[Susan]

Hi Ann c,
sounds like she is getting TOO much fiber that may be in the Purina One weight management formula, I posted in my posts above don’t feed a weight management kibble to a dog with Pancreatitis or has had Pancreatitis, weight management formula’s have more fiber, it may not say it on the Guaranteed Analysis section but they will have either more soluble fiber or more of the in soluble fiber to keep the dog feeling fuller for longer…Higher fiber diets are not recommended for dog with Pancreas, it’s more work on the Pancreas…..
What happened when you where adding the boiled pumkin?? Pumkin softens my boys poo, pumkin actually makes his poos very soft when I add 2 tablespoons with a meal or a treat, the vet recommended adding 1 tablespoon of boiled pumkin with my boy meals, pumkin is very easy to digest & soothes the stomach & intestinal tract…. also a wet diet is better then a dry proceed kibble….
Join the “Canine Pancreatitis Support group” look in the “Files” there’s 2 different links with low fat wet & dry formula’s you can feed, just avoid any of the weight management dry kibbles….
You’ll get heaps of support from other people in the group that have a dog with Pancreatitis & are going thru similar problems…Lisa who runs the group feeds a raw diet to her Pancreatitis dog, a few people feed raw, some feed a cooked meals & some feed both cooked for some meals & kibble for other meals this may help prevent any constipation that may happen when you fully introduce the Purina One formula….

[aimee]

Hi KodaHappyTails,

So sorry to learn of your dogs illness. I lost one of my dog at the age of 14 possible from her Mast Cell disease. She was diagnosed ~ 7 years prior and treated twice with Chemo therapy. Her oncologist said she’d never had a dog with such extensive Mast Cell cancer do so well for so long. I didn’t change her diet, she ate a therapeutic low fat diet made by Eukaneuba probably about 50%-60% carb calories with fresh fruits and vegetables.

My sister’s dog survived Lymphoma, the only dog I’ve ever known that survived that disease. She was feeding Iams Mini chunk before the diagnosis and continued to feed that through Chemo and recovery.

Cancer cells do preferentially utilize glucose but I don’t think a low carb diet or a ketogenic diet influences growth to any appreciable degree as the glucose levels in the blood will remain within a narrow range. There are some weak published studies in mouse model brain cancer and a ketogenic diet but it is a large leap from that to application of cancers of other types in other species.

Personally I think the KetoPet group is after a money grab. They haven’t published anything in a peer reviewed journal. I think ultimately they are going to try and generate a lot of hype through their unsubstantiated reporting and then market a diet to pet owners and this is why you won’t find any information on the diet on their site. If you want to feed a ketogenic diet Purina makes Brightmind and Neurocare.

I see no advantage to feeding a raw diet. The safest way to do this if you elect to do so is to use a commercial HPP product The only one I’d consider is Nature’s Variety

[HoundMusic]

NO. Raw is about the worst thing you could do, as dogs with cancer have a compromised immune system and cannot handle the bacteria in raw meat. There is also a risk of high fat and protein accelerating tumor growth. Certain carbs DO feed off simple sugars, but then again, so do all healthy cells. Furthermore, I have personally seen raw fed dogs with cancer develop secondary issues, namely, hypothyroidism, related to the long-term suppression of immune system function. Lightly cooked, lean meats heavy on veg and with small amounts of complex carbohydrates, supplemented with Omega 3, is probably your best bet for a cancer management diet.

[Susan]

Hi,
can you afford to see a diet nutritionist they will make a special diet for your dogs needs…
Dr Karen Becker is releasing her new book soon, which is going to have special diets for health problems like cancer etc but you need a diet now… I went thru a animal Naturopath for my boy when he was put on a raw diet for his IDB & skin allergies…. You need high fat moderate protein & low carbs, I think turkey is the best meat to use or Kangaroo…
Have you email Ketopets & ask questions & ask do they do special raw diet for dogs with Mast Cell cancer? Kibble is very high in carbs & cancer loves a sugar carb diet that’s how it thrives, with Mast Cell cancer it can put pressure on the stomach & can trigger increased intestinal mobility, my boxer had acid reflux & pooing black poo’s & vomiting blood, the first vet told me to put her on a cooked lean diet Chicken diet but then I had to see another vet cause the first vet didn’t have the Endoscope camera 1st vet thought she was vomiting, the vomit had streaks of blood she had an ulcer, this was the worse thing I ever did seeing the second vet, all he believed in was his science, he put my dog on the Hills Z/d vet diet & poor Angie got worse up all night crying in bad pain after eating the Z/d kibble, I told the new vet, the Z/d has made things worse, he said oh she’s probably spoilt & crying for attention, when you feel the vet isn’t any good RUN away…. now I know not to feed high carb diet, I read the carbs % in the Hills Z/d & it’s 60% carbs, she probably couldn’t digested the hard kibble it was causing pain….

Have you looked at “Wysong” formula’s they do a freeze dried raw or Epigen high protein & starch free wet tin food… here’s their site to have a look around.. http://www.wysong.net/epigen-canned

also “Ziwi Peak” raw wet tin food it smells beautiful, I feed my cat the Ziwi Peak air dried & raw wet tin food sometimes…

Also look at “Balance It” https://secure.balanceit.com/
Balance it do special diets & make the Balance It powder to balance a cooked diet, I don’t know if balance can be used in raw diet?? you’d have to contact them, even Dr Karen Becker does consults, I did Patches consult first thru email & told the Naturopath all his health problems, then when I thought she knows what she is taking about I made appointment for a phone call or I could of done a Skype consult, she rung me & spoke for 1 hr, it cost me $60, it was cheaper then a vet visit & she made an easy to follow special home made raw diet with fresh ingredients from supermarket, for Patches IBD & I just emailed for any help afterwards… she said NO to all the premade raw diets, they’re a bit like kibble you don’t know what your getting & where the ingredients came from…with a home made raw or cooked diet you have better control & you know where the meat comes from best to use organic raw meat….

[a c]

My 10 years old miniature schnauzer passed away 3 months ago to Lymphoma. He was getting chemotherapy but passed away less than 2 months. He didn’t have much appetite when he was on chemo even with appetite stimulants. I have tried to feed him some organic raw meat and that’s pretty much all he ate other than some of his favorite treats and Caesar wet dog food. Unfortunately, the vet oncologist was really against the idea of feeding him raw meat, so we stop it.

You probably need to talk to your vet oncologist and see they are for the idea of raw diet.

[Susan]

Hi,
I bet your dog is feeling heaps healthier & probably is looking healthier from eating a raw diet…..Yes feed 2 meals a day even 3 meals a day if she seems real hungry, just take a bit from the morning meal & dinner & feed as another small meal, space the feed times out, say 7am 1pm 6pm, so her body gets into a routine & feed the same time everyday, the brain learns, hey she’s going to eat same time & the body does not store any fat when we eat the same time daily, this is why people gain weight so easily, they don’t eat the same time everyday & their body stores fat… also eating more smaller meals thru the day is better then eating 2 larger meals….

When I put my boy on a raw diet he was also very hungry & wanted more, after eating a dry kibble diet all his life that is full of fillers & carbs makes them feel fuller for longer, a raw diet digests easier & quicker & doesn’t sit in the stomach like a kibble does…….
It’s sounds like your girl loves her new diet & she wants more…lol her body will get use to eating a raw diet, you could add some blended pulped veggies to her meals to make her feel fuller ….
I made my own raw balanced diet & blended, peeled carrot, broccoli, celery & apple, I added 2 spoons of the blended veggie mix to 1 cup of grounded kangaroo mince, (my boy has food sensitivities) you can freeze the blended veggie mix in an ice cube tray cover with cling wrap & freeze, just take out of freezer 15mins before feeding time, it thaws very quickly also sweet potatoes you peel then thinly slice the sweet potatoes & bake in the oven…. google natural healthy dog treats, you might find another recipe to make natural healthy treats a lot of people buy a dehydrator & dehydrates their own meat, veggies & make fresh jerky treats for their dogs…. you can do in the oven but oven needs to on very low heat & takes a while….

When a dog is doing smelly farts this can be a food sensitivities/food intolerances, when a dog is sensitive to an ingredient it causes toxic gasses in the bowel, a dog should fart but it shouldn’t smell bad & clear a room. You’ll need to stop all the different proteins & start again, just feed 1 protein for 4-6weeks & see if she’s still doing smelly farts, it can take from 1 day up to 6 weeks to react to certain ingredients, my boy reacts pretty much straight away, he gets red paws, itchy ears, itchy smelly yeasty skin & farts real bad, when he eats something he’s sensitive too… once I worked out what he can’t eat (chicken, barley, wheat, corn & carrots, carrots made his ear smell & itch 20mins after eating a meal with carrots) & removed these ingredients he was good, no smelly farts no more, just watch your girl after she eats what she ate when the farts start, start feeding 1 novel protein if you can get kangaroo that’s a lean novel protein & just feed the Kangaroo & 2-4 blended fruit & veggies & add meaty raw kangaroo bone 3 times a week….
Are you feeding pre-made raw? look for a pre-made raw diet with limited ingredients that have novel proteins, like kangaroo, rabbit, venison, goat proteins she hasn’t really eaten before, also start reading the ingredient list & see is there a common ingredient when she doing bad smelly farts, her gut would of had time to a just to the raw diet she’s been eating a raw diet 3 months now, she’s probably eating ingredient she’s sensitive too….

