[John K]

Sorry to hear about all your dogs. My 8 year old shep mix went through this 6 years ago. She went blind in a week and gained weight. Unfortunately it turned out to be tumors. It’s a horrible disease and leaves you feeling hopeless. Vet bills were in the thousands. I feel for you and your dog and all other owners who are going through this. I really believe it was because of her diet.

I rescued 2 dogs 5 years ago and had them on a raw diet. 1 chicken leg and thigh in the am and again in the pm bones and all. They thrived on this diet. However I had to travel a lot and my family didn’t share my affinity for raw chicken. So I was thrilled when I found this site which guided me to an acceptable diet of Fresh Pet rolls and Orijen senior kibbles. I also mix this with raw pumpkin, organic chia seeds, and organic raw dried cranberries.

[Jen T]

Hi all, I have a Westie who is 9 years old and has issues with yeast infections due to environmental allergies. I’ve removed her kibble (turkey and potatoes) and all treats and I am trying out a Westie Diet recipe called Dan’s Highlander Hash which calls for: ½ pound ground turkey or salmon or tilapia, 1 raw carrot (substitute with celery stalk), 1 raw zucchini, 1 raw yellow squash, 1 medium apple – granny smith, and 2 Tbsps chopped fresh parsley. I usually double the serving size to last for 2.5 days (she gets 4 small meals each day about 5 ounces).

Instead of turkey, I’m using salmon and baking it until it’s at least 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Is it safe to keep giving her this meal every day for two weeks? In addition to this meal, I add 1 capusle of Gentle Digest (prebiotic and probiotic) as well as 1/8 teaspoon of turmeric per day. I read salmon should be given periodically but since I’m leaving on vacation in a few days, I don’t want to dramatically change her diet with the pet sitter. Any advice?

[InkedMarie]

I’ll repeat my question: for the regulars, do homecooked need bone in it?
For Alexis: dogs need calcium. A raw meaty bone, unless they consume the bone, isn’t going to do it.

I think your diets are not balanced….if they are not, you’ve got a blog and people may think they are. Hoping someone who knows will answer.

[anonymously]

Regarding raw diets: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/nutrition/

[lauri g]

first of all a raw diet is far better as it goes thru a dogs system clean and the transition isnt hard to do. I constantly do research and have mine only on raw which i give whole prey as well as prey model that i get from hare today gone tomorrow and from local vets . I do not buy from grocery stores as they do have meat with hormones etc. If i had to buy from grocery it would be labeled organic only. I will be willing to help anyone that wants to convert to raw. because of a raw diet and all natural raising on my boys mine never have bad breath nor ever smell like a dog {like a wet dog does when it comes in from the rain} never have decay or tarter buildup on teeth and no medical problems . I am happy I have learned that kibble isnt the way to go as dogs are carnivores not omnivores . Just look at your dogs teeth they are not flat .. you’ll be surprised how much of your dogs allergies will go away.
you can check our page also on fb natures way carnivore pets

[Susan]

Jennifer G yes please get the Endoscope & make sure you get the biopsies done as well cause Patch stomach looked fine when vet did the Endoscope but when the biopsies results came back it was a different story, Patch had Moderate to Chronic Lymphocytic Gastritis with associated spiral bacteria infection (Helicobacter) I wished I did the Endoscope + Biopsies, 1 year before, I thought I could fix the problem & I put poor Patch thru 1 year of bad acid reflux or even if the vet gives you the Metronidazole Losec & Amoxicillin for 21 days as soon as Patch takes the Metronidazole after 2-3 days his acid reflux stops, Patches vet now writes out 5 repeat scripts of the Metronidazole & as soon as Patch starts grinding teeth & swallowing for a few days & the Zantac or the liquid Mylanta isn’t working, I know the Helicobacter is back again & give Losec & the Metronidazole for 7 days, maybe start cooking the raw diet instead of feeding raw, they need a healthy stomach to eat raw, I put Patch on raw diet thru a Naturopath but I had to add probiotic & digestive enzyme but Patches acid reflux got worse again when he was burping up water from the raw, the raw must of been digesting real quickly cause of the digestive enzymes & he was bringing the raw back up & swallowing it, regurgitating it, so I started cooking the raw diet, it was heaps better now I feed kibble for breakfast & cooked diet for dinner I buy lean pork mince make into rissoles with some parsley boiled sweet potatoes broccoli & zucchini I change things sometimes, but I’ve stopped the cooked chicken breast, he kept having a red hot swollen back paw & was licking & licking the back paw& was scratching & burping real bad after eating the cooked chicken breast so maybe he’s sensitive to chicken….

