommended
“Olew Dehydrated Red Beets” dog Food Supplement trial size 1.01lb thru Amazon

[stacey k]

Hi,

I started my dog on raw diet about 2 weeks ago, I did the slow transition because he’s old and we just adopted him from the SPCA not long ago. So he did fine when we were transitioning, but now we are on almost 100% raw (with exception of treats), he has been passing VERY stinky gas and his poop is extremely stinky.
He did have diarrhea when he was first fully switched, so I added more bone, calcium, and pumpkin to his food. The diarrhea is much better. I’m just wondering why the stinky gas and stool? Does this mean he’s not able to digest the raw meat? Do I have to add probiotics? Any suggestion is appreciated, if you have experienced the same, please help.
Thank you.

[Susan]

Hi Sandra,

Have you look at different diets, cooked, raw, wet can, freeze dried, air dried, what are their symptoms?
Have you done a food elimination diet?
until you work out what both your dogs can & can’t eat, you’ll be going around in circles & getting no where, or work out if they need more fiber or less fiber?? that’s easy, start adding boiled pumkin 1-2 spoons to one of their meals & not to the other meal & see if poo is firmer from the added pumkin meal. Poo will be a bit more orange..

I did the same with my boy, he didnt seem to do well on no kibbles when I first rescued him, turned out to have IBD, food sensitivities & environment allergies finally after 5yrs I’ve worked out his kibble needs to be higher in protein, low in fat & low in fiber %, less carbs & more meat & the Wellness Core Large Breed seem to agree with him maybe your dogs are the same…need more meat proteins & less carbs, I also feed dehydrated raw for 1 of his meals, I’m trying to get him off kibble he has too many stomach problems on dry kibble.

Have you tried “Wellness Core” Large breed kibble, its money back guaranteed if it doesnt agree with your dogs, that’s why I tried it + I had run out of dry kibbles to try on Patch, it does have potato but its very high in meat protein, it has 3 meat proteins as 1st, 2nd & 3rd ingredients then a carb as 4th ingredient.
low in fat & fiber & only 30% carbs & only 346Kcals per cup so easier to digest, the higher the Kcals the more dense the kibble, so kibble is harder to digest.

It may not be the ingredients they are reacting too? maybe the fiber, fat & protein percentages may not be agreeing with them in the kibbles you’ve tried?…

*Wellness Core Large Breed formula,
Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Potatoes, Peas, Tomato Pomace, Dried Ground Potatoes, Ground Flaxseed, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Chicken Flavor, Pea Fiber, Potassium Chloride, Spinach, Broccoli, Vitamin E Supplement, Carrots, Parsley, Apples, Blueberries, Kale, Sweet Potatoes, Taurine, L-Carnitine, Mixed Tocopherols added to preserve freshness, Zinc Proteinate, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Chondroitin Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Calcium Carbonate, Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Beta-Carotene, Vitamin A Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Chicory Root Extract, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Riboflavin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Calcium Iodate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Dried Lactobacillus plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus casei Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Rosemary Extract, Green Tea Extract, Spearmint Extract.
This is a naturally preserved product.
low in fat & fiber & only 30% carbs 346Kcals per cup,
it may not be the ingredients they are reacting too?? the fiber %, fat % & protein percentages may not be agreeing with them…

PROXIMATES:
MOISTURE
PROTEIN 34.17
FAT 12.88
CARBOHYDRATES 30.66
FIBER 4.89
ASH 7.56
AMINO ACIDS:
ARGININE 2.64
HISTIDINE 0.77
ISOLEUCINE 1.34
LEUCINE 2.20
LYSINE 1.98
MET + CYS 0.94
METHIONINE 0.57
PHE + TYR 2.40
PHENYLALANINE 1.37
THREONINE 1.31
TRYPTOPHAN 0.40
VALINE 1.53
FATTY ACIDS:
LINOLEIC ACID 2.19
ARACHIDONIC ACID 0.08
MINERALS:
CALCIUM 1.61
PHOSPHORUS 1.12
POTASSIUM 0.96
SODIUM 0.22
CHLORIDE 0.40
MAGNESIUM 0.17
IRON 254.27
COPPER 2.35
MANGANESE 2.82
ZINC 20.17
IODINE 0.29
SELENIUM 0.05
VITAMINS & OTHERS:
VITAMIN A 1,144.24 VITAMIN D3 84.63 VITAMIN E 62.67
VITAMIN K N/A THIAMINE (VITAMIN B1) 0.33 RIBOFLAVIN (VITAMIN B2) 0.76 PANTOTHENIC ACID 2.40
NIACIN 7.50
PYRIDOXINE 0.49
FOLIC ACID 23.44
BIOTIN 0.58 VITAMIN B12 7.96 CHOLINE 152.33
TAURINE 0.01
1 cup (g) 98
kcal/kg ME 3,540
kcal/cup 346
kcalories Total %
kcal- Protein 1,220 35.6%
kcal- Fat 1,117 32.5%
kcal- Carbohydrates 1,095 31.9%
Omega 3 Fatty Acids 1.00%
Omega 6 Fatty Acids 3.25%
Other Total per cup
Glucosamine Hydrochloride 750 mg/kg 73.3 mg
Chondroitin Sulfate 250 mg/kg 24.4 mg

[Airseabattle]

Pitlove,
Thank you very much for the links. I liked the mojo videos and watched two of them …so far. I’m now following them as I feel they can be a great source of information. They seem pretty progressive. I also found balanceit to be useful. Initially I had some problems finding the consulting section on balanceit. However, I eventually found it.

I am very excited about the idea of working with a pet nutritionist. So again, thank you for that. Have you used any of the consultants listed? Do you recommend any of them in particular? Also, do any of them work with raw diets? The ones I’ve viewed seemed to be geared towards those who want to feed a home cooked diet. Did any of you raw feeders work with a nutritionist?

Thanks again

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

[pitlove]

Hi again Airseabattle-

I think you will really enjoy BalanceIt.com. It’s a great website. If you decide to use their consultation service they can contact your vet and get any records needed to formulate a proper diet for your dog.

Also if you do end up staying on raw here is a link to a blog that I like. I feel this couple has successfully done a Prey Model Raw diet with their Staffordshire Bull Terrier. They have a YouTube and Insta gram page as well. http://mojoandfriends.blog/dog/

They have information about Mojo’s diet and other dog related things as well. They are also super nice people and if you comment on their Insta gram page are really nice.

As far as the debate on genetics vs environment goes… I will say that I disagree that pure bred dogs are unhealthy. Especially when purchased from an ethical, responsible breeder. These breeders are health testing these dogs, and spaying/neutering dogs that are not fit to be in their breeding program, so as not to put bad genetics into the population. Mixed breed dogs of unknown origin in my opinion are just as likely to be a walking health problem and vet bill, as a pure bred dog from a BYB. I’d personally rather a pure bred dog whos lineage and parents, grandparents, great grand parents, etc health I know. Kudos to you for supporting a responsible breeder and doing your homework on the breed/breeders.