[Susan]

Hi,
Believe & have faith in your dog & go natural, 2017 dog’s are more sick now then they were back in 1970’s to 1990’s back then we feed table scrapes leftovers home cooked meals what ever you want to call it & our dogs lived longer & didn’t have all these health problems like they have today, allergies, cancer, skin problems the list goes on & on…
My boxer had Mast Cell Tumors high grade 2 cancer & back in 2008 the internet wasn’t like it is today we have so MUCH help & info now….. I listen to my vet & my Angie suffered more then she should have, I wish I knew what I know now..

Have you looked into the “Ketopet” diet?? Ketopet started to rescued pound dogs that had cancer these dog were rescued from pounds all over America, the results were astounding, these dogs had terminal cancer now had a new lease on life & they had to find them all new homes, their video made me cry, 1, how their owners just gave up on them & threw them away, dumped them in a pound to die & 2, the smiles on these once very sick dogs now running around acting puppies, it’s unbelievable how changing a dogs diet can be the difference between life & death… are you following “Rodney Habib” on his face book page?? https://www.facebook.com/rodneyhabib

here’s a link on about dog called Cali she had Hemangiosarcoma an aggressive cancer..
here’s the proof that raw diet works… have faith…
https://www.facebook.com/dogcancerseries/videos/778226332345785/?fref=mentions&pnegf=story

[KodaHappyTails]

I apologize in advance if this post gets long winded or it seems as though I’m rambling,my head is literally spinning with info and details and I need some one to hopefully point me in the right direction. I found out today that my dogs mast cell cancer has come back and has metastasized,I have to wait a few days for the aspirate results to come back but the vet is certain that’s what is going on,prognosis is poor,with our only options being chemo or nonconventional treatments, I’m leaning more towards the nonconventional treatment,however. On to my question,I’m doing a ton of research and am very interested in switching her diet,so far I’ve looked into raw and ketogenic. Every site seems to have their own idea as to what is acceptable to feed a dog with cancer and what isn’t,the biggest debate being whether a dog with cancer should eat a raw meat diet,some say yes some say absolutely not due to their weakened immune system. I’m so confused where to even start,does anyone have any experience with either diets in their own dogs with cancer? I want the best for my baby and I want to give her the best fighting chance I can even though the odds are stacked against her,please someone point me in the right direction?! Thank you in advance for taking the time to answer.

[LovelyBear]

My dog has been on a raw diet for 3 months now and she loves it! I am experimenting with new meats slowly and providing variety. I’ve realized she does not do good with Thread Herrings, because I have tried to feed them to her twice and she always throws up.

My main question though is whether or not I should switch to feeding her once a day?

I currently feed twice a day; morning and night. But my dog is always searching for more food after every meal! She gets 2-2.5 lbs total a day. Her weight is 100 lbs and she has lost some weight since eating raw (which is good as she was over weight and the vet told me she needed to loose weight)

and also when I began researching the raw diet people claimed their dogs stopped having stinky fart, but my girls farts smell like rotting meat.

Thanks 🙂

• This topic was modified 8 years, 9 months ago by LovelyBear.

[Susan]

Hi
Gee sooo SORRY for your boy, I’m so glad you listen to your gut…he had a blockage & no food was able to digest into a poo…. I never give my Staffy any of these new air dried cooked animal body parts, he has IBD & this breed are aggressive chewers & can demolish a full cow’s carcas if we let them, I’m soo glad your vet listen to you & did the Ultra Scan, I hope she learns from this & can save another dog when this happens again cause it will, rawhide is known to do the same thing, dogs swallow it & rawhide is leather & doesn’t digest & can cause blockage….
Now he has to get better & not get any infection in the intestine & eat a real bland diet, usually the vet puts them on Hills I/D vet diet or you cook his meals just while the intestine heals …. Do you belong to any Pit Bill or AM Staffy F/B groups?? best to post photos & what his stomach area looks like now & show what did it, (Cow Hoof) there’s a good Australian f/b group called “Oz Amstaffs share the love not the hate” group https://www.facebook.com/groups/604328586364329/

[a c]

Thank you for your replies and suggestions. I am so new on this topic.

I will feed her Science Diet ID cans until her stools return to the normal. Then I will decide whether to continue with Science Diet ID, Purina EN, Purina One Smartblend Healthy Weight, or something else.

I also heard that can food are more gentle on the digestion. Is this true? Do I have to worry about bpa on can food?

The reason that I have started to switch her to better dog food and raw diet is because my boy, a 10 years old miniature schnauzer passed away with Lymphoma a few months ago. He didn’t have any symptoms until early January. Our regular vet thought he has hurt his disc and put him on prednisone. In end of January, he was diagnosed with Lymphoma by ER vet and oncologist. He was on chemotherapy, but passed away within 2 months.

I don’t know if dog food have anything to do with Lymphoma, but I started to read more about dog food. The more I read, the more scared I am. I don’t know what to feed them.

[a c]

Thank you for your replies.

I took her stool to the vet’s office this afternoon. I was told to put her on Science Diet ID can food for a few days and transition her to Purina One SmartBlend Healthy Weight Formula on maintenance program. Does anyone has experience on this dog food? It seems like my vet is very concerned about the easy access to the food and the economical value.

I actually went back to that pet store last Thursday and talked to the owner. I told her that my dog is a senior dog, she had pancreatitis, and her stool is kind of loose and greasy. She think the raw still the best, and she didn’t think the fat content are too high for my dog(in her words, those are good fat). I was told to put 2 teaspoonful of pumpkin with the raw food and that should firm up her stool.

I also stopped by another pet food store this morning. I told the owner about my dog’s situation. She has suggested Canidae All Life Stages Platinum, Holistic Select Senior with chicken and rice, and Holistic Weight Management with chicken and rice. My vet is not very thrill towards any of those food.

I emailed some of the dog food companies this afternoon. I explained to them my dog’s situation and ask them whether they have products for my dog. Some of them reply, but they didn’t answer all my questions. They suggested the ones with the lowest fat content within their line of the products, but some of those still have pretty high fat content.

[Susan]

Hi Ann
I understand your frustration, but I would stop feeding the raw food or whatever has caused her poo to become greasy, the greasy look is NO good, I have a dog with IBD & you don’t want yellow sloppy poo, blood thru poo & greasy poo’s is a sign of too much fat in diet & can trigger Pancreatitis….
When you read the fat % on raw or wet tin it hasn’t been converted to dry matter fat (Kibble) yet, here’s an eg: 5% min fat in raw or wet tin is about 20min-25%max fat, now that’s very high for a dog who is prone to Pancreatitis, always stick with 3%max & under for fat in raw or wet tin food…..Hills wet tin vet diet’s have already been converted their fat to dry matter in their vet diet wet tin foods, Royal Canine & Purina Pro Plan vet diet haven’t converted the fat to DM yet but if you send any pet food company an email ask can you please convert the fat for ???? formula to dry matter % ..
always tell Pet Shop staff, my dog has Pancreatitis, then ask do you know much about Pancreatitis? & normally they will say oh my dog has Pancreatitis & I feed him ??? or they say they don’t know much about Pancreatitis..

Join this face book group, “Canine Pancreatitis Support” group https://www.facebook.com/groups/1435920120029740/
The lady that runs this group feeds a raw diet she can help you with what raw diets are best & there’s other people in the group that feed home made raw, cooked or wet/dry premium foods that are not vet diets..
also join this face book group, “Canine Diabetes Support & Information” group https://www.facebook.com/groups/CanineDiabetesSupportandInformation/
on the left you’ll see “Files” click on the Files & click on 3rd link “2017.3.26 CDSI Diabetes food options” scroll down a bit & you’ll see dry formula’s & wet tin foods you can buy in the pet shops & the lady has converted the fat% to DMB…..
Keep your girl on bland low fat diet for 1-2 weeks & feed more smaller meals to rest the Pancreas, she will go poo the rice has probably bound her up a bit, I don’t feed boiled rice it ferments in the stomach, your better off adding boiled potato or sweet potatoes, if she can’t poo then boil some sweet potato or boil pumkin & add about 1 spoon to her meals you can freeze the boil pumkin squares & take out as you need them… if you have the time to cook & freeze meals, cooked meals are best for Pancreatitis, look up “Balance It” it has recipes & Balance It powder to balance the meals https://secure.balanceit.com/
I was feeding cooked meal for 2 meals & dry kibble for the other 2 meals, my boy eats 4-5 small meals a day he cant digest big amounts of food, too much work & stress on his Pancreas….

[a c]

Hi, I am new here. I feel very frustrated and don’t know what to feed my girl.

I have a 10 years old miniature schnauzer who had an episode of acute pancreatitis back in end of April. Miniature Schnauzer are pron to pancreatitis. She was on antibiotics and fluid therapy for 3 days. The vet put her on Science diet ID can food for few days and told me to transition back to her normal diet after that. The lab report from end of May suggested she level was back to normal.

She has been on Science Diet food since she was a puppy. I thought Science Diet was the best dog food out there. How dumb am I? I thought about switching her to something else.