[Susan]

Hi Sydney. your best sticking with limited ingredient kibbles, that way you have less ingredients that he can be sensitive or intolerant too & start reacting with skin problems…. Have a look “Taste Of The Wild” Grain Free formulas like the Pacific Stream Smoked Salmon, my boy does well on the Taste Of The Wild Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb, I try & stay around 40% & under for carbs, you add the Protein % + the Fat % + the Fiber % + the Moisture % & + the Ash % if there’s no ash % on bag or their internet site then just add 8% for the ash, now take the results away from 100 & you’ll have a the carb %….also rotate when you find a few kibbles brands he does well on, rotate them, you can do it monthly every time you have to buy a new bag of kibble….
My boy starts to smell real yeasty when the carb % is over 45% in carbs & when he eats barley, corn, maize, gluten meal, beet pulp & sometimes oats, depends where on the ingredient list the oats are, he starts to smell scratch & itch, it will depend on your dog, what he’s sensitive too, even the grain free kibbles can be very high in starchy carbs as well, have a look at Canidae Pure kibbles, they’re grain free, there’s Pure Wild, Pure Land, Pure Sea, Pure Sky, the Canidae Pure formulas were a bit too rich for my Staffy, he has IBD & got acid reflux when he ate the Pure Land, probably the Bison was too rich for him or the chickpeas…a lot of dogs do really well on fish kibbles that have skin problems, the Canidae has their Pure Sea… Canidae Pure Formulas are very dense, high in Kcals, you don’t need to feed as much kibble…. Canidae also have their Life Stages Formulas, have a look at the Duck Meal Brown Rice & Lentils Formula for large Breeds….. Patch just tried the Life Stages, All Life Stages Formula, it has Chicken meal, Turkey Meal, Lamb Meal as the first 3 ingredients then Ocean fish meal is further down the ingredient list & its around 39% in Carbs, or try another kibble that has a few different ingredients to the kibble he’s eating now, try & make sure there’s about 2 to 4 proteins as the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th ingredients maybe try a grainfree kibble you’ve tried a kibble with grains also fresh foods are excellent give a few small sardines, the tin sardines in spring water as a treat or add to his kibble, at dinner time if you’ve cooked too much & have some left over veggies & meat make him a meal as well, I prefer fresh foods then feeding kibble, kibble is quick & easy for us…I try & feed 1 meal kibble breakfast & dinner a cooked meal, I cook then freeze meals…. here’s the Canidae page http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products/ the new Pure Wild looks good, I’m waiting to try it, I live Australia & we haven’t got the new Canidae formulas yet 🙁 I love Pit Bulls being pure white, I hope he doesn’t get skin allergies as he gets older, my vet said he see’s more white, pink skin dogs with skin problems then dogs that are black or brown with dark skin, also are you washing him weekly in the Malaseb medicated shampoo?? bath in a antibacterial shampoo to kill the bacteria & yeast…I have a English Staffy he has skin problems only where he’s has white fur the brindle areas are fine & stomach problems…. I hope you have better luck with your boy, so make sure he’s eating a good diet & use sun screen on face head etc & give him a nice raw meaty turkey leg once a week for breakfast also in Australia we give Staffys whole coconuts to play with, you peel the husk off the coconut a bit can cause sloppy poos, then the coconut keeps them busy trying to open the coconut & drink the milk, keep 1/2 the coconut for another day, may cause soft poos depends on your dog..

[Jennifer G]