[Susan]

Hi Lisa,
start looking for freeze dried or air dried raw diets, try & reduce all dry process kibbles.
There are NO better quality kibbles out there.. Kibbles are made from rotten meats & fly blown veggies, then kibbles are cooked at such high temperatures all the nutrience is killed, best to feed fresh whole foods, healthy foods you eat, your dog is very small, it wouldnt cost much to feed your girl a homemade cooked or raw diet, she’ll live longer & be healthier through out her life…
or look for human grade freeze or air dried food & rotate between different brands….

Look at Instinct freeze dried raw, Ziwi Peak air dried, Buckley Liberty freeze dried & Canisource Grand CRU dehydrated raw food instead of a dry process kibble.

[Nancy P]

Hi AC,

Thank you or your information. I will check on the food that you mention. I think the can albacore tuna and canned sardines is a good idea. In answer to your question, I have not added in any digestive enzymes or probiotics at this time but I am likely to do so in the near future. I’ve been reading about them and I have an idea of the ones that I want to use but I’m not quite ready to make that move just yet.

My dogs seem to be doing well so far with Dr. Marty’s food in that they have lots of energy, shiny hair, and look forward to their meal time. But, then they always have had lots of energy, well, because they are schnauzers. They have also always liked their food, even when I was feeding them kibble. Never a crumb left in site. The one thing that is different is that Kimmie Schnauzer does not have any skin issues going on at this time which is the first time in years for this. Time will tell if this continues or not. That’s what makes me nervous about all of this. We have no real way of knowing if there is a problem brewing until it shows up, but that’s the way it always is.

I keep reading and learning what I can. Some things seem to make a lot of sense but then I see some other things that I would not try, just because it involves adding in things like processed people food (cheese). If I do anything other than freeze dried raw diet, it will probably be either totally raw or raw cooked. Freeze dried is most convenient and would be easier for the few occasions when I have to kennel my dogs.

I do think Dr. Marty’s website could be better. I made a couple of suggestions but have not gone there recently to see if there have been any changes made.
Thanks again.

[Airseabattle]

I already mentioned that dog has been seen by a vet and specialists Have been brought on to monitor her. So Where are you getting that medical guidance will come exclusively from google and forums?

When I click your name, I don’t see a threads that show you being open to and actually feeding a raw diet then chronicaling your dog’s health decline as a result of raw diets. I just see plugs for a website. But Thanks for the link. I’ll take a look. I love to study new material. If things go wrong with raw and I need to go back to kibble, I’ll def look into following suggestions from it. Good luck to you.

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

[Airseabattle]

These aren’t dogs from some backyard breeder or pet store. They’re from a kennel that I have closely watched from a breeder who I have known for a decade. I met her through a referral from the chihuahua club of America (cca). If the last one lived to be 16 on Kibble (where kidney diseases caused by diet took her) , I’m not sure how 17 could be seen as unrealistic for a dog on a better diet.

Of course, I have the emergency pet hospitals number on file. I’ve had it since my last dog took her tragic turn. It would be irresponsible for any pet ownernot to have an emergency hospitals contact on file. An emergency can happen at any time. Whether or not you feed raw. My dog is just a baby and she’s already has appointments with specialists to ensure what happened with my last baby doesn’t happen to her. I’m very committed to prevention and catching everything early.

I’m not sure what caused you to be anti raw but it would help if your documentation into raw and the set backs caused by it were listed on here. Also, and I don’t mean this to be mean, but you should not assume everyone you talk to on here fails to do research. I’m surprised you thought I didn’t know much about akc, the breed parent clubs, or how to properly screen for breeders.

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

[Airseabattle]

Genetics leaves an indivual more susceptible to a condition but doesn’t gaurantee it will occur. I am very confident that my last dog’s teeth were caused by her diet which led to her health issues and ultimate demise. Therefore, I cannot in good faith, feed kibble. Thus far, my new pup is thriving on her raw diet.

She is young and healthy. This isn’t some older dog with compromised health. Fortunately, I have the resources to carefully monitor her and treat her for any issues that may arise as a result of feeding her raw. If things go wrong I’ll immediately get her treated and warn others. However, I’m confident nothing will go wrong as long as I carefully make sure she follows a well balanced raw diet. I am mixing her daily portion of ground meat with nupro for small breeds to help get it right.

I’m sorry about your dog. You never mentioned the breed. Mine was a purebred chihuahua from top show lines . I mention this because I read mixed breeds tend to live longer. I don’t think it’s fair to compare a mixed breed to a purebred. Still I’m doing all I can to ensure my new family member lives to be at least 17 and to make sure her quality of life is better than my departed angel.

[anonymous]

Age 17 is not realistic. Age 12 to 15 is more like it, and that is with good genes and the best diet and care. Most of my dogs were/are pure breeds. AKC, and all that bs.
Btw, often the paper work that accompanies a dog from puppy mills is not always accurate.

Good luck with the raw thing. Don’t take this the wrong way, but make sure you have the 24/7 emergency vet clinic’s number, directions and how long it will take you to get there taped to your fridg. Oh, make sure you have an active credit card. It can get pricey.
That’s where feeding raw took me.
Good luck

[anonymous]

“I feed her Acana and Orijen mostly but I remembered when she was a pup she mostly ate raw and didn’t have any issues at all”

That’s because allergies don’t tend to show up till later (age 1-4) and they tend to get worse with age.

Diet has nothing to with yeast, yeast is caused due to a breakdown in the immune system, same with the skin infections and ear infections.
I’m not a scientist, the dermatologist can explain it more clearly.

[Blaire S]

Google “BARF” diet. You can buy frozen chicken legs and thighs, check around to see if you can find a local source for beef, lamb organ meats. If you buy a few lbs at a time many butchers will order for you, then you can package in small quantities for freezing. For a raw diet, you don’t have to make anything, you just thaw a couple of day’s worth. A little planning and it gets easier. Ready made raw diets get expensive. A little research will go a long way!

[Airseabattle]

Noted. I will stop feeding canned sardines. Have you ever owned a purebred chihuahua, fed exclusively on a kibble diet. If so, how long did it live and what did it eventually die of? Mine lived to be 16 and died of chronic renal failure. She had horrible dental health throughout her life. Despite brushing and having her teeth cleaned by vet every other year. this is partly because i could not on my own access her under the gums issues.