I went to a local pet store in mid May. I was told the best dog kibble food for my girl is Orijen senior. They also sold me the idea of raw diet. I purchased Stella and Chewy’s duck frozen patties. I feed my girl half Orijen and half raw with additional blue berries, zucchini, or pumpkin. Her stool was firm but every so often with a little greasy look.

Once I finished the bag of Stella and Chewy’s duck. They told me to try Primal lamb frozen nuggets. I also brought a bag of Primal freeze dried nuggets in turkey & sardine for easy travel. I have also tried Honest Kitchen Force. Then, I noticed the fat level on Orijen senior is high, so I cut back on the kibbles. This is where problems begun. I noticed her stools are more greasy and even looser.

To make long story short. I put her on plain chicken and rice with a little pumpkin starting yesterday. I noticed she is not passing stool during our twice a day walk. She has been doing it very regularly for the past month and half after the pancreatitis. She just had a yellow, greasy, loose stool about a hour ago.

I am very frustrated right now. I don’t know what to feed her. I made a call to my vet’s office. I was told they will put her on Science Diet ID or Purina EN which I knew both of those are full of carbs, fillers, and by-products. What should I do? Can anyone help?

[Michael M]

Yep, Filler has really gotten a bad connotation. It’s gotten it for (mostly) good reasons of course. However, everything has to have some sort of “filler” in it unless you’re going a purely raw and natural diet.

I think following anon101’s advice makes the most sense and I was going to recommend the same. Also, if you don’t trust your vet, go find a new one! If you love your dogs, you can always get a second opinion. I do the same for my own health, and would also do the same for my pets.

[anonymous]

The 4 Best Fruits and Vegetables for Dogs
If altering your pet’s diet, there are a number of benefits to fruits and vegetables for dogs. Dogs are omnivores rather than carnivores, meaning they can enjoy a mixed combination of fruits, vegetables and meat and all of the benefits that they have to offer.
Here are the top 4 fruits and vegetables to take into consideration:
1. Bananas
Bananas are a fun addition to your dog’s meals, as well as for a special treat, especially because of the variety of ways in which it can be prepared. Banana biscuits, muffins, frozen, baked, or even simply mashed up, will likely be devoured by your eager pet. Bananas are high in soluble carbohydrates, so they’re an excellent source of energy. The antioxidants they contain are helpful to a dog’s fur and skin. Bananas are also rich in Vitamin C, are low in sodium, and rich with potassium. All these things are a great addition to your pet’s diet.
2. Carrots
Carrots have the benefit of being not only one of the tastier vegetables to dogs, but also one of the healthiest. Carrots are high in every vitamin from A, B, C, D, E and K. Not to mention that they’re packed with potassium, calcium and iron, while being low in calories at the same time. Carrots can be given raw, or baked or cooked.
3. Green Beans
Green beans are another tastier vegetable on the list that can replace those high-calorie treats from the store. In addition to being used in raw or home-cooked diets, it’s becoming more common to replace 1/3 to 1/2 of kibble with green beans to promote weight loss in obese dogs. Unless you have a very large dog, they won’t go through an entire can a day, so simply store the excess in the fridge for tomorrow’s meals.
4. Strawberries
Strawberries are known for containing an enzyme that helps to whiten teeth, which can be helpful for you pet on top of the vitamins they pack. However, while your dog will happily scarf down an entire bowl of these, keep in mind they’re high in sugar and should be given in moderation. Think of them as a dessert-treat.
As with any diet for your pet, balance and moderation is the key; don’t replace more than 20% of their meal with fruits and vegetables. Also keep in mind that while a wide variety of fruits and vegetables are healthy for your pet, always check with your veterinarian before making any big dietary changes. Some fruits/vegetables can be harmful or even fatal, such as onions, garlic, avocados, grapes, raisins or any citrus fruits (as the acid will upset their stomach). Always start your dog out on small amounts of fruits and vegetables if they’re unaccustomed to eating them so their digestive system has a chance to adapt.
(Excerpt from) https://www.vetinfo.com/the-4-best-fruits-vegetables-for-dogs.html

[Susan]

Hi Melissa have you tried raw chicken wings, chicken carcass, turkey legs etc, Chicken bone is the softest bone to digest & excellent for teeth cleaning, also it will depend how big your dog is with what type of bone you give…
Don’t give raw carrot, dogs don’t make the digestive enzymes to digest raw whole plant matter that’s why raw fruit & vegetables must be grounded into a pulp when added to a raw diet, the carrot will come back out whole in their poo also the dog will chew the carrot once twice & swallow carrot whole…
Has she broken her teeth with the Antlers?? they are very popular…. My boy loves to chew & is also an aggressive chewer but he has IBD so he just chews his balls & those toys for teeth cleaning, I don’t give any of these new air dried treats….
Have you seen these chews made by “Ziwi Peak” Deer Shank Bone, Deer Hoofer dog bone’s … https://www.ziwipets.com/catalog/ziwi-peak-dog-nutrition/oral-health-care-chews

[Cathy P]

Hi everyone. I contacted Chewy and told them the issue. They haven’t heard of such thing of hair in kibbles for acana but they are glad that I told them. I provided the lot # and pictures of the kibbles so they would take action in their warehouse department. They told me to toss the food out if I am not comfortable giving it to my dogs. I got a full refund back.

As for Champion Petfoods, they emailed me back stating that hairs found in kibble are a natural result of the fresh ingredients inclusions in our diets. In my opinion, I don’t think any types of hair are nutritional for any living species. Please look at the response below I got from Champion Petfoods.

Hi Cathy,

After forwarding the information you provided to our Quality Assurance team, they believe that the hairs found in the kibble are a natural result of the fresh ingredient inclusions in our diets.

Because our foods have very high inclusions of meat ingredients, you may occasionally find small hairs in the food. While unsightly, hairs in the kibble in no way compromise the nutritional quality or safety of the food, and are typically present in any natural diet.

QA has also assured me that we are working with our suppliers to enhance quality control parameters to minimize the possibility of inclusion of small hairs in the raw ingredients we utilize. Furthermore, I want to affirm for you that our foods provide a healthy choice for your pet by including fresh red meat ingredients in healthy and non-rendered form.

As such, these hairs pose no health risk to your dog and it is perfectly fine to continue to feed him this kibble. There is no need to throw the food away, as these hairs do not compromise the nutritional or microbiological quality of the food.

I hope this information has provided you some peace of mind about the safety of the food in question. Of course, if you have any further questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to contact me.

Warm Regards,

Elyse
Customer Care
Champion Petfoods LP

• This reply was modified 8 years, 9 months ago by Cathy P.

[anonymous]

You could ask your vet for a referral or call the nearest School of Veterinary Medicine. A dermatologist is the only way to get an accurate diagnosis.
They do specific tests to identify, plus they have examined thousands of dogs and can often tell a lot just by examining the dog.
I get it, you don’t want to spend the money. But, in my experience you are likely to spend a lot more going back and forth to the regular vet for band aid treatments, various diets, bogus remedies, air purifiers, dehumidifiers, meat grinders for raw diet.
Been there, done that.
Good luck with whatever you decide.

This is not veterinary advice; consult your veterinarian.

[Susan]

Hi Megan don’t forget if your making your own home made raw for cats they need dietary source of amino acid taurine which is found in meat but when you cook meat it can be destroyed but your raw feeding…Whole Mackerel, shellfish, Turkey legs, beef liver, chicken liver, lamb all high in taurine…
I feed pre-made raw to my 1yr old cat but cause I got her at 5months old she must of eating dry cheap kibble, she always wants her dry kibble as well as the raw, if she doesn’t have any dry kibble, she comes over & tries to eat the dogs dry kibble, acts like she hasn’t eaten & wasn’t feed so I bought “Ziwi Peak? Lamb & Mackerel air dried & the wet tins but the tins are too expensive, the price for x Ziwi Peak wet tin raw rabbit cost the same as 5 sachets of pre-made kangaroo & chicken pack, I also buy Sunday Pets, freeze dried Green Lipped Mussels, I give her 2 mussels a day as a treat for lunch she loves her mussels…
I give Indy chicken wings twice a week for breakfast, I cut the chicken wings in 1/2….Chicken bone is the softest bone & excellent for cleaning their teeth….
You have a very lucky cat..

[Megan D]

Hi All!

I have fed my cats a commercial raw diet for years, and recently began making it myself. I have also began feeding my dogs raw. It is most convenient and comfortable for me to make a multi mix patty with all the ingredients needed incorporated in. I’m having a hard time finding an assortment of recipes for this sort of food.

I really want Dr. Karen Beckers book, but it is out of stock.

Does anyone have any recipe suggestions, or have that book sitting around that i could buy it from them? or lend? or take pictures of the pages? LOL. Thanks!

Megan

[Susan]

Hi Noello,
your wrong the oldest living dog was “Maggie” lived & worked on a dairy farm Victoria Australia, she lived to be 30 yrs old, passed 2016, Maggie ate a RAW diet, dead baby calves when they were born dead & the placenta from the calf, the placenta is very healthy & she ate left overs from dinner & had 1 cup of fresh cows milk straight from the cow 6am every morning, google her story “Maggie the oldest dog in the world” it’s a beautiful story….
You wont find too many old Vegan dogs over 15 yrs old, cancer loves carbs & thrives, all vegan diets are very high in carbohydrates….. very SAD all these vegans who push their beliefs onto your poor pets who love & live for meat diets …..
In Australia we had a real bad cruelty case where the women feed her poor kitten & vegan diet, you should have seen the state of this poor cat at 1 yr old it was awful, the lady was charged with animal cruelty & never to have another pet again……

[Spy Car]

Unfortunately, this forum is trolled by anti-raw zealots who repeatedly post the same tired links.