Hello, I have a 9 year old boxer “Rosco” who started gulping (no vomitting unless its a hack up of bile) a couple of months ago. We treated initially with Prilosec which didn’t do much, then did a 2 week treatment of carafate and metoclopramide which we were only successful for 10 days and had to go out of town. He is raw fed (predatory raw so only meat) and we wondered if it was the new suppliers chicken blend (since he didn’t have a problem before) and possibly it was fattier. So he went to chicken breast and we added some green beans for bulk. We tried to give him some rice or pasta per the vet but that destroyed him and caused bloody stool. Luckily I was able to get that under control quickly. Next was a probiotic and that did nothing so then we went to Kefir which seems to be best for him. So a month later he is on chicken breast, bone meal, green beans and kefir and still gulping (sometimes he has a very bad day of it and other times it can be 2 or 3 days of 2am bouts). He is on heart medication for cardiomyopathy and we did have him xrayed because we thought the sound was a cough but now we realize it is a side effect of the gulping. So his chest is clear, heart is fine, his diet has nearly no fat. He has no allergy symptoms. He has been on carafate and metoclopramide again for 10 days and had one bad 2am bout. Overall he is better but not well by any means. I was interested in the seizure possibility but he is not desperately hungry and the helicobacter seems like it would have caused much more severe issues with his poop. He did lose quite a sum of weight in the beginning but being on the chicken breast fixed that. I am being told to go for an endoscopy with a specialist but I worry that it will be all for nothing. Anyone dealt with this where it was unidagnosed and the dog got megaesophagus or worsened in condition over time? What options are there for all of us? Thanks in advance.

[Shawna]

laconrad,

Although I do feel small amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables are quite healthy for dogs, carbohydrates aren’t a necessary requirement – even in the modern dog. Yes, when properly processed, they can utilize them but they still aren’t a necessary macronutrient. Waltham is a reliable source of information on this – they state “Cats and dogs can sythesise their own blood glucose from amino acids. Carbohydrate, therefore is not an essential macronutrient. However, if provided in their diet, cats and dogs can utilise carbohydrates and they are used in pet foods as sources of energy and dietary fibre.
Carbohydrate levels tend to be higher in dry pet food than in wet pet food.” https://www.waltham.com/dyn/_assets/_pdfs/waltham-booklets/Essentialcatanddognutritionbookletelectronicversion.pdf

In fact, carbohydrates aren’t even required in complete and balanced foods. There is a minimum protein requirement, a minimum fat requirement but no minimum on carbs. AAFCO guidelines as of 2008 http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+1659&aid=662

They now know that the MINIMUM protein requirement for senior dogs is actually 25%. ” Protein requirements actually increase by about 50% in older dogs, while their energy requirements tend to decrease. When insufficient protein is provided, it can aggravate the age-associated loss of lean body mass and may contribute to earlier mortality. Older dogs should receive at least 25% of their calories from protein, typically provided by diets containing at least 7 g protein/100 Kcal ME.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18656844

It’s also a myth that higher protein amounts have a negative impact on a dog’s kidneys. In fact, dogs WITH kidney disease can safely eat a higher protein diet as long as phosphorus is watched. Here’s my favorite source of info on this “Mythology of Protein Restriction for Dogs with Reduced Renal Function” http://www.championpetfoods.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Myths_of_High_Protein.pdf

The bioavailability of the protein is every bit as important as the overall amount. The more bioavailable the protein the less blood urea nitrogen is created. So the better the quality of the protein the more that can be fed. An ounce of protein from beef, as an example, will be better utilized, leaving less waste, than an ounce of soy protein. Additionally raw protein will be better utilized then it’s cooked counterpart due to amino acid loss lowering bioavailability.

I have never read any literature suggesting protein as a cause of cirrhosis however I would agree that lowering protein would be advised if the liver is already severely damaged. NOT because the protein is further “damaging” the liver however the ammonia not being converted is quite toxic. Even in this article relating to humans they don’t suggest excess dietary protein as a cause https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000302.htm

Excess fiber in the diet has been shown to act as an anti-nutrient. I just this week read a research paper on this but I bookmarked it at work and don’t have access right now.

You’ve mentioned the liver and kidneys several times so I thought I’d add a little more research on the kidneys. “Long-term renal responses to high dietary protein in dogs with 75% nephrectomy. These results do not support the hypothesis that high protein feeding had a significant adverse effect on either renal function of morphology in dogs with 75% nephrectomy.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3702209

Purina Veterinary Diets
“A University of Minnesota study revealed renal aging does not occur in geriatric dogs, at least to the extent that it has been reported in people. When fed a diet of 39% protein and 15% fat (dry matter basis), geriatric dogs maintained relatively stable glomerular filtration rates and had no greater incidence of glomerulosclerosis than those dogs in the protein-restricted (19% dry matter basis) diet group. These and other studies indicate no need for restricted dietary protein, fat, sodium or phosphorus to help minimize renal disease progression in healthy geriatric dogs. Still other studies have shown high dietary protein alone will not cause the development of kidney disease. In addition, research has shown that older dogs may actually require more protein than younger adult dogs, just to maintain normal protein turnover, and to support lean body mass and normal immunocompetence.