I don’t want to have to keep putting my dog down for dental cleanings to have to remove the under the gum build up that results from eating kibble. That puts severe strain on the kidneys, as you already know. Like I did with my last dog who died of kidney disease. issues from periodontal disease is a major reason how dogs end up with heart, kidney , etc diseases. Even traditional vets admit that. I’m hoping to avoid that with a raw diet. Everyone I know who feeds raw have dogs with beautiful teeth and gums. I haven’t met an older dog raised on raw but do any of you with one have any testaments to the dog’s oral health?

My current vet is a traditional vet but hasn’t oppossed home cooked foods. We haven’t discussed raw but so far I am very pleased with the results. Anyone who has every watched a beloved family member die of renal failure should be scarred for life and not want a repeat.

[Airseabattle]

Susan,

Thank you so much for taking the time to post such an insightful and very helpful post. I do have a lot to learn, and your post really helped me out a lot. I did read to feed her sardines but didn’t know to save the water until you told me to 🙂 .i will def follow those pages you recommended. I have the book “Raw and Natural Nutirion For Dogs” by lew Olson. It teaches how to balance dog food and I’ve been doing my best to follow the guide.

The book (as well as many others) suggested feeding a variety of foods. Does switching Around the types of ground meat ( rotating between ground chicken, ground turkey, etc) count as variety? Also, is there a reason to include whole/ unground meats in diet versus simply sticking to ground meats?

And yes, the food I have been feeding her has been very cold. Straight from the fridge after defrosting cold. I didn’t know feeding food that is to cold would cause her to get sick. She seems to really love cold food. She will gulp down cold food. when I give her the now occasional cooked food ( whole hard boiled egg that has been pulverized in food processor) warmed to room temp using the microwave, she will let the food sit for hours before eating.

[Susan]

Hi
There’s Vet Diet “Royal Canine” Select Protein, Potato & Rabbit dry kibble & Wet can food
also look at “Ziwi Peak” has a Rabbit air dried formula & Rabbit wet tin raw food. https://www.ziwipets.com/
there’s also “Rayne” Clinical USA, Kangaroo, Rabbit or Crocodile formula’s..
It’s best you do your own raw elimination diet, that’s what I did with my boy 4yrs ago…

These salvia, blood or fur testing are not accurate, they give false positives, the only way 100% is to do a food elimination diet, normally dogs have food sensitivities, food allergies are very rare & the dog normally has IBD symptoms when he has food allergies….

[Nancy P]

Hi. Thank you for your response. The high fat content is a concern that I have but then, I’ve been told that if the fat content is from Omega 3, that is the healthy fat. My first Schnauzer had Pancreatitis and I hope to never have that happen again. I’m going to check with my vets tomorrow and see what they say. The skin issues that one has been having, I thought were Schnauzer bumps, but it ended up being more like an allergy. Anyway, that has greatly improved and she has more hair now.

I looked earlier today at Stella and Chewy’s raw diet as well as Primal freeze and both are higher in fat than some of the other raw diets. Dr. Marty’s Natural Blend has 39% protein 23% fat, 2.5% fiber, 4% moisture. So, that adds up to 68.5%. No idea why it doesn’t add up to 100%. I don’t really understand how that is all figured out.

This whole thing does make me nervous. I’ve had them on Natural Balance kibble forever and I was ok with it but I got to thinking that maybe the food was causing some of the skin issues.

I know that Schnauzers have their digestive health issues so I will do some more follow up on this. I’ll let you know what I find out.

[a c]

Hi Nancy,

I have two 11 years old miniature schnauzers. I tried Stella and Chewy’s raw patties and Primal freeze and dries raw last year. One of my schnauzers end up having pancreatitis. As you probably already know that Schnauzers are prone for pancreatitis. I then realized raw diet usually have high fat content. Do Dr Marty’s have lower fat content?

One of them also have a few “schnauzer bumps”. I switched them to low fat kibbles as base and add fresh vegetables, cooked or wet food, and salmon oil. I noticed her hair is becoming more silky like. Her hair used to be thicker and wiry.

[Nancy P]

Hi,
I’m new to raw diet and decided to go with the easier to manage freeze dried version of raw dog food. I’ve been feeding Dr. Marty’s Nature’s Blend now for close to two months. Yes, it’s expensive. I have two miniature schnuazers and made the change to this dog food cautiously. I don’t like changing thier diet but both are 13 years old, one with skin issues and the other with lots of lumps. I hope this new food will be healthier for them and not too high in fat content since that can be an issue for Schnauzers. So far, so good. They both really like the food and I’ve had no problem with hydrating so that it’s not watery. I do feed my one dog a bit more than what the guidelines suggest but the other dog is ok with the generic recommended quantity. The one dog with skin issues has been issue free now for about a month. First time in about 4 years. I’ve just taken her off of her daily medicine to see if she does ok or not. If not, I will put her back on it. So far, I have positive things to say.

[Susan]

Hi,
your girl probably vomited her raw food as it might have been too cold, my cat vomits up her raw mince sometimes if its too cold, so now after I take the raw meat from fridge I put in microwave for a few sec to take off the chill, she hasnt vomited her raw meal again……
Raw diet is the easiest for a dog & cat to digest, raw diet is easier then digesting a cooked meal & dry kibble, raw food has enzymes making it easier to digest but as soon as you cook food you kill enzymes vitamins etc, a dogs digestive tract is short, made to quickly digest raw meat then move from stomach to small bowel then large bowel so no bad bacteria starts breeding, the dogs short digestive tract is not made to digest all these dry processed kibbles, this is why so many dogs are having so many health problems now…
if you dont know how to balance a raw or cooked home made diet its very easy as you learn you could look at feeding dehydrated freeze dried raw diets, there’s a few freeze dried diets on the market now, look at “Ziwi Peak” air dried & their can foods, here’s link send them email & ask for samples… https://www.ziwipets.com/
also start buying tin sardines & tin salmon in spring water, drain the spring water out put in a small air tight container in fridge & add 2 spoons to one of her meals or as a small meal a day for her omega oils for her skin, coat, heart, brain, joints, bones etc also add 1 crushed egg shell to 1 of her meals a day….
It’s very easy feeding a raw diet once you start raw is easier to make then cooking meals & your feeding your dog what she is ment to eat a raw diet…
Dogs are healthier & live longer when feed a raw diet, then dogs who are feed processed dry kibble, quoted by “Dr Peter Dobias”….
Do you follow “Rodney Habib”on his face book page & his “Planet Paws”page? has always post really good info, also follow “Steve Brown” & “Dr Peter Dobias” ….

[Airseabattle]

I’m not sure of the temp. It was meat I had in the freezer for a month which I then defrosted in the fridge. Same with liver. No, I’m not solely feeding her just ground meat and liver. She also had a raw chicken wing and hard boiled egg with shell and shredded cooked chicken breast. Not all at once but spread out. Been eating that for days. Ground meat I introduced today and Only the ground meat made her vomit first time around. I tried again in smaller quantities and this she held down.