Those interested in a raw diet would do well to seek out Prey Model Raw (PMR) resources.

Fruits, vegetables, and other carbohydrates are not essential to a canine diet, and in fact are negative ingredients.

A PP was correct about by-products being useful in a raw diet. There is, however, a world of difference between feeding fresh and wholesome by-products and the sort of contaminated/condemned items that can legally be swept off slaughterhouse floors to be included in pet food, so long as these items are first sent to a rendering plant.

[Susan]

Hi Melissa,
sounds like you have a puppy with a very sensitive stomach/bowel, he may suffer with skin allergies as he get’s older, there’s a few Goldendoodles with sensitive stomach & skin on a Face Book group I belong too….
Food sensitivities/intolerances can take anywhere from 1 day to 6 weeks to react to a certain ingredient & have Intestinal stress… sounds like there’s an ingredient in the Fromm he’s sensitive too..
My boy has skin allergies & food intolerances & can’t eat high fat meals, tapioca, beet pulp, liver, barley & high fiber kibbles & too many proteins & ingredients he gets stomach up sets, acid reflux, sloppy poos/diarrhea & he wakes up 2am, 4am or 5am crying at the front door to be let out to have diarrhea, sometimes you can hear loud grumbling noises coming from his bowel (Wind)….
You’ll have to start working out what agrees with him & what doesn’t, keep a diary & write down foods, kibbles etc that don’t agree with him & try & work out if there’s an common ingredient, I ended up doing a elimination food diet..

I’ve had great success with “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb, it is a single protein formula with just lamb meal & has limited ingredients, grain free & is a all life stages formula, has the matching wet tin food…… https://www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/

When a dog knows a food/kibble causes pain, upset stomach, wind, nausea they’re hesitate to eat it or don’t eat it at all, listen to your dog when he doesn’t want to eat something, he’s telling you, mum this makes me sick, offer to feed something else, he might prefer a wet tin food, cooked, raw or rotate between 2 brands of kibbles that’s what I do, so he doesn’t get sick of eating the same kibble formula, Patch gets Canidae Pure for breakfast & TOTW for lunch & dinner…but you have pup I don’t know how it works rotating Puppy formula’s if it’s Ok….ask & email the kibble company, they would know….
TOTW have vet nutritionist that email back & give advise…

Canidae is another food I feed the Canidae Pure Wild Boar, all the Pure formula’s have limited ingredients.
Canidae have a 3 large breed puppy formula’s, 2 in their “Life Stages” formula’s dry & wet tin, Canidae have a new Large breed puppy Turkey & Brown Rice that has only 1 protein Turkey Meal that’s not too high in protein or fat & can be feed all stages of life Puppy, Adult & Senior large breed…
http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products/canidae-all-life-stages-large-breed-turkey-meal-brown-rice-dry-formula
or Canidae Life Stages Large breed Puppy Duck Meal & Lentils wet & dry
or Canidae’s “Under The Sun” Large Breed Puppy Chicken dry

Maybe try a kibble that has limited ingredient & only 1 protein & see how he goes, no more then 8 ingredients so there’s less ingredients to cause any problems .. Read the ingredients, fiber, fat & protein % in the Nutrisource Puppy formula & the Fromm Heartland Puppy & see is there heaps of ingredients? how many different proteins? is the Fat, Fiber & Protein on the higher end?
Best to buy from a Pet Shop this way you can take it back for a refund & try another food if he doesn’t really want to eat it…..

[HoundMusic]

“Just an idea – Everything I read tells you that yeast is caused by sugar and starch turns into sugar. And what foods are high in starch? Potatoes! Try taking her off starchy foods. ”

Yeast is not caused by sugar; however, sugar is a food source for yeast. That being said, the myth that carbs will cause a yeast infection is a perfect example of how correlation does not mean causation. Yeast may require carbs to survive, but so does every other healthy cell in the body. When yeast or bacterial infections are chronic, it normally signals a deeper problem going on, namely, an autoimmune or hormonal issue. Speaking personally, as someone with severe hypothyroidism, “yeast starving diets” may kill off some of the nasty little buggers, but the dietary deficiency of complex carbohydrates will only further sicken the “host” and worsen the underlying condition.

Thyroid issues are a major cause of recurrent yeast infections in animals and humans. Even if thyroid is borderline low, it depresses the immune system and the will yeast multiply like rabbits.

Some of the worst bacterial/yeasty ears I have ever seen were on dogs fed prey model raw. Many, many years ago, I had a Shepherd mix who developed a recurrent infection several months after being placed on a zero carb raw diet. In that instance, he had one weepy, disgusting ear for the rest of his life, and was on every ear treatment imaginable. There were no deformities, etc. of the inner ear, either. I went back to raw for some unfathomable reason about 3 years ago, and several of my older dogs developed ear infections, amongst a plethora of other issues. from about 2014-2016, I was pumping their ears full of different meds, even the steroidal Zymox. One poor old hound couldn’t even properly aroooo without flapping his head to and fro 🙁 Two months on a moderate grain home-cooked diet, and voila! Ear/eye/rotted teeth conditions begin clearing up without the use of medications. Even my dog with hypothyroidism/cancer got well enough to be weaned off thyroid supplementation.

So I don’t buy that lowering the carbs is a solution for yeasty ears. Instead, get to the bottom of what is causing the dog to be unable to ward off the infections – is it a hormonal imbalance, an autoimmune disease, a systemic bacterial infection or food/environmental allergy running down the immune system?

[Susan]

Hi, pea flour & pea starch isn’t as bad as pea protein, Hills Vet Nutritionist explained to me it’s the protein in foods that the dog is sensitive or allergic too….
I would avoid eating peas if your 100% sure he can’t eat peas……
Have you tried a vet diet & done a proper food elimination diet? either using a vet diet or a raw diet?
this is the only true why to find out what foods your dog has intolerances too…. also another way is thru the winter months your dog will do better then as soon as spring & summer come your dog gets worse then it’s seasonal environment allergies what my boy suffers with as long as I feed him foods he’s OK with we have a good winter until spring & summer come around ….. it’s so hard to work out what is causing what….best to feed a raw limited ingredient diet then start the CADI injections…It’s too hard to do food elimination diet while feeding a dry kibble too many allergens to deal with in a kibble…

Join this face Book Group, “Dog issues, allergies and other information support group” there’s a new injection that has just come out made by the same makers of Apoquel called “Cytopoint” CADI injections, the way CADI injection works is it blocks the receptors completely & stops the itch where Apoquel blocks the reaction from the allergen receptors, so many dogs in America are enjoying an itch free Summer since having the CADI injections, it last 4-6 weeks, apparently the more CADI injection your dog has the injection seem to last longer & longer till he needs the CADI injection, find a vet or Dermatologist in your area & ask what they think of this new drug… my vet said results looks excellent….

More info in this group from parents & their happy dogs, CADI isn’t in Australia yet but hopefully we’ll get it this spring/summer, we had an awful Summer so good luck, make sure you give baths to wash off the pollens, dirt. grass etc the days your dog isn’t doing well..
https://www.facebook.com/groups/240043826044760/

[Jr S]

Hi Guys!

So, I am new to feeding raw food to my dogs. I have been at it for about a month and a half. My Rough Collie was bred at the beginning of May, and I am wondering how I should go about feeding her raw food throughout her pregnancy? I have searched the internet fervently for some guidance and have found nothing to answer my questions. Maybe I am just not asking the right questions.

So, I need to know some guideline to feeding a pregnant dog and then maybe some help with knowing how to go about feeding the puppies. I read a couple of articles explaining a milk mixture of sorts when beginning to wean the puppies, but I would like some advice from those of you who have more experience than I.

If these questions are somewhere else, already posted, I would gladly accept a link.

Thank you all in advance,
Jessi

[Claudia D]

Get the Facts! Raw Pet Food Diets can be Dangerous to You and Your Pet

In a two-year study spanning from October 2010 through July 2012, the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) screened over 1,000 samples of pet food for bacteria that can cause foodborne illnesses.1 (The illnesses are called “foodborne” because the bacteria are carried, or “borne,” in or on contaminated food.) The study showed that, compared to other types of pet food tested, raw pet food was more likely to be contaminated with disease-causing bacteria.
The Pet Food Study

Raw pet food was not included in the first year of the study. In the second year, CVM expanded the study to include 196 samples of commercially available raw dog and cat food. The center bought a variety of raw pet food online from different manufacturers and had the products shipped directly to six participating laboratories.2 The raw pet food products were usually frozen in tube-like packages and made from ground meat or sausage.
The participating laboratories analyzed the raw pet food for harmful bacteria, including Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes. In past projects, CVM had monitored dog and cat food for the presence of Salmonella. But before this study, the center “had not investigated the occurrence of Listeria in pet food,” said Renate Reimschuessel, a veterinarian at CVM’s Office of Research and one of the study’s principal investigators. Dr. Reimschuessel further noted that “quite a large percentage of the raw foods for pets we tested were positive for the pathogen Listeria monocytogenes.” (Pathogens are disease-causing germs, like some bacteria. Not all bacteria are harmful pathogens, though. Some bacteria are helpful to people and animals, such as those that live in the intestines and contribute to a healthy gut.)