Obesity has been associated with arthritis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, neoplasia and decreased survival. Therefore, efforts to maintain ideal body weight and body condition are far more important and appropriate than protein or phosphorus reduction for maintaining health in geriatric dogs.” https://www.purinaveterinarydiets.com/research/senior-dogs-do-old-kidneys-need-new-diets/

Interestingly, at least two papers published in the Journal of Nutrition have shown higher protein diets to be beneficial for weight loss in dogs.

“High-Protein Low-Carbohydrate Diets Enhance Weight Loss in Dogs” http://jn.nutrition.org/content/134/8/2087S.full

“Weight Loss in Obese Dogs: Evaluation of a High-Protein, Low-Carbohydrate Diet” http://jn.nutrition.org/content/132/6/1685S.full

[InkedMarie]

Until you try a raw diet for your dog, you have no idea what your dog can and can’t have. There are raw food companies that offer exptic proteins such as emu, llama, goat, etc.

There is kibble made with kangaroo. There is a freeze dried with goat.

[zcRiley]

My philosophy is to have your dogs the best they can be every single day, whether they have 5 years left , 5 months or 5 days. Every moment is a gift, why not give them a dietary boost, it’s never too late! You know what to fall back on if they show signs of intolerances.

Soft freeze dried is easy on the teeth and digestion. Super healthy clean raw without the freezing/ thawing frustrations. ZiwiPeak is great but can go bad in the bag faster, moisture factor. Primal Nuggets have long shelf life, crumble, add water and mix. Both are complete balanced meals, you may see their energy pick up, too. Remember, protein is still very important for senior dogs. Introduce with a slow transition and have fun with it!

[DieselJunki]

You’re story sounds hauntingly familiar. My Ambull started off this way but I couldn’t find a kibble he did well on at ALL. It was hard because he was wasting away, like he wasn’t digesting. I spent soooooooo much money and got 0 answers from my vet. I threw my hands up and went and did a raw diet, that was the only thing that worked for us, I did that for 2 years and just recently switched back to kibble trying brands that I had tried before and am getting good results this time. I have no idea what happened between when he was a puppy to 3 years later but he’s doing so well on kibble I’m actually quite surprised.

At least she is doing well on something. Halfway through the switch you say she develops the poops. Have you tried to add more of the old food back in with the new to see if that would help instead of just going straight back to the prescription food? How slow are you going with her switch? Have you been keeping track of common ingredients in those foods and tried to find another food with out those ingredients in it? Food trials take time, but anythings better than Purina and Royal Canine. In my opinion it is worth the effort. In a food trial it is best to keep all table scraps, and treats out of the mix to really truly get a handle on what it is that is causing her issues. You could use her current food as ‘treats’ and she wouldn’t know the difference I bet.

Have you tried any probiotics, or enzymes?

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

[Susan]

Hi sounds like food sensitivities/intolerances & environment allergies, have you looked at doing the Jean Dobbs salvia testing to get an idea what foods she may be sensitive too, I know people say these test are not 100% but it will give you an idea what foods she may be sensitive too there’s also salvia & hair testing that test for food, mites & tree/plants….. she may be sensitive to dust mites??? also my boy can not have a kibble that’s high fat, high fiber/carb diet, no fish or salmon oils they all cause acid reflux stomach problems…
Can you start to cook for her or even if you feed a cooked meal that’s been pre cooked sectioned then frozen & you take out the night before & put in fridge for next day & feed a kibble for breakfast & cooked for dinner, also change the kibble, stop feeding kibbles with potatoes & specially when potatoes are first ingredient like the Natural Balance is, its too much starchy carbs…..a good kibble should have 2-4 proteins as 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th ingredients then a carb…..
Some grain free kibbles can be very high in starchy carbs…. I have found Patch does best on a kibble that’s lamb chicken fish & Brown rice or a Fish Kibble with sweet potatoes but the fat has to be 10-14% fat or he gets his acid reflux & it must not have fish oil or Salmon oil or he starts grinding his teeth with real bad acid reflux.
He eats Earthborn Ocean Fusion, Taste Of The Wild Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb, Canidae Life Stages, all life stages formula, Canidae Grain free look at the Pure land, Pure Sky & Pure Wild they all have no potatoes & Carbs are 40% & under
http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products
Have a look at the Honest Kitchen aswell
Shop All Dog
look at “Brave” & “Zeal” carbs are 35% or the base mixes you just add the protein….