I personally do not trust aafco and flat out refuse to feed kibble as a main source to my dog. My last chihuahua lived to be 16. Most of her life ( I adopted her at six years old) she ate 4 star and up rated kibble. She STILL died of chronic renal failure due to diet. My vet is a wonderful woman but she’s so pro science diet/ Hill.

after two months of putting my baby on that hill renal diet she slightly went down in value then out of nowhere escalated to stage 4 and died a miserable , slow death. I spent thousands trying to fight the inevitable death. I even tried to get her a 20k kidney transplant from UC Davis just to be told there was nothing that could’ve been done and had a fed her a better diet things may have been different ( less kibble, carbs, grains, etc, more good quality protein) Never again.

Ps. My vet knows of my hatred of kibble and supports a home cooked diet but I’m not sure about the raw diet. I’m only doing raw while I wait for the supplements. Why are you against adding supplements? You say you like her recipes but Dr Olsen said in the book that the vitamins are depleted after cooking so supplements are a must…

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

[anonymous]

There is no reason to feed raw when you consider the risks. http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/nutrition/

https://www.mspca.org/angell_services/choosing-the-right-diet-for-your-pet/ (excerpt below, click on link for full article)
Raw diets are another popular option on the market today. Studies have shown that 20-35% of raw poultry and 80% of raw food dog diets tested contained Salmonella. This poses a health risk for your pet, but also for humans. This is especially true for children or immunocompromised adults, whether exposed to the raw food directly, or the feces of the pet eating the raw food. Additionally, there is increased risk of other bacterial infections and parasitic diseases when feeding raw diets. And the bottom line is there is no reason to believe raw food is healthier than cooked food.
The numerous dietary choices for your pet can be daunting but if you pick an AAFCO approved food made by a manufacturer with a long track record, odds are good that you will find a suitable food for your pet. Most of the large pet food companies employ full time veterinary nutritionists and have very high quality control standards. That is not to say that a small company cannot produce nutritious and high quality food, but you should check out their website if it’s a company that is not familiar to you. Take the time to research, and ask your veterinarian if you have specific questions or concerns.
Please understand that this article is meant to provide basic dietary guidelines for healthy pets. If your pet has specific health issues, then your veterinarian may make specific food recommendations, which may include special prescription diets.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Lauren-
Congratulations on your new adorable puppy! Looks like he found a great home.
I do like to rotate foods a bit also. I usually feed one brand for four or five months, rotating through their different flavors paying particular attention to calories and fat. I like to feed them food that is around the same amount of calories. It just keeps it simpler for knowing how much for everyone in our house to feed them and to keep their weight fairly stable. I add a couple of spoonfuls of canned food, sardines or eggs to their meals. I used to feed some commercial raw as a topper as well, but NO more after all the recalls of late!

I pretty much feed my cats the same dry food and switch up their canned food for some variety in their diet.

Good luck with your new pup. Keep it simple! I’m learning that feeding them different foods is probably as much or more for our own enjoyment as it is theirs! LOL! Best Wishes.

[Susan]

Hi Hronn,
like CockerlierMon has posted just feed the Hills Z/d nothing else & see does he start getting better?? Vet diets are high in Omega 3 so skin should start to improve, the only way to find out what foods your dog can eat is to do a food elimination diet, he eats 1 meat protein & 1 carb for 6-8 weeks if he has no reaction diarrhea, sloppy poos, wind, farts, itchy smelly yeasty skin, itchy ears, shaking head/ears, red itchy paws, etc then you introduce another new ingredient for 6 weeks see how he goes, does he react?
You can do food elimination diet with the Hills Z/d formula wet or dry formula’s or there’s Hills D/D formula you can try if the Hills Z/d doesn’t work for him, it takes time doing food elimination diet but you will know 100% what ingredients he can & can’t eat..
See how he does on the Hills Z/D, the Z/d didn’t work for my boy, it has Corn Starch & my boy reacts to corn he gets red paws & his skin started to smell yeasty & he became real itchy, Hills is money back guaranteed so if your boy starts having diarrhea, yeasty itchy skin, or gets worse like my boy did then you can take back for refund or try another vet diet like “Royal Canine” Hypoallergenic HP…My dog was put on the Z/d for his IBD & then he started having his yeasty smelly paws & skin…
What symptoms is your dog having? Intestinal problems, skin problems or both?
are you bathing weekly in a medicated shampoo to wash off any allergens on skin, paws etc, baths are really good & relieves itchy skin & paws, I also use creams on paws & around mouth anywhere thats red & itchy I apply cream to stop the itch & reduce the reddness, I use Cortisone 1% cream at night before bed & of a morning before our walk I use “Sudocrem” Sudocrem is a anti bacterial, anti fungul thick healing cream for Dermatitis, Eczema, Nappy Rash, protects the skin & paws…
If you boy can handle Lentils, Chickpeas & Peas (Diarrhea/sloppy poos, wind/farts) then the dry kibble Nutram looks very good, but it has alot of ingredients, he needs a dry kibble that has limited ingredients, 1 meat protein & 1-2 carbs so there’s less ingredients for him to react too….
Can you feed a raw diet or cooked diet? this would be best, if the Hills Z/d makes him better then after 8 weeks just eating the Hills Z/d then start introducing 1 new ingredient with the Z/d food or for lunch feed this new 1 cooked ingredient for 6 weeks then after 6 weeks if he doesnt react then add another new ingredient then you can cook 1 meal with these ingredients he can eat & didnt react & feed the Hills Z/d for his other meal.
Baby steps, do it slowley & keep a diary, write down what your doing, he might have both food sensitivities & environment allergies, if he’s having Intestinal problems & itchy smelly skin, paws…

[haleycookie]

I’m not a huge fan of natural balance. It’s more carbs than it is anything else. Which I guess would cause weight gain, but I wouldn’t make it her permanent diet. I don’t think any certain food will do a whole lot but I would try natures variety raw boost. It has a nice ratio of carbs to fat to protein, which i think would be better for gaining weight than just loading up the carbs. But whatever you do keep her on a puppy food of some type until she starts filling out. She is still considered a puppy and puppy foods will be high fat and protein for growing muscles.

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

[anonymous]

My dogs do well on Zignature as a base with a little chopped boiled chicken meat and water or chicken broth mixed in.
/forums/topic/help-food-change-disaster/#post-111832

See chewy dot com for more information and reviews on Zignature.