Of the 196 raw pet food samples analyzed, 15 were positive for Salmonella and 32 were positive for L. monocytogenes (see Table 1).

Table 1: Number and type of pet food samples that tested positive for Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes (Years 1 & 2)
Type of Pet Food Sample No. samples tested No. positive for Salmonella No. positive for L. monocytogenes
Raw pet food 196 15 32
Dry exotic pet food* 190 0 0
Jerky-type treats† 190 0 0
Semi-moist dog food‡ 120 0 0
Semi-moist cat food‡ 120 0 0
Dry dog food§ 120 0 0
Dry cat food§ 120 1 0
* Non-cat and non-dog food, such as dry pellets for hamsters, gerbils, rabbits, amphibians, and birds.
† Included chicken jerky product, pig ears, and bully stick-type products.
‡ Typically packaged in pouches for retail sale, such as (1) pouched dog and cat food; and
(2) food treats shaped like bacon, fish, pork chops, and burgers.
§ Included pellet- or kibble-type food typically packaged in bags for retail sale.
Note: CVM did not collect or test canned and wet pet food samples in this study.

Based on the study’s results, CVM is concerned about the public health risk of raw pet food diets. As Dr. Reimschuessel explained, the study “identified a potential health risk for the pets eating the raw food, and for the owners handling the product.” Owners who feed their pet a raw diet may have a higher risk of getting infected with Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes.
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Because raw pet food is more likely than other types of pet food to contain Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes, the single best thing you can do to prevent infection is to not feed your pet a raw diet

Pet Food Recalls

Both cooked and raw pet food products are recalled for various reasons, including the presence of Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes. For a list of recalled pet food and the reason for the recall, please see CVM’s Recalls & Withdrawals Web page.
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Resources for You

Get the Facts about Salmonella!
Get the Facts about Listeria!
Avoid the Dangers of Raw Pet Food
Pet Food
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1 Nemser S, Reimschuessel, R. Food Emergency Response Network (FERN) disclaimer icon Microbiology Cooperative Agreement Program (MCAP), FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) Special Project: Pet food testing for selected microbial organisms. Final Report 2010-2012. The study was conducted by FDA CVM’s Veterinary Laboratory Investigation and Response Network (Vet-LIRN), in collaboration with FERN MCAP laboratories. The journal citation is Nemser S, Doran T, et al. Investigation of Listeria, Salmonella, and Toxigenic Escherichia coli in Various Pet Foods. Foodborne Pathog Dis 2014;11:706-709.
2 Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; Michigan Department of Agriculture; Minnesota Department of Agriculture; North Carolina Department of Agriculture; Ohio Department of Agriculture; and Washington Department of Agriculture.

[Suzanne B]

Our vet office has 10 vets and all adamantly oppose raw diets. I trust them. We made the choice to go with Taste of the Wild food for our dogs. There are a lot of excellent commercial brands available, though some take a little searching. My dogs are healthy and their digestion is good.

[InkedMarie]

I have a dog who had recurrent yeast ear infections. For him, the only thing that worked was a raw diet, one with no produce. I used Zymox when he had an infection. I would not breed this dog nor would I have bred her mom (unless she had the issue after she had a litter).

Good luck!

[anonymous]

Make sure you check with the dermatologist before the appointment, the dog has to be off steroids for a month prior to testing.

Also, I caution you not to use any over the counter solutions or make drastic changes to the dog’s diet, unless an examining vet recommends it.

I had a shelf full of various shampoos and stuff, even had an air purifier and a dehumidifier. Wasted all kinds of money. Nothing worked till we saw the specialist.

Zignature Whitefish is a good kibble for dogs with allergies.

PS: I almost forgot, a meat grinder that went to the Goodwill!! Raw made them vomit. The food had nothing to do with it.,.

[Susan]

Hi Tiffany, yeasty ears can be from an ingredient your dog is sensitive too & you haven’t eliminated it from her diet yet even thought you have changed kibbles there may be any ingredient she is very sensitive too, here’s a link “Facts & Myths Yeast Dermatitis” written by 2 Dermatologist Karen Helton Rhodes, have you seen a Dermatologist yet??
http://www.healthyskin4dogs.com/blog/2015/9/8/facts-myths-about-yeast-dermatitis-in-dogs scroll down & read the section about “CARF” Cutaneous Adverse Reaction Food

I would start a raw elimination diet this way she isn’t eating a dry kibble & isn’t eating the same ingredients that’s in most dry kibbles, my boy can NOT eat carrots he starts shaking his head, scratching his ears, ripping at his ears 20mins after eating a meal that had carrots also chicken is another ingredient my boy reacts too badly…..

I rescued a 5mth old kitten that had a real bad mite infestation the RSPCA treated her ears killed the mites but then when I adopted her she was still shacking & scratching her ears, I took her back to RSPCA vet & they did ear scrap & she had bad infection from the mites, so they gave me drops to put in her ears twice a day & I had to come back in 1 week, another ear scrap & she still had ear infection so I had to continue with the antibiotic ear drops twice a day for another week, she was eating Hills Kitten dry food at the time, the Hills Kitten kibble was given to me when I adopted her, after 6 vet visits & antibiotic ear drops & ear cleaners the infection cleared up but she still had itchy skin & would scratch whole body, so I stopped the Hills dry kibble & tried a grain free Wellness Kitten kibble she was still scratching then I started her on a pre made raw cat diet & Ziwi Peak air dried raw Mackerel & Lamb 2 weeks later NO MORE scratching & ripping at her ears & skin…. Stop feeding dry kibble, either feed a raw diet with 1 single novel protein source or try a Freeze dry raw with just 1 novel protein a protein she hasn’t eaten before Rabbit, Kangaroo, Lamb, Pork, Ziwi Peak has their air dried raw or wet tin food raw
If this doesn’t help after 2months no treats no other foods except her raw or freeze dried diet, then book to see a Dermatologist & tell the Dermatologist what you have tried….
It might be environment allergies but I doubt it, ears are normally food related…..
Good-Luck it would be very uncomfortable for her…

[LeAndra I]

Hi all,

I have two small breed dogs and I would very much like to switch them to a raw diet after lots of reading and research. I have a 5 year old, 16lb Chihuahua/Miniature Pinscher Mix and I also have a 5 month old, 6lb Chihuahua/Jack Russell mix. Both dogs suffer from vaccine allergies and are more susceptible to outdoor allergens as well. The 5 year old has also had allergic reactions to some dry kibble. With their allergies and sensitivities, I feel as though a raw or BARF diet will be more suitable for them.

I want to do this slowly and the right way to make sure their meals are balanced and while I can find tons of information out there on what to feed in order to create the best nutritionally balanced meal, I cannot for the life of me seem to find any good examples of graduated meal plans that detail what to feed when starting out over the first few weeks and how much. For example, is it better to start with chicken or turkey? When exactly do we want to begin incorporating veggies and which ones are best in the beginning? How long do we wait before introducing the offal? What about the green tripe? Etc.

I’m aware that a good probiotic is important so I don’t have any questions in regards to that but I need some help on coming up with a good intoductory meal plan for my pups. Especially since they are different ages and weights. My vet office of course is not on board with a raw diet since they are seen at Banfield and thus recommend the kibble sold in the pet stores like Science Diet and Blue. Any insight? It is greatly appreciated.

[Susan]

Hi
When you have nothing to do go on this site “Clean Label Project” kibbles & wet tin foods with the most toxins & contaminates mainly have fish as the main protein, you’ll be surprised when you see the worse dog & cat brands….
http://www.cleanlabelproject.org/product-ratings/pet-food/

The best food to feed a cat is a Raw diet, kibble isn’t good to feed cats, cats have a short digestive tract, cats don’t do real well eating high carb, grains, chick peas lentils etc long term, some cats end up with kidney problems teeth problems from eating dry kibble….
Look for a premade raw diet, I get the Raw sachets from Aldi’s in fridge section, it works out the same price feeding a raw diet as feeding the expensive dry kibble diet..
I live Australia so our Aldi’s would have different raw formula’s then the American Aldi’s, I also buy chicken wings, freeze the chicken wings all separate….feed a chicken for breakfast every second day for her teeth.. buy those gloves for food prep if you don’t like handling any raw food & buy the Antiseptic hand cleaner to have on kitchen bench.
Bad teeth are another problem cats suffer from eating dry & wet process cat foods, look at a cat teeth that are feed wet tin & dry kibbles over the age of 3 yrs old, their teeth are yellow & full of tartar now look at a raw feed cat teeth still nice, white & no tartar…

Join these f/b groups
* Cat Crap
https://www.facebook.com/groups/CatCrap/
* Cat Chat
https://www.facebook.com/groups/618876468214507/
* Rodney Habib
https://www.facebook.com/rodneyhabib

Ziwi Pets is a really good air dried raw food wet & dry
my cat goes nuts when she smells the Ziwi Pets Mackerel & Lamb
send Ziwi Pets an email asking any questions you may have & ask for cat samples…
https://www.ziwipets.com/

[Emily V]