Baths are you doing weekly baths? I use the “Malaseb” medicated shampoo in Spring Summer, bath every 4-7 days, whenever Patchy is real itchy & has his red paws/toes, itchy bum, etc …… I also use Hydrocortisone 1% cream, every night when Patch is sleeping, I do the skin body check for any red toes, red paws, white fur thinning out above right eye etc & lightly apply some Hydrocortisone cream next morning itch & redness has all cleared up also I use the “Huggie Baby Wipes” Cucumber & Aloe, when we come home from a walk or he goes outside, I wipe Patch down, a new baby wipe per section of the body, these Cucumber & Aloe wipes are really good, sold in Supermarket baby section, I think you can get special wipes for environment allergies & hot spots as well, there’s a Face Book group called “Dog issues, allergies and other information support” group, one of the admins uses the special wipes & has started cooking & using “Balance It” to balance the diet……

Normally when they have Food Sensitivities/Intolerances they will have stomach & bowel problems & itchy skin…….My Patch gets he has Seasonal Environment Allergies & Food Intolerances & Sensitivities to certain foods, I did an elimination diet, then started adding foods… there’s no point trying a vegan diet, the carbs would be thru the roof 50-70% carbs like the vet diets have & you want a low carb diet……dogs are made to eat meat, have you thought of trying a Raw diet?? Patch did real well on Raw diet his skin cleared up within 1 week BUT cause he has IBD he kept regurgitating water up into his mouth, I think it was the Digestive enzymes the Naturopath made me use cause of his IBD I was so worried he’ll get diarrhea from the raw diet, so we used digestive enzymes & I think they digested the raw to quick & Patch was burping up & water was coming up into mouth… I’m going to try the raw again next Summer…..
I would honestly start again with the diet building up the immune system probiotice foods high in probiotics Kefir/yogurt etc & see if you see a change, if your on face Book Monica Segal has a group called “K9Kitchen” she has put up a easy recipe to make called “Omega 3 Boost” cookies, I’m going to make some for Patch, I really believe you need to boost their omega 3 & some kibbles are very high in omega 6 & very low in omega 3 then the dog starts having skin problems, stop the fish oils & try other things that are high in omega 3, olive oil, sardines in Spring water are good 1-2 a day this way its given thru foods… also what tin foods are you feeding? I was feeding tin foods at night as well & they were making Patch itch they had gelling agents in them something in the wet food made his paws go real red & he’d start licking his paws & get itchy, try replacing the wet tin foods with cooked meals… I’m feeding boil chicken breast, sweet potato not much only 1/4 to 1/3 cup & broccoli & 1 cup chicken, cook & add greens zucchini celery spinach etc… I feed more protein then carbs in the cooked meals…1 cup meat 1/2 cup veggies…

[Susan]

I would STOP feeding the Royal Canin SO….. When I first recused Patch Patch was put the Royal Canine SO kibble & the SO wet tin food to dissolve his crystals, vet said he was probably used for breeding & got an infection….. Patch was desexed put on antibiotics 2 weeks & the R/C SO for 6 weeks, after the 6 weeks he had another Ultra Scan to see if Patches crystals had dissolve & they had, so vet said now you can put him back on his regular diet, he doesn’t have to keep eating the R/C SO anymore but while eating the R/C SO for 6 weeks, Patch started to itch & scratch, had smelly itchy ears, shaking his head & stunk of yeast, I have since learnt Patch can’t eat Wheat, Corn, Maize, Gluten, Barley & Chicken….
If you can start feeding a raw balanced diet or a cooked balanced diet, the Honest Kitchen has some really good formulas & Base Mixes you just add the protein & the meal is balanced also there’s groups on Face Book you can join “Home Cooking for dogs” “Raw Feeding For Dogs” there’s Monica Segal group called “K-9 Kitchen” https://www.facebook.com/groups/K9Kitchen/
Monica puts up recipes, she has one at the moment “Omega 3 Boost” cookies looks very easy too make, Monica also does consults & special diets for health problems….