PS: Listen to your wife 🙂

There is no reason to feed raw when you consider the risks. http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/nutrition/

https://www.mspca.org/angell_services/choosing-the-right-diet-for-your-pet/ (excerpt below, click on link for full article)
Raw diets are another popular option on the market today. Studies have shown that 20-35% of raw poultry and 80% of raw food dog diets tested contained Salmonella. This poses a health risk for your pet, but also for humans. This is especially true for children or immunocompromised adults, whether exposed to the raw food directly, or the feces of the pet eating the raw food. Additionally, there is increased risk of other bacterial infections and parasitic diseases when feeding raw diets. And the bottom line is there is no reason to believe raw food is healthier than cooked food.
The numerous dietary choices for your pet can be daunting but if you pick an AAFCO approved food made by a manufacturer with a long track record, odds are good that you will find a suitable food for your pet. Most of the large pet food companies employ full time veterinary nutritionists and have very high quality control standards. That is not to say that a small company cannot produce nutritious and high quality food, but you should check out their website if it’s a company that is not familiar to you. Take the time to research, and ask your veterinarian if you have specific questions or concerns.
Please understand that this article is meant to provide basic dietary guidelines for healthy pets. If your pet has specific health issues, then your veterinarian may make specific food recommendations, which may include special prescription diets.

[Chuck]

So I have been feeding my Brittney (5) Darwins since she was a puppy and my Foxhound (3) since we got him which was about a year ago. I live in Tampa, FL and the cost of shipping is just crazy, so between the cost, the Darwin customer service and recalls and my wife shying away from raw since we have a newborn, I really need a good solution.

Should I switch to a kibble like Orijen? A mix like Merrick Back Country Infused Raw, Kibble plus dehydrated raw supplements or is there another raw option that would be more cost-effective, and she isn’t going to let me grind anything up so bulk probably wouldn’t work.\

I just want to make sure they keep being healthy and I hate the idea of just putting them back on kibble. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Patricia A]

I am switching from Fromm grain free kibble to Stella n Chewy’s raw coated. My 16 year old has done great on the Fromm with a topper of Vets Choice Health Extensions for a little extra protein so not switching her at her age. However my little four year old has not been eating it and I turn my back and my middle 8 year old who is a little overweight scarfs hers down, So I’m having luck with her eating the Stella’s with a topping of their freeze dried. So I was very happy with my decision since both are five star. Now I’m very worried that they both have suncured alfalfa high up on the list of ingredients. I checked primal freeze dried and it also contains suncured alfalfa though further down on list of ingredients. I’ve read negative things about suncured alfalfa in dogs diet . Anyone else with this concern . Thank you for any info.

[Connie S]

I’ve fed my dog Acana since a pup..she’s now 7. In January she was diagnosed with stage 4 kidney failure. She doesn’t have the typical symptoms of kidney failure but her blood results and many other tests indicates this diagnosis. I am so upset to think that in making the choice to feed her a high quality food that it could have potentially resulted in this.

I’ve taken her off kibble and now feed a modified raw diet that fits with her needs. So far it seems to be working and her interest in food high.

[anonymous]

I would go by what a veterinarian that has examined your dog recommends.
I would not give over the counter medications or supplements, unless the vet approves.
I would consider making some diet changes as he probably can no longer tolerate raw and would do better on a bland commercial food, but first take him in for a vet visit, labs, senior workup.
There is probably a lot you can do under the guidance of a vet to keep your dog comfortable.
Best of luck.

[Susan]

Hi Lesile,
As we age & dogs age we don’t make as much hydrochloric acid & get acid reflux, it’s called Hypochlorhydria-lack stomach acid & Hyperchlorhydra-excessive acid production both contribute to acid reflux in pets as well as additional symptoms burping, gas, rumbling/grumbling bowel noises, abdominal bloating, mouth licking swollowing, my boy grinds his teeth…
Is he on an anti acid medication?? you can try a mild ant acid medication like Pepcid (Famotidine) or I started Patch on Zantac (Ranitidine) we dont have Pepcid in Australia no more its an old ant acid drug & I think it interfered with other medications, with these 2 ant acid drugs you have to give tablet 30-45mins before they eat twice a day the doses are online… I’d ask your vet can you try Prilosec (Omeprazole) it’s an ant acid blocker, sends a msg to brain, its a Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) given just once a day, you dont need to wait 30mins before you take it like other ant acid meds, my Gastro Dr said its best taken first thing of a morning 20mins before you eat breaskfast, so by the the time you make your cuppa & his breakfast its about 20 mins, the only thing with PPI’s after you have taken it for 21 days you cant just stop taking a PPI, you must reduce slowly, Patched IBD vet recommended I do what he does with himself, he said to do give 20mg Prilosec tablet for 3-4 days then stop if acid has gone & he’s better, then if he gets his acid reflux again give the Prolosec for 3 days, you dont have to wait till the next morning to give table just give when he has any ant acid symptoms.
I found Patch was heaps beter while taken his Losec & then he’d be OK for 2 days then back to bad acid of a morning, vomiting yellow acid then after they vomit the excess acid burns their throat, I buy the Liquid Mylanta & keep in the fridge so its cold & when Patch had his acid reflux & has vomited up the acid I’d give him about 4mls of the cold Mylanta in a syringe….
Patches vet gives me 6 repeat scripts of the Losec now cause he takes it everyday, I buy from the chemist its heaps cheaper, it cost about $4-5$ a tablet from the vet, very expensive here in Australia….
Your poor boy probably has acid reflux, I did Endoscope + Biopsies for Patch, when vet looked down Patches throat everything looked great but the biopsies told a different story Patch had Helicbactoer-Pylori Spirals which cause bad acid reflux & IBD..

Acid Reflux is worse early hours of the morning, with the Prilosec I give Patch 20mg as soon as he wakes up around 6am, I have everything near my bed, the tablets & I full the syringe up with water the night before, just make sure after you have put the tablet on the back of his tongue & down his throat you have one of those 20ml syringes & put water in the side of his mouth slowly push the plunger on syringe so he swollows the tablet, the tablet washes down his throat & doesn’t sit & dissolve in his throat.
Another thing start feeding 4-5 smaller lean meals a day, I feed Patch 7am 12pm 5pm & 8pm, at 7am & 5pm these meals are a bit bigger & at 12pm & 8pm he gets 1/3 a cup….

Have you tried changing his diet to a cooked low fat diet, I do both but dont feed together feed at separate meals, I’ve started Patch on Freeze dried dehydrated raw now, its an Australian brand “Frontier Pets” there’s might be a low fat freeze dried raw brand in America & see if does he do better on the raw diet, cooked diet or on the freeze dried diet then feed the one he seems to do best on but after trying all different things for Patch the Prilosec worked the best…

[Leslie K]

Westie has always had sensitive stomach with occasional bile vomit and refusing of food. Only occurs in early morning accompanied by noisy stomach / intestines. In the last month has been virtually every morning. Murphy is 14 yrs old and has been on a twice a day feeding of prey type raw diet his entire life which eliminated skin allergies.
Have tried splitting his dinner and giving 2nd portion before bed as well as just giving him some sweet potato or 1/2 slice of bread at bedtime. That works occasionally but not enough. Any suggestions on what my senior boy might need in his elder years to make it through the night without waking with stomach distress? Maybe probiotics?