I have been using the raw diet on my dogs fro over 10 years and forums have been a lifesaver for me. I’m hoping you all can help with a mysterious lameness problem in our 2 year-old German shepherd. I’ll try to be as brief as possible here on the sequence of events that were observed:
1. Tsavo discovered a deer carcass in our woods and was chewing on the bones.
2. About a day later, he was slightly lame in his back leg. No physical causes were detected. he had some diarrhea.
3. The lameness moved to his left forefoot about two weeks later and became more pronounced. He would sometimes yip when jumping off the bed. The lameness would improve if he ran around but worsen when he was at rest or walking.
4. Tsavo then began marking in the house and the diarrhea increased.
5. X-rays indicated no issues. The vet confirmed Lymes and erlichia tick diseases were present so Tsavo was treated. It was discovered Tsavo also had crystals in his urine and he was also treated for that. He was also given a homeopathic liver cleanse. Most of the marking behavior and diarrhea disappeared, though he was still lame.
5. After some research, I began supplementing Tsavo with cranberry pills and ascorbic acid, thinking there was a remote chance that the lameness was caused by pain from urinary crystals. After two days, the lameness and marking issue were resolved.
6. A week later, my daughter discovered that Tsavo found an errant bone from the deer carcass and he was chewing on it. The next day, Tsavo had a slight limp in the same foot. He also had diarrhea. It’s been about three days and he currently is not marking, but the lameness is getting worse, despite my continued use of cranberry and ascorbic acid.

Help! What could the lameness be attributed to? I don’t think it’s related to Lymes or erlichiia because there was no relief after he was treated for those diseases….

[Christine S]

My 12 year old golden was hospitalized for pancreatitis in January. Blood tests and ultrasound also showed an infected gall bladder; it was twice its normal size. She was treated with Enroflaxacin, Metronidazole and Ursodiol with 20 mg Famotidine 2 x a day and put on a strict GI diet. I’ve been giving her Purina EN Gastroenteric and Hills ID GI Chicken and Vegetable Stew, 4 meals per day. The vet said we should just keep her on that to ensure pancreatitis doesn’t return. Ultrasound and blood tests since then show she has recovered and indicate that she’s got no other issues, except we can’t see the stomach. The thing is, I noticed that between a half-hour to 2 hours after eating, she starts panting and yawns. She also bow stretches several times throughout the day. I can tell she’s uncomfortable but she doesn’t vocalize and she always looks forward to eating. She’s also gotten pretty sluggish on our walks. Until the pancreatitis she would always trot and I could barely keep up with her, and I walk fast. Now she’ll trot some then slow down to a crawl and walk with her mouth open, I can hear her huffing so I think she’s uncomfortable. We’ve tried several times to treat with omeprazole including liquid Carafate, but she got diarrhea so we stopped it. This last time we got her on 8 days of the omeprazole before the diarrhea hit. The vet now thinks the diarrhea is a food intolerance to something in her diet. So it would have to be one or both the GI foods, or the boiled chicken we were giving as treats. I’ve since eliminated the chicken, so she’s not getting any treats. I should also add that she’s getting canned food, not kibble because she would pant heavily after the kibble, even when moistened. Anyway, the vet recommended Royal Canin Hydrolized Protein (RCHP). I transitioned her on that over a period of 5 days based on vet’s recommendation. On her 3rd solid day of only RCHP, we opened a can at lunch and noticed it had a fishy smell. Piper started to eat it then suddenly stopped and wouldn’t finish it. Nothing except the severe pancreatitis attack stops her from eating. She always looks forward to eating. I offered some EN and she gladly ate that, so there was something wrong with the RCHP. I opened another can and I thought it smelled ok but my fiancé said it didn’t and wouldn’t let me give her anymore. So I had to get her back on the EN. The thing is it seemed as though it was helping. It seemed like she wasn’t panting as much, and she wasn’t scratching her ears as much or at all which is something I hadn’t really paid much attention to with all the other symptoms. She hasn’t had ear infections and other than biting at her hind ankles occasionally, she doesn’t show signs of allergies. (She doesn’t have fleas.) I read through a ton of responses to other posts and thought I would try Natural Balance LID Duck and Potato, because it wasn’t $5 a can and it had low fat, or so I thought. I didn’t realize that the fat content wasn’t converted like it was for the GI foods, which I learned after reading many of Susan’s posts. I only gave her about 1/4 cup and she really looked uncomfortable after that, I’m guessing due to the fat content. She also had really bad gas. So she’s back on strictly EN until I figure out what to do next. Honestly I’m afraid to try anything else but I really don’t like the ingredients in the vet prescription diets and she’s been on them since January. I don’t see us cooking her food and I have some reservations about going back to raw given the possibility of inviting bad bacteria into the mix. My other concern is should I give her antacids or not? A dog that doesn’t make enough stomach acid can have the same symptoms as one with too much stomach acid. The vet said it would be rare for her not to have enough stomach acid and thinks we should try the omeprazole again. I’d like to know she needs it before giving it to her because it seemed like it would make her more lethargic. Is there a test without having to scope her? I thought about trying a novel protein but would have to go with goat or kangaroo as she’s eaten just about everything else, in every form, due to our other dog being an extremely picky eater (a Hovawart.) I would love to hear your suggestions, or any ideas you have based on her symptoms. Treating GI issues really is difficult, especially when you’re the only one in the house that thinks her panting and yawning are signs of discomfort!!

[aimee]

Hi Shandi,

As you are new to making a homemade diet my recommendation would be to wait until adulthood to introduce a homemade diet. Use a commercial food during the critical growth period. One that is complete, balanced and has been through growth trials for a large breed dog. Growth is a demanding stage and mistakes in nutrient balance can have life long consequences.

The one pup I know raised on homemade raw, by an owner that had been feeding raw for years to her adults, ended up with poor growth, anemia and needed orthopedic surgery to correct the bone growth problems.

This life stage, growth, is unforgiving. It isn’t the lifestage for you to “cut your teeth” on in regards to raw feeding.

aimee

P.S. Petfooled doesn’t in any way reflect what is happening is the pet food industry. It contained a lot of misinformation. Heck, the producers even went so far as to mislabel the anatomy and taxonomy of the dog in order to fool the person watching it. It is easy to be fooled by PetFooled. They were very good at accomplishing the what they set out to do.. Fool the pet parent hence the title.

[Susan]

Hi Shandi, your on the right track but on the wrong site, most people on DFA feed kibble… In Australia most people feed raw diet or raw + premium kibble/freeze dried….
google ” Maggie the oldest dog in the World” watch Rodney Habib’s video interviewing Maggie’s owner & what he feed Maggie for 30yrs, he didn’t over vaccinate, or desex her till she was 14yrs old, she worked & lived on a family run Dairy Farm…excellent video..
Go on Face Book follow people like
“Rodney Habib” Planet Paws
“Peter Dobias” Natural Healing for Dogs,
“Dr Karen Becker”

Good Books to get & read..
Dr Ian Billinghurst “Give Your Dog A Bone” is an excellent book to read…
Steve Brown – “Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet”
Dr Karen Becker- “Real Food for Healthy Dogs & Cats, Simple homemade food.

also join F/B groups that are Raw feeding groups like “Raw & Holistic Cat & Dog Support Group” you’ll get heaps of help from this group, a lot of experienced & professional raw feeders in this group.. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1411906099101822/

[HoundMusic]

Honey Bar; please, don’t take that propaganda movie to heart. I don’t doubt the producers honestly believe much of what that video contains, and mean well, but take it from someone who first came across those scare-mongering websites & videos about commercial dog foods around 2001 – the old adage that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions has never been more accurate then when it comes to the controversy surrounding certain dog food brands/ingredients.

The first thing you should know is that Science Diet is not harming your dog. Tumors are mainly genetic. I even have one older dog who developed a fatty lump in the exact same spot that his mother did. I have also had Beagles with cancer eating different brands of canned, dry foods and the raw diet.

Another thing you have to realize is that movies like the one you watched are propaganda films produced by people who have an ulterior motive. That means, they deliberately tell you half truths and play on your emotions, while hiding the fact that the main reason they are against certain companies is because they are large corporations making more profit than those people deem acceptable. They’re called anti-corporation. And some of the big dog food manufacturers, like Iams and Science Diet, feed the formula to dogs and take blood tests periodically to test the results before it is put on the market. Often, this is confused with animal vivisection, and so you will find people who don’t care if the food is good or bad, it’s just that they don’t like the company’s practices.

There are people who would rather your dog fell apart on a “holistic” food (these are all marketing gimmicks) with no such testing behind it, than something sold by one of the larger corporations. I call them Dog Food Social Justice Warriors, because science and facts go out the window, while emotional appeals and propaganda are all they have to offer. They bash ingredients known to be used in certain brands, and hope people will blindly believe that if they say corn will make your dog have allergies, it magically will, or that Ingredient X will cause cancer, then it will, with no scientific proof whatsoever.