With Nelly’s itchy skin & hot spots, bath 5-7 days, weekly baths in an antibacterial shampoo, I use “Malaseb medicated shampoo” its kills any bacteria & leaves the skin & fur feeling sooooo soft & itch free…. change diet to a healthy natural diet, bath weekly or when your dog is itchy & has hot spots, you’ll start to see a big change after changing diet & weekly baths, here’s the Honest Kitchen site “Zeal” or “Brave” are excellent formula’s for dogs with skin problems & low in carbs…. http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/dog-food/zeal

Also google “Dr Judy Morgan” she has diets on You-Tube for dogs with certain health problems & sells the supplements & does consults for diets for health problems..

[Katrina D]

I was googling about pet nutrition the other day and found a link for a Clinical Pet Nutrition program at the Academy for Natural Health Sciences. It can be taken online, and the classes look pretty interesting. They appear to promote raw and healthy commercial diets, compared to most nutrition courses run by Hills and Royal Canin. Does anyone have any insight into whether this is a reputable course to take, and if it would be worth the money?

[anonymously]

Age 7 is considered a senior, the vets often recommend an exam and lab work at this stage, if you haven’t done so. Excessive licking and hot spots is an indication that something is wrong, I think a visit to the vet may be in order.
I would discuss diet changes with the vet before taking her off of a prescription food.

“Food Allergies are probably over-diagnosed in dogs (they account for, perhaps 5-10%). Hypoallergenic diets are occasionally, but not frequently, helpful in canine atopy cases but you should always give them a try. Food intolerances are more common – but considerably more likely to result in digestive disturbances and diarrhea that in itching problems”.
http://www.2ndchance.info/Apoquel.htm

Check the search engine here for allergies: /forums/search/allergies/

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=allergies You may find some helpful information at this site.

Regarding bladder stones:
/forums/topic/crystalstone-in-bladder/

Often when the infection is treated (antibiotics) and water intake is increased the condition clears up, unless they have another type of stones, also. They can have more than one type. Often there is a genetic component.

The best thing you can do is to increase water intake and offer frequent bathroom breaks, opportunities to urinate. Sure, dogs can hold it, but that’s not good for this condition, You want to keep the bladder flushed. Stagnant conditions in the bladder are conducive to stone formation.
PS: Has your dog had an x-ray to rule out calcium oxalate stones?
I use a potassium citrate/cranberry supplement I get from Chewy.com. It depends on the type of stones.
It is best to get approval from the veterinarian that is treating the dog before adding anything, and I would go along with the prescription diet for now. PH levels fluctuate and it takes a while (sometimes weeks) to see changes, at least that is what my vet told me.

you may find this site helpful: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/ Recent blog about cranberry supplements.

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/nutrition/ Regarding raw diets.

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

[Jenna R]

Hello!

My 7yr old dog Nelly (she is a rescue but we think she is a Bichon/Shih Tzu/Havaenese) has had a few bladder infections and most recently had to have crystals (or stones) removed from her bladder in late 2015. Nelly was on Royal Canin food for medium dogs her whole life until about 2015 when my mom thought she may have a wheat/dairy allergy so she switched her food (not sure the brand). The bladder infections were treated with antibiotics and she seemed to recover just fine. After her surgery, our vet recommended going back to Royal Canin SO and we added in giving her a bit of canned Royal Canin as well however recently Nelly has been having “hot spots” and licking places she has never licked before so we are beginning to think it is a wheat allergy or SOMETHING along those lines!

Now that Nelly is better my mom is terrified to have her go through that experience again (it was AWFUL!!!) so we are looking for the best option to keep Nelly free from bladder issues all together.

I read a lot about a raw diet and cranberry pills. We are open to absolutely anything so that Nelly can have the best quality of life 🙂

*I also read about them getting enough water, i dont think this is Nelly’s issue as we do leave water out and she drinks it all the time*

Can anyone recommend the next steps that we should take?

Jenna

[Coonhound Mama]

Great menu, Cannoli. Sounds like you’ve got an awesome handle on raw. Might I ask why you are still feeding Orijen when your raw menu is so good? Just curious. I know you said you believe in a rotational diet, but it looks like your raw menu is wonderfully diverse. Keep up the good work.
🙂

[Cannoli]

I believe in a rotational diet this is what I feed my dog below on a weekly basis I aim to balance on a weekly basis when it comes to the nutrition components:

High end kibble 3 meals a week- Origen. Usually chicken flavor since I don’t feed raw poultry.