[Lisa K]

I can almost 100% tell you that your dogs seizures came from the food you are feeding them.

My dog Horus ( Shih Tzu Chihuahua mix. Completely Shih in apearence) 5 years old at the time, was perfectly healthy. I had been feeding him Prina One dog food. At the time I was unaware of what Raw dog food and thought I was feeding a good quality brand of Purina. Well one day he just feel over and his body seized, foam started coming out his mouth, his eyes bucked out. I grab him up hysterically thinking he was having a heart attack. I was about to try CPR on him, when he snap out of it and jumped up, and began running around. I got online immediately and started searching for a reason by symptoms. I came to the conclusion it was a seizure and hoped it would not happen again. A few days went by and he had another one, but this time he began having them every 30 mins to an hour in between. I rush him to the vet. They administered phenobarbital and did blood work. His readings were normal with a slightly elevated liver, which the vet said could be the problem but he was not sure. I took him home with a prescription. The doctor said he would need these meds for the rest of his life. I didn’t believe him because that’s what they said about my daughter when she was one. The doctors gave her to high a does once and I pulled her off the meds. She’s 26 now and has never had another seizure, but I gave Horus the meds as prescribed. One day the thought hit me that it could be his food. I started researching the brand I was feeding him and discovered that Purina had several law suites against them for seizure related issues. I was stunned. I continued to research to find what I should be feeding him and found out the a Raw food diet was the best options for dogs. After more research on quality and the best brands I immediately ordered his Raw food. Over the next few weeks I whenned him off the meds. For the next 2 years he never had another Seizure.

Now 3 weeks ago I forgot to order his food and had to get a bag from the market. This time I got Pedigree until his food could arrive. Big mistake. 2 days into the Pedigree he began having seizures again. I rushed him to the vet emergency because he was not recovering from it. They just kept coming. They put him on Keppra and Potassium Bromide which did absolutely nothing to stop the seizures and later his normal vet told me vets sale this stuff to make more money. It does not work, and it’s way more expensive then phenobarbital. My vet gave him one shot of phenobarbital and started Horus on a regiment of vitimains, Enzymes and Amino Acids along with a suggestion to purchase a product called Vet CBD, which I got immediately after leaving her office. These along with the Raw food should help in his recovery. She also said that he may have some brain damage because of the severity of his seizure this time. It has now been 1 week and Horus has not had another seizure. I am still working on his recovery as I do think he may have suffered some brain damage as he will not stop endlessly pacing. He has a wonderful appetite and his blood work remains good.

With all this said, I do see that your pooch is on a raw food diet, but I would also suggest you get her started on supplements also. What she recommended was: Arthur Dex joint support for all animals given by weight of dog, Ultimate Daily Classic 1/2 pill daily, and Ultimate Selenium1/2 pill daily, All by a company called Youngevity which you can get on Amazon. The Vet CBD I’m not sure you can get. It depends on the state you live in. I’m in California and Cannabis is legal here.

I hope some of the info I left helps you in some way.

[anonymous]

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=homemade+diet excerpt below, click on link for full article and comments

Evidence Update–Homemade Diet Recipes for Your Pet are Unreliable
Posted on May 20, 2013 by skeptvet
I have previously discussed studies of recipes for homemade diets, from books and the internet, which show that these diets are rarely nutritionally adequate or reliable in terms of consistently providing predictable levels of critical nutrients. Recipes for kidney disease, cancer diets, and raw diets have all been evaluated and found wanting. Now the largest study yet looking at the nutritional adequacy of homemade diet recipes has been published and—surprise, surprise—it has found that almost none of the recipes evaluated provide recommended levels of important nutrients.

[Marla G]

Didn’t intend to originally, but I put my dog back on PP 30/20 Sport. Once he gets straightened out again after his poor experience on “Go” and Acana, I’ll look for something to mix with the 30/20. I can’t say my dogs have been better off on the boutique foods, and in some cases haven’t thrived on some at all. Again, dissolutioned. I know too many people in the show world that feed 30/20. I see their dogs and they look amazing. And I even tried raw, first back in the 1980’s, and then in 2005. Unhappy both times. Thinking back about the dogs I grew up with, a Poodle and Border Collie. Wonderful companions that lived 16 and 17 years. My mom fed them Science Diet. I’ve always wondered, why did they thrive on that diet?

[Carrie W]

I am saddened by this lawsuit, however I read the letter sent out by Champion in regards to this lawsuit. I think everyone should at least consider both sides. I had already read the white paper (re: heavy metals in their food) info on Champion’s website (its in their library). I don’t know how long it has been available but it was a while back when I reviewed it. I have fed several different foods over the years. And when I got my latest GSD I did a lot of research and DFA became my favorite follow up site. When I reviewed the ingredients in Orijen I was so glad to see a food that was made with real meats with no meals, no by-products, etc. It even went beyond by using real fruits, veggies and herbs. It was refreshing and as for a kibble I could not find another that matched it. I researched heavy metals and the heavy metals in human foods as well and found the unfortunate truth that we and our pets our exposed to these heavy metals everywhere in our environment. The soil, air, and water which allows it to get into our foods. After all my hard research there was a negative for every positive. So I decided that a variety would probably be the best diet and why not that makes the most sense. I have to apologize to my past dogs for this, as they did not have this luxury. So I feed a mixture of Orijen Tundra, Primal Raw, Pumpkin, Pre-Probiotics, other raw meats, fruits and veggies. I hope that we will be able to remove more or all heavy metals from human and pet foods one day.

[Susan]