I don’t doubt dogs do well on all different kinds of foods, from raw to grocery store to home cooked to high dollar “holistic”, but none of these methods are wrong if your dog is doing well. It sounds like your dog is VERY well taken care of. Twelve years old is great for a Lab, and if I were in your shoes, knowing today what I didn’t know in 2001, I would leave the dog on the food he’s been eating, and maybe add some small amounts of home cooking or replace a meal here and there with a home cooked substitute if you’re worried. Because switching foods for older animals can definitely do more harm than good. High protein diets like raw can also place a strain on the kidneys, liver and affect the immune system of an older dog in a very bad way 🙁 The raw fed sister of one of my show champion dogs also developed a chronic ear/eye infection which was not treated with conventional medicine, and eventually, after about two years, caused infective endocarditis. basically, the infection traveled to her heart and caused a murmur. So yes, even raw has its risks.

I have lost dogs to cancer on several types of diets, RAW INCLUDED, but one thing they all had in common, from canned to dry to raw, was that they were high meat/high protein diets. Older dogs may need *slightly* more protein than adults, but we tend to feed adult dogs far too much protein as it is, and keep in mind that most of the small company owned holistic diets have no research behind them and have dangerously high mineral levels due to the high protein content. When I said that the road to Hell was paved with good intentions was that by switching a dog doing well on one feed for so long, you might wake up a problem that was lying dormant or cause problems feeding a diet geared more towards marketing trends than what your dog actually needs. Good luck with your dog, and maybe take a look at other sites like the Science Dog Blog or SkeptVet to hear the other side of the story.

https://thesciencedog.wordpress.com/

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/

• This reply was modified 8 years, 10 months ago by HoundMusic.

[Susan]

Hi, I don’t think a raw diet is a good idea at the moment especially if her immune system is compromised, tripe made my boy feel real sick & vomit, tripe is very strong & rich, if you do feed raw, only feed fresh human meats, no pet meats, pre made raw & no bone, the bone is very hard to digest & premade pet raw has bone in it unless you get the cat pre made raw, cat pre made raw seems to be of better quality of all the pet meats, cats are very fussy…..Patches Naturopath advised not to feed any pet shop pre made raw meats, it’s bad quality especially if you have a sick dog…. I used a supplement to replace the bone & organ meats… “Natural Animal Solution” Digestavite Plus Powder it balances the diet, strengthens the immune system & fixes the gut, you only need to add to 1 of the meals added once a day, but it’s Australian made by Naturopath Jacqueline Rudan she does export her NAS products but not to America, she helped me get Patch onto a raw diet here’s her link click on the “Maintenance Diet.. http://naturalanimalsolutions.com.au/Shop/2016/03/15/maintenance-dog-diet/
you pick 2-3 veggies & 1-2 fruits, I pick broccoli, celery, carrot & apple, peel & de seed, chop up & put thru a blender & blend to a pulp then I froze in 4 spoon sections, what I needed for 1 day meals & I froze the Kangaroo mince & chicken breast all cut up in 1 cup sections, I had to add 1 cup raw meat & 1-2 spoons of the veggie/fruit mix.. but your dog will lose more weight on the raw diet, she needs to fix her stomach first make it healthy again, she’d be better eating a cooked diet, feed at least 3 meals a day, feed her the amount of kibble she needs in smaller meals, then a cooked meal for another meal & see which meal she keeps down & digests best.. I like the Canidae Pure Meadow you don’t need to feed as much, all Patch needs is 1 & 1/2 cups a day & with the TOTW it’s 2 cups a day so not much to digest when you break the meals up…
Jacqueline made me add a digestive enzyme & probiotic to the raw meals but I think the Digestive Enzyme digested the meal too quickly in Patches stomach cause 20mins after eating the raw meal, 1 cup kangaroo mince mixed with 2 spoons of the blended veggie/fruit mix Patch would burp & all digested raw bits of meat & water would come up into Patches mouth & onto the floor, I thought his sphincter flap wasn’t closing properly from his stomach to his esophagus & foods was coming back up but I think the digestive enzymes made the raw meal digest way too quickly & when he burped the raw was still in his stomach & it came flying back up & out of his mouth, raw didn’t work for Patch, he kept regurgitating it back up & got bad acid reflux, back then I didn’t think it was the digestive enzymes causing the problem but now when I look back it was the digestive enzymes, I should of stopped adding them to the raw, but I think his stomach wasn’t healthy enough to cope with a raw diet at the time, I started to cook his raw food made into rissole balls baked in the oven & boiled sweet potato & mixed it all together, he did heaps better on a cooked diet then a raw diet, I’d cook once a week every Sunday & freeze it all but I still feed kibble TOTW 7am & 5pm feeds & the cooked meals for 12pm & 8pm feeds the kibble seems to work the best for him once I found a kibble that digest easily…It’s hard to keep the weight on so more smaller meals are needed thru the day this way the stomach & pancreas don’t have to work over time digesting 1 big meal of food, you can buy those feeding machines you put the kibble in & set the timer so she gets a small meal while your at work, you need to work out how much to feed her & feed her an extra 1/2 a cup that’s when I feed the cooked or wet tin foods as extra meals to keep the weight on… Patch should be 18kg +40lbs…
If a dog eats 4 or 5 times a day they don’t poo 4 to 5 poo’s a day, my boy just does 2 firm brown poo’s a day & he eats 5 smaller meals….
Have a look at her poo’s, what colour are her poo’s, yellow, green/black, are they soft, cow patties or firm? I’m just wondering if she is doing yellow sloppy poo’s or a greenie black poo’s ?

[Jennifer D]

Thanks! I have been thinking of moving to a raw diet. We have a co-op here called SF raw that is a great company and lower priced cause its a co-op. I might check them both out and see what seems to be the best way to test it out and see if it helps.

[Jennifer D]

so much good info! My other dog is on Honest Kitchen and does really well. I am thinking of moving them to a raw diet to see if that helps, and getting her on tripe and other stuff to help with the gut. I am emailing my vet right now and just tracking her food intake and bowl movements to make sure she is moving food through her digestive system. It seems kind of random so I am actually starting to track it in my calendar to make sure I have a clear understanding of what is going on.

Thank you for your response – I am going to have to read it a few times to absorb it all!

jen

[Susan]

Hi, so sad I also rescued a bully bread (Staffy) & Patch was vomiting up undigested kibble 8hrs later also, they have a very un healthy gut….who said she needs soft pallet surgery?? this isn’t the case, her food isn’t being digested, so the body rejects the un digested food & vomits, kibble is the hardest food to digest, no matter what the vet diet dry kibbles say on the front of the bag, raw/cooked & wet tin food digest quicker & are easier to digest then a high carb dry kibble….
if you can borrow the money find a good vet who can do or organize a Endoscope + Biopsies of the stomach, you need to do the biopsies to see what’s wrong in her
stomach & why she isn’t making enough Hydrochloric acid, my boy had the Helicobacter-Pylori + IBD…or ask a vet can he give you the triple therapy meds for Helicobacter-Pylori infection, the meds are: Metronidazole, Amoxicillin & Omeprazole, these meds will fix the stomach & kill any bad bacteria in the gut, but the Helicobacter will come back, Ive been fighting Patches for 3 yrs until he was left on Omeprazole ant acid med this finally helped Patch & a low carb diet
….cause she isn’t digestion her kibble it’s best to change both kibbles especially the Vet Diet they’re crap TRUST ME they do not go soft within 50mins the Hills vet diet kibbles & Royal Canin kibbles take 1-2 hours to go soft but not all the way through, so the kibbles just sit in her stomach so she vomits the undigested kibble back up cause her stomach isn’t working properly,
its called “Hypochlorhydria” low stomach acid where the Helicobacter breeds & lives, she needs meds the ones I mentioned above triple therapy to kill the Helicobacter infection & a diet low in carbs preferably gluten free & more meat then carbs so kibble isn’t good to feed.
… a lot of rescue dogs have Helicobacter cause of their poor diet while growing up also she could of left her mum way to early & never got all the proper nutrients from her mums milk that’s needed for a healthy stomach, now you need to make her gut healthy you do this once her triple therapy meds are finished…
If you want to feed a vet diet feed the wet tin foods like Hills vet diet I/d Chicken & Vegetable stew but Hills have stopped making the big cans of I/d Chicken & Vegetables Stew in Australia & now only make a small 156g can instead.. Patch needs 8 cans a day, you cant afford 8 small tins a day, so he gets 2 cans a day & gets his Canidae or Taste Of The Wild lamb kibble… or buy some chicken breast & sweet potatoes & cook & freeze meals
“Canidae” make very easy to digest kibbles like Canidae Life Stages, Chicken Meal & Rice, “Canidae Pure Meadow” it’s a senior kibble but it won’t matter she’ll get extra Omega 3 & DHA fatty acids & glucosamine in her diet for her bones & it has higher protein & less carbs what is needed for easy digestion & it’s Chicken, Chicken meal & Turkey Meal & Sweet Potato same ingredients as she is eating at the moment BUT will be easier to digest cause the protein is higher…
Start testing her kibbles, get a glass of very warm water, not boiling water just very warm water, add about 2-3 kibbles to the glass of water, does the kibbles float? a good kibble should float & how long does it take for the kibbles to go soft all the way thru?? a good easy to digest kibble should only take about 15-40mins to go soft all the way thru… another very easy to digest kibble is “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb, its a single protein limited ingredient kibble & grain free as well, after Patch tried all the crappy vet diets that didn’t digest easy like they say they do, finally 3 yrs later I tried TOTW Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb & finally Patch started to get better, gain weight & he did the triple therapy meds 3 times as its very hard to kill this Helicobacter-Pylori, he still takes the Metronidazole a low dose 200mg with food on & off when I see he’s going down hill & getting his acid reflux bad again, he takes the Omeprazole (Losec) 8.30am every day now, it’s a ant acid medication cause they don’t make enough stomach acid, the helicobacter breeds & takes over their stomach & lives in the stomach walls & keeps breeding they get bad acid reflux, vomit, eat grass, feel sick, loss weight & cant digest their food properly, she probably gets bad acid reflux as well this is why she is thin & under weight, she needs a IBD Specialist vet….her vet doesn’t seen to be working out why she is thin & why she isn’t digesting her food & vomiting ?? she’s young her gut should be healthy so something has happened in her past her mum may have past on the Helicobacter infection, Ive had it & its awful you feel so hungry all the time & your stomach gets a norring feeling, you need a vet that will listen & knows about IBD..
yes don’t desex her yet she she’s too sick, my poor boy was desexed, vaccinated, wormed, flea, all on the same day that’s what happens here in Australia when a rescue dog is rescued from a pound before going to their career, its straight from the pound to the vets then career…Patch was too sick to be adopted & I fell in love with him & adopted him…..
Your girl needs 4-5 meals a day not 2 big meals, Patch gets 5 meals a day 7am, 9am 5pm he gets 1/2 cup kibble one of the kibbles I mentioned above & at 12pm & 8pm he gets the Hills I/d Chicken & Vegetable Stew wet tin food…he was getting a cooked meals but last March he started to vomit up the cooked lean pork mince & sweet potato again so he got put back on the Metronidazole & was already taking the Omeprazole ant acid meds & I asked vet can I try the Hills I’d Chicken & Vegetable stew can it has digestive enzymes in it..
Watch her does she lick lips/mouth & swallow, burp? my boy grinds his teeth when he gets his acid reflux, when I first got Patch he was licking & licking his paws continually of a night when he was at his worst, his vet said the licking paws sets off his endorphins then
he would burp….