The rest of the days for the week I feed as follows:

Since my dog is 60lbs I feed 2lbs a day with 80% meat 15-20% bone and 5 % organ of the follows:

Raw hormone free grass fed bison- from grocery store or fom Real Raw Dog food online
Raw or lightly cooked hormone free Venison- from Hare today Gone tomorrow
raw or lightly cooked hormone free elk from haretoday gone tomorrow
Raw or lightly cooked hormone free organic beef- fom grocery stor
Grass fed hormone liver, kidneys, and thymus from grocery store- every meat meal
On weekends he gets 2 meals of fish. Fresh caught whole sardines, or fresh caught salmon with skin, or whole Mackeral. Always cooked and these fish have the highest concentrations of omegas 3. I never use fish pills. Fish pills are crap
Green tripe from real raw once a week

for each meat meal I rotate on a daily basis the calcium to get 15-20%. Either ground rib or pork bones, or calcium seaweed, or egg shells. Never neck bones as I fear hypothyroidism.

Also each none kibble meal I add the following organic supplements to the meat dishes. I never feed synthetic supplements:
Tumeric
spirulina
Organic virgin coconut oil-4x week
Kefir- every other week
Apple cider vinegar with the mother-3x a week
Organic egg 4 x a week
Fresh organic blueberry smoothie with kefir
Fresh ground organic ginger

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

[pugmomsandy]

There’s not a long list of very low carb kibbles since kibble is like a bakery product and needs carbs to hold it’s shape. There are brands that use 70% or more protein from animal sources like Acana Regionals USA, some of the Acana Heritage Canada recipes are near 75% animal sourced, Weruva Caloric Melody, Merrick Grain Free, Only Natural Pet Canine Power Food and Orijen currently boasts 80% animal sourced ingredients so their carbs are low. There are alot more low carb choices in canned foods.

Then there are dehydrated foods like ZiwiPeak and Only Natural Pet MaxMeat that are slightly processed so not technically raw but have high protein and low carbs.

There are also supplements you can buy to add to cooked meat to make it a complete diet such as Urban Wolf and Carnivoraw. These don’t require you to add veggies.

[Anand V]

Hi there,

I’ve been feeding my 9 1/2 y/o Alaskan Malmaute a dehydrated raw diet….she was already on it when I adopted her 3 years ago. She eats Honest Kitchen Thrive – Chicken and Quinoa. It has done her well but she does have some skin issues and it was suggested I try a raw diet from Big Country Raw (BCR). They’re not too far away from me towards the Niagara region. I haven’t found any reviews that you have done on this product under your rating system. I have read some others mention that supplements may be needed. Any input you can provide would be greatly appreciated. It sounds like a great product and is also budget friendly versus Honest Kitchen. That’s not the main reason I want to switch…doing it more to help my dog have healthier skin and fur….that means more than the $$$ I spend on her food.

http://www.bigcountryraw.ca/index.php

Thanks.

[Joanna W]

My dog is eating signature fish formula dry and their canned foods. I do plan on doing some cooking for him, and he is getting a version of the budwig protocol, flaxseed oil. Cottage cheese and yogurt. That is separate from his 2 meals a day.

I would like to put him on a low carb diet. As low as possible. Raw is not something I can afford and I have concerns with cancer and raw as a precaution.

I’m looking for a low carb dry or dehydrate that is all around good food, he is on the zignature for mild skin issues which are good right now.

It is beyond overwelming to find something good and affordable. The place I buy food from suggested canine caviar special needs but I don’t know about it since reading some things about the food and the company.

Solid gold barking at the moon has very low carbs but I have concerns after reading the comments on the reviews. Any one with great knowledge of this specific issue I would appreciate your suggestions
Thank you

[anonymously]

“She was looking to learn raw since her dog was experiencing Cushings symptoms from taking steroids for 4 years as a treatment for allergies”.

That is why it is best to consult a specialist/dermatologist if the allergy symptoms have been going on for more than 1 year/4 seasons without any significant periods of relief despite treatments from the regular veterinarian.

Prednisone is usually ordered to stop the suffering caused by excessive scratching/pruritus. It is a temporary fix. Most likely the allergies are environmental and have nothing to do with the diet, that was my experience.

A lot of folks refuse to consider going to a specialist because of the cost……therefore the regular vet has no choice but to continue to treat the symptoms.

My dog enjoys seeing her dermatologist, since she is stable we only go once a year.
PS: She can eat a variety of foods, chicken included, cooked of course!