Hi Kim,
So sorry for your girl, it sounds awful, I dont know anything about MMM…
About making her eat, I wouldn’t push her head into the bowl of food, instead get a spoon & sppon soft blended food in side of her mouth under her to lip, like you do when giving syringed water also start her on electrolytes with water, give every hour if she isnt eating or drinking water…..Do you live America? I live Australia & we have a really good dehydrated raw food called “Fronteir Pets” it has no bone, smells beautiful & is human grade ingredients, the meat is free range chickens, pigs or cows, I smash the balls up then add water & the food all softens up & the dog or cat can just lick up the food or it can be put into a big 20ml syringe & put in the side of your dogs mouth slowly push syringe…
Can you find a dehydrated food like “Honest Kitchen” Zeal or Hope formula, there’s a few formula’s with grains or no grains, higher in fat higher in fiber & some are higher in protein you need to look at the ingredients & see which formula will suit your girl, Honest Kitchen has samples you can try, if she takes a steriod, then look for a lower fat diet cause of the acid reflux & ulcers steriod can cause, the vet put my dog on a ant acid med before 1/2 hour before he took the steriod with food to be on the safe side… you add water & the Honest kitchen reconstitutes or can you get some sweet potatoes peel & boil also get some lean chicken breast or turkey mince & cook then put 1/2 sweet potato & 1/2 meat into a blender & blend, this will be easier to eat & spoon into side of mouth if she cant lick up food, even cottage cheese is good, scrambled egg, Predisone can cause acid reflux so your girl will have to have food in her stomach first then take the predisone mash into a bit of sweet potato or pumkin….
Have you looked on facebook for any groups for Canine Masticatory Muscle Myositis or Yahoo also has groups best to talk with people who have dogs that are going thru the same health problems also find a vet or a holistic vet that knows all about MMM cause the only way to eat soften kibble is make the kibble soft then drain out all the water, I use to 1/2 the swollen kibbles in the bowl then cuff my hand over side of bowl & kibble & squeeze out all the water then I put swollen kibbles in a blender & blended in sections, the kibble would fluffed up, it depended on which kibble I used, some brands of kibble when I soaked in water then drained all the water then put in the blender the kibble turned to goo I suppose if she can lick she can lick it up, another food people feed is baby food..

[Lewis F]

This is a reply from Champion Dog Food facebook page:
Champion Petfoods is with Maureen Randall Breakfield.
18 hrs ·
Dear Fellow Pet Lovers,

The allegations contained within a Class Action Complaint that was brought against us on March 1st are meritless and based on misinterpretation of the data.

Let us assure you that our products are safe and that we systematically test our products at two third-party laboratories using the Official Methods of Analysis by Association of Analytical Communities (AOAC). While we plan to comprehensively refute the wide range of false allegations in a court of law at the appropriate date, in the interim we want you to be confident in the safety and quality of our products.

For more information, we urge you to read: ORIJEN and ACANA Foods in Comparison to Pet Food Safety Standards, here: http://bit.ly/2HMvJiy

As you know, our commitment to using fresh and raw meat and fish ingredients means that pets and Pet Lovers can count on Champion to provide safe, Biologically Appropriate™ nutrition. Much like the natural human food we consume, Champion Petfoods contains small traces of a range of naturally occurring elements. These so-called ‘heavy metals’ are found throughout the Earth’s environment, and the miniscule amounts of these substances found in Champion Petfoods are a safe and common component of both human and animal diets. Our Biologically Appropriate™ foods feature much higher levels of quality fresh and raw meat ingredients than conventional pet foods, including fish and seafood ingredients.

Please know that we are confident that we will prevail as the facts and evidence are presented to the court, and that these baseless claims will not deter us from our mission of delivering award-winning Biologically Appropriate™ foods. The legal complaint has no bearing whatsoever on the activities or operation of our business, and you will continue to enjoy the same high degree of professionalism and quality you have come to expect from Champion.

Thank you for your continued commitment to our company and our quality food products.

Champion Petfoods

Image may contain: text

[haleycookie]

Raw diets should contain the precentages I posted above. Where do you live? Usually if there’s any type of meat market around you butchers are begging ppl to take the less sought after organs. And will typically sell them in bulk for low prices. Same with unwanted meaty bones. If you’re just feeding ground beef right now your dog isn’t getting a lot of vitamins. There should be bones and organs (liver and secreting) added to have full benefits.

[Connie L]

Im new to this site and i need some help, im having the worst time with my pitti.. she is having really bad skin issues that affect her ears, her belly skin, and her skin is flaking and she is loosing little patches of hair… every site i have gone on say pitties are notorious for these issue and RAW is the beat way to go.. BUT……. she is allergic to chicken, and alot of these diets call for feeding chicken, a buddy of mines gave me a meal plan to start… i started with ground beef and she seems to be loving the food she cleans her bowl, i also see that they require organs but where i live its seems like its not easy to aquire all the wierd stuff… i guess i need help with meal planning. 😫😫

[pitlove]

Hi Brendan-

I don’t feed raw for a lot of reasons, but here is a blog written by a woman from the Netherlands who has, in my opinion, correctly done a Prey Model Raw diet for her dog Mojo.

http://mojoandfriends.blog/2017/10/29/prey-model-raw-diet-dogs/

They also have a YouTube channel with meal prep videos.

https://www.youtube.com/user/Marijkee17

And if you follow her Insta gram page, she answers questions about Mojos diet.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 9 months ago by pitlove.

[Carrie H]

Hi,
My dod
My dog is now on a raw diet. Which treats or bones are compatible with this? Thanks

[Susan]

Hi Patty,
are you walking her daily, throwing a ball in the yard or park for 20mins X 3 times a day? Excerise will help her lose weight, get her into a routine with her excerising, eat meals the same time, feed 3 small meals a day, if she is hungry then start adding beans with her raw food or as a treat, buy the frozen beans, make sure she goes on daily walks, same time everyday…
A raw diet does make the dog lose weight, cause they are not eating all those carbs that’s in dry processsed kibbles, they are eating what their bodies have been build to eat, raw food, a dog has a short digestive tract made to quickly digest raw meat & move quickly into the small bowel before any bacteria starts to breed, the raw meat moves thru the stomach quickly into the small bowel then large bowel then poo…
A raw diet is healthier, higher in protein & higher fat what a dog needs….
I’ve just started my 9yr boy on Dehydrated Raw Diet. “Frontier Pets” due to declining health, I have to try everything before I put him to sleep, I just wish I started him on this dehydrated raw diet earlier when it came out… I know in the past my boy lost weight when he was eating a home made raw diet, I didnt want him to lose weight, I had to increase his raw diet to keep his weight on, the home made raw diet stopped his yeasty smelly skin, stopped his red paws, then I started a raw elimination diet & found he can not eat chicken, it was the chicken causing his red paws & itchy smelly skin, he also suffers with Seasonal Environment Allergies as well Spring & Summer & baths are best for environment allergies, you wash off the allergens that’s on their skin & paws……
Are you bathing her weekly or twice a week? or as soon as you see her really scratching, rolling around on carpet grass scratching herself give her a bath in a medicated shampoo, it will reduce her itchy skin & paws. I use “Malaseb” Medicated Shampoo for Patch, the Malaseb kills any bacteria or yeast on his skin & paws, relieves his itchy skin & red paws, puts moisture back into his skin & leaves him feeling so soft & silky.. Buy some Malaseb shampoo & start bathing weekly or every 5 days especially now Spring is here….
Look for a raw wet diet or dry air dried raw diet or dehydrated raw diet & stop the Wellness Core dry kibble, if you have 1/4 to 1/2 a bag of the Core then take it back to pet shop & buy her some more raw food, just feed her the raw diet for 1 month & you will see a difference, have you looked at Ziwi Peak air dried & wet can food raw? Ziwi Peak has limited ingredients & good for dogs who have food sensitivities & environment allergies, You don’t need to feed as much as you do with the dry kibble, the 1/2 a cup comes in the Ziwi Peak bag, here’s their site https://www.ziwipets.com/ contact Ziwi Peak if you have any questions.