[pitlove]

Hi Shandi-

If you are going to be a raw feeder, you can’t be opposed to by-products. Organ meats are by-products and are a key point of a raw diet.

I would recommend paying for a consultation on BalanceIt.com with one of their veterinary nutritionists since you have not only a puppy, but a large/giant breed puppy coming. I have seen a lot of raw fed large breed puppies with nutrient defeciences because the owners decided to “wing it” and not consult a nutritionist during the critical growth period of the dog. Large breed puppies have extremely strict dietary requirements to help reduce their risk of orthopedic problems during growth and later in life. Think hip dysplasia. If you want to do raw, do it right. Your pup will thank you.

[shandi h]

these sites just seem to down raw diet and say it’s no different or better than commercial foods. One even said “by products” aren’t that big of a deal. lol so thanks for the info but I’ve made my decision to stray away from kibble for the most part as I do believe it is unhealthy for the pups. I may not be able to afford straight out feeding him whole chickens but I can try to do canned or dehydrated and fresh veggies for him. 🙂

[anonymous]

Hope this helps http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=raw
And http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=nuvet
And http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=coconut
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/nutrition/
And
https://www.mspca.org/angell_services/choosing-the-right-diet-for-your-pet/
I would listen to your vet.
I lost a dog to cancer too, genetics have a lot to do with it.
Zignature is a quality dog food (imo)

[shandi h]

So I have been looking into this raw diet stuff for about a week now. I watched “Pet Fooled” on netflix and I will admit it really woke me up to what is going on with pet food. Recently I lost my service dog that was an american bull dog. I lost her to Osteosarcoma. It was the hardest day of my life. It’s been a while and I am still not healed from that but we have decided to get a new dog. We have found a wonderful newfoundland pup who is coming to our home Thursday!!! I have been trying to do this research on my own but I’ll admit it’s so over whelming I can’t handle it! We have another dog but let me say this other dog is part goat, she has to be because she can eat ANYTHING. This new dog however I want to make sure is started off right while I correct the other dog’s diet to what is right!

So, I can’t understand the raw diet. There are no set ideas. No blueprints to go through. Is there a dehydrated diet I could use? That tends to be a bit cheaper for now. ALso, the vet said canned isn’t as bad should I try that? Also, I’m still going to give him the yogurt, eggs, liver, chicken broth and supplements. That’s easy for me but its everythign else that is confusing. HELP. He will be 10 weeks old on Thursday and around 28 pounds. How do I start this? Is there a site that has a set menu or grocery shopping list I can go by? I’m so very new to this. I don’t understand all the terminology yet. I want to do this right. Please help! He will be on NuVet as well as Mega C plus. I need to know exact portions like 1 cup of this, 2 tbs of this, 2 eggs, 1 tsp of coconut oil… yadda yadda. I can follow those!

[aimee]

Megann D,

Properly balancing a homemade diet is a challenge for an adult, I wouldn’t advise it at all for a pup. The one pup I personally knew that was raised on a raw homemade diet ended up anemic, with poor growth and needed orthopedic surgery to correct the limb abnormalities that developed. The owner had fed raw homemade for years… but always to adults. You have one chance to grow your pup’s structure. Why risk that?

Raw chicken is a great source of Salmonella and Campylobacter and while adult dogs with mature immune systems may be able to tolerate this bacterial challenge, puppies often surcumb to illness

If you insist on feeding a rawdiet to your pup use a product that has been high pressure pasteurized and has passed feeding trials for growth.i.e.Nature’s Variety

[Fiona S]

I have recently tried Tylee’s Turkey Frozen Dog Food. I like it and I like the company but there are a few things to consider about it.
1. It arrived quickly and VERY well packed, product was as frizen as if ut just came out a deep freezer.
2. My dog likes it and actually ate all the fruits and veggies from it which he never does.
3. It does say it meets AAFCO standards for all stages of life
BUT
4. Calculating on a dry matter analysis the fat content is about 38% which is double the fat of most other commercial dog foods. I would be extremely cautious about feeding this exclusively due to the potential for pancreatits.
5. It may be just as well that the fat content is too high to feed exclusively as it is EXPENSIVE! The 96oz bag equates to 12 cups of thawed food, that is almost $3 a cup and my dog (80lbs) would need almost 5 cups a day.

I absolutely appreciate what Chewy are trying to do to improve healthier options to kibble. I like that you can easily contact a fairly well informed human at the company. I called and mentioned my concern about tue fat content and asked if they could consider a low fat option.

I love that they do a turkey and a pork option as my dog cannot eat chicken or beef.

My dog is raw fed but he seems to get bored and this was one way to get him to eat a few antioxidants. I defrost a cup or so in the microwave at 50% for 2 minutes .. the bag has a ziploc seal, it is very convenient to store and use.

I am happy to add one cup a day to his raw diet .

Overall I would applaud chewy for bringing this out, I am hoping they will do a reduced fat version. Oh and they just launched a Tylee’s jerky treat. It’s reasonably priced with nothing other than the meat .. and it comes in turkey and pork which is great for all the chicken and beef sensitive dogs out there. Have ordered it and am waiting for it to arrive. Hope this info helps 🙂

[Susan]

Hi
here’s Dr Judy Morgan DVM video where she use’s the Honest Kitchen Preference base mix to make “Pup Loaf” its easy & you can cut the loaf & freeze all the meals as well, Dr Judy Morgan has a few easy videos on YouTube how to make her healthy balanced meals, her chef minces & grinds some of the meats that’s added to make meals, for some of her sick dogs, she has about 8 dogs, this is what my vet has told me to do with Patch after I bought his lean pork mince packet from a different place & the fat was higher then stated on packet of lean pork mince ….Patch had a Pancreas attack in March, vet said to buy your meat like pork loins lean beef steaks etc & trim off any fat & then grind & mince the steaks into mince meat, this way I’ll know the fat % & what I’m feeding Patch…

Your on the right track, your home cooked meals will be heathier then any kibble…. Patches Nutritionist/Naturopath said to me when Patch was being put on a raw diet for his IBD if I seen & smelt the kibble & the pet pre made raw mince being made, it would make me sick/vomit, she said the smell is awful, you’ll never feed kibble to your dog again….no matter how dear the kibble is, it’s still over processed dry kibble….

I’m always getting asked what does Patch eat his coat is soooo shinny, it looks like he’s wearing silk jacket a man told me today at the park…. My secret & what most Australian do, we add either tin sardines, a few sardines to 1 of the dogs meal or tin salmon in spring water to the dogs diet….just drain the spring water…. I make tin pink Salmon Potato Cakes, Patch & the cat love them, you add 1 x whisked egg & the crushed egg shell, boiled potatoes, chopped parsley & chopped kale….

Here’s Dr Judy Morgan Pup Loaf video-

Here’s Dr Judy Morgan’s “Naturally Healthy Pets” site & “How To Make Pup Loaf” ingredient list without adding the Honest kitchen Base Mix & balancing the meal naturally yourself, it will probably be heathier & cheaper then buying the Honest Kitchen dehydrated Base mix..
http://www.drjudymorgan.com/how-to-make-homemade-puploaf/

I’ve read a few people’s post on here DFA & Face Book & they say cause THK veggies are dehydrated they don’t swell up properly or form & some dogs poo the veggies straight out, some dogs do very sloppy poos when eating THK mixes maybe that’s the THK meals where you just add the water???