[pitlove]

Hi Patty-

I think thats a really great question you are asking, but unfortunetly difficult to answer, so I will give you pros and cons.

Pros (from what I’ve heard) from a raw diet is healthy teeth, small stool, evidence of help with allergic dogs. Cons are pathogen exposure, potentially not balancing the meals correctly, possible GI obstruction from bone content.

Weight loss can be tricky. The key is to burn more calories than what is being consumed. If she is not active and is still getting extras in her diet (like the pork pattie and other treats), but isn’t getting enough exercise to burn off those calories, she will not lose weight even on a raw diet. And yes, I’ve seen overweight dogs on raw diets. Raw isn’t a cure all for weight control. You, the owner, still have to put in the work and get the dog exercising. Walks are good, fetch in the yard is good. We use something called a “flirt pole” with my dog to burn calories. The big thing is going to be no more treats! Also, you will need to make sure that everyone in your household is on board with trying to help her lose the weight. Explain to them that she can live up to 2 years longer if you help her lose weight and yall want to keep her around for as long as possible.

[patty S]

She has dry skin and scratches all the time. I have tried a homeopathic treatment for itching cuased by environmental allergies but so far there is only a slight improvement. The vet did give her a shot last year that worked great for the itching but I hate to keep using that as my research showed it wasn’t a great choice. I do give her coconut oil. I am at my wits end. I tried the raw diet and she likes it and is healthy except overweight still. Anyway, thank you.
Patty

[anonymous]

Hope these articles help. When you do “research” you are going to get all kinds of opinions.
Homeopathic veterinarians have very different views on diet than traditional veterinarians.
So you will get a lot of conflicting information, and some of it will not be accurate.

https://www.mspca.org/angell_services/choosing-the-right-diet-for-your-pet/ excerpt below

“Raw diets are another popular option on the market today. Studies have shown that 20-35% of raw poultry and 80% of raw food dog diets tested contained Salmonella. This poses a health risk for your pet, but also for humans. This is especially true for children or immunocompromised adults, whether exposed to the raw food directly, or the feces of the pet eating the raw food. Additionally, there is increased risk of other bacterial infections and parasitic diseases when feeding raw diets. And the bottom line is there is no reason to believe raw food is healthier than cooked food”.

“The numerous dietary choices for your pet can be daunting but if you pick an AAFCO approved food made by a manufacturer with a long track record, odds are good that you will find a suitable food for your pet. Most of the large pet food companies employ full time veterinary nutritionists and have very high quality control standards. That is not to say that a small company cannot produce nutritious and high quality food, but you should check out their website if it’s a company that is not familiar to you. Take the time to research, and ask your veterinarian if you have specific questions or concerns”

“Please understand that this article is meant to provide basic dietary guidelines for healthy pets. If your pet has specific health issues, then your veterinarian may make specific food recommendations, which may include special prescription diets”

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/nutrition/

[haleycookie]

Would you eat processed foods that have to have artificial vitamin packs added to your foods? Or would you prefer a balanced fresh food diet? Same for dogs. Whether you do a cooked or raw diet there is no competition when comparing the burnt little rocks we call commercial dog food. Granted fresh diets aren’t for everyone as it can be time consuming and if you have a large dog or a lot of dogs it can be expensive. If you shop wisely and make your own meals for small dogs it’s no more expensive then buying a premium kibble.

[Susan]

Hi Gaby,
Please don’t go Gaby, I know to end up here on DFA, your desperate to help your dog… that’s how I got here 5yrs ago…
XXX TEXT REMOVED XXX
I hate seeing dogs suffer, Ive been thru heaps with Patches IBD & like to help other dogs get on the right track & get better, its sad having a sick dog epecially when some vets do NOT know what’s wrong with these dogs…

This sounds like what my Patch gets, very hungry, stomach pain, eats food then feel better for a couple of hours, then it all starts over again, he gets Helicobacter-Pylori Spirals”, all dogs have Helicobacter BUT the Helicobacter takes over some dogs stomach & lives in their stomach wall cause they don’t have a healthy stomach….
Ask your vet can you do “Endoscope + Biopsies” or ask vet can ur dog start the Triple Therapy meds “Metronidazole” taken every 12 hours with a meal. “Amoxicillin” also taken every 12 hours with a meal & 20mg “Prilosec” (Ant Acid Blocker) taken in morning 30mins before breakfast & then other meds taken with breakfast, these 3 drugs are taken for 3 weeks….
The first time Patch took the Triple Therapy meds, he became better within 5days I had a normal dog, he finshed all the triple therapy meds but within 2-3 months Patch was hungry again, whinging again the Helicobacter returned, so we re did the 3 week triple therapy meds & when the triple therpy meds finished, I continued the Losec every morning, so the Helicobacter has no stomach acid to live in…I read a study that had been done where taken when a PPI is taken (Prilosec) it stopps the Helicobacter from returning, Patches Helicobacter did NOT return for 4-5 yrs, then last December Patch went dont hill & stopped eating, so I started feeing him dry kibble with grains & Beet Pulp, kibbles he he’d eat, he still continued to go down hill so I asked his vet can we do another the Endoscope & Biopsies, I thought he had Stomach Cancer but Patches Helicobacter Spiral were mild & returning, so back on the triple therapy meds & we increased & changed his PPI (acid blocker) which is Pantoprazole now, but I think the Losec was working better??

Look for low fiber, gluten free, grain free diet…. if you can feed cooked meal or feed freeze dried raw thats heaps better then a dry kibble… Feed 4-5 smaller meals a day, dont just feed 2 larger meals a day, need to keep the acid reflux down…
Patches lower esophageal Spincter flap isnt closing now & kibble is the only thing that stays down in his stomach, wet cooked canned foods come back up… Patch is 9yrs old…

• This reply was modified 7 years, 9 months ago by Mike Sagman. Reason: Text removed by moderator

[Susan]

Hi Jean,
are you on facebook? start following Rodney Habib, Dr Peter Dobias, Planet Paws, Dr Karen Becker, Steve Brown….
Rodney Habib has quick easy to follow video’s educating pet owners about pet foods, dogs diet over vaccinating etc,
Start looking for Freeze Dried Raw, Air Dried raw -“Ziwi Peak” make really good wet & dry dog food, send them an email for samples- https://www.ziwipets.com/ when you send email ask them any questions you may have or there’s Dehydrated raw foods “Honest Kitchen”
Try & avoid dry processed kibbles if you can, also start feeding either home made raw or cooked meals as well..