My senior dog gets constipated if he doesn’t have water soaked kibble (Nutrisca) everyday.

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

[Rox B]

Thank you pitlove: I have fed raw long enough to tell you that conventional vets do not approve of raw feeding. Veterinary schools like UC Davis have nutrition classes taught and sponsored by Hills dog food the makers of Science Diet and many other unhealthy kibbles. Vets receive kickbacks and incentives from kibble companies, mainly Hills. This is why you see these kibbles sold in most vet offices. I interact with thousands of raw feeders. Too bad these 4 vets didn’t research and report on our success feeding raw.

[anonymously]

Hope this helps, it appears that the poster that asked the most recent question regarding raw diets has their mind made up already, but maybe someone else will appreciate this science-based veterinary blog, I find the comments very informative too.
I was listening to the homeopathic vets for a while, but I can no longer believe them, for the most part.

More Evidence of the Risk of Infectious Diseases Associated with Raw Pet Foods

[Bobby dog]

Hi Oceans11:
He does not mind it at all. With the excitement he shows when he eats his Carnivore Blend meals I can honestly write he eats these dinners with much more enthusiasm than the commercial raw, kibble, or canned that are also part of his diet. He goes back to his dish several times to lick it clean after he finishes. I wish I had the time to cook every meal for all my critters, but the best I can do at this time is a few meals a week.

Carnivore Blend is a very fine powder with not much of an odor. I tasted it when I got it, doesn’t really taste like much, and it wasn’t gritty on it’s own. It mixes very, very well with the food. You do not smell or see any trace of it.

[Rox B]

Pitlove: Can you show proof to support what you’ve posted or are you posting hearsay? Who tested these diets? The AAFCO? The AAFCO likes to see food fortified before they give their stamp of approval and if they don’t see it fortified, they say it is deficient. And what dog food do you feed? Kibble? Kibble is worthless nutrition and that is why it needs added vitamins and minerals. If you want to do research, google what is in dry dog food or how dry dog food is made. That will be a real eye opener for you. Kibble is not species appropriate and is not healthy for dogs. I have been feeding my 8.5 year old GSD Prey Model Raw Diet for years and he is healthy 100%. Thousands of people are feeding complete and balanced raw diets to their pets. There might be some people who do not feed raw correctly, but that is because they lack knowledge and support. Personally, I don’t think kibble feeders are feeding their dog’s correctly. I teach how to feed raw properly. PMRD 80/10/5/5 guidelines are balanced and complete. BARF and PMRD are live foods with all their natural nutrients. Nothing is better for dogs. Raw dogs are beautiful and very healthy. You are taking a chance on your dog’s health if you are feeding kibble or anything other than raw.

[Rox B]

Julia J you do not need a nutritionist to feed your GSD. Please join my Facebook group Learning Raw With Roxane. It’s free and you will learn how to properly feed raw. I have an 8.5 year old GSD and members with GSD’s including one with a GSD puppy who is growing fine feeding raw. We have MANY members with large breed puppies. I teach Prey Model Raw Diet 80/10/5/5. Come learn HOW to feed raw and what raw meaty bones are safe. You can learn about weight bearing bones, their risks and so much more helpful information. Here is the link to my closed group. Request to join….it’s free. https://www.facebook.com/groups/LearningRawWithRoxane/

[Pitlove]

Hi Julia-

Your GSD is a large breed and you need to be extremely careful about how much calcium he is getting in his diet. Too much and he is at high risk for developmental orthopedic disorders. Not to mention if he is an AKC GSD I would be even more careful since they are now being bred to have a sloped roach back.

Raw diets are very difficult to balance without the help of a board certified veterinary nutritionist. I would highly recommend seeking out the help of one before continueing this diet.

[Greg F]

Rrlover
Yes I was I started a topic on IBD dog 2 months ago when we had a flare up and almost lost her. She bounced back with new medication and 4 days in the hospital. About a week ago she started deterioring. The vet thinks it might have been lymphoma the was masked by the new meds.
I read an article by Karen Becker that said this can happen by a length bout with IBD and continued use of drugs. I can’t help wonder if different drugs or diet started 5 years ago would have made a difference.
With all the hype about raw food I wonder if any dogs that were always on raw ever picked up this disease? Have any does with IBD switched over to raw were able to get off the meds?

[Becca]

I just started my two dogs on Nuvet plus. I have to block out the science naysayers. Food is medicine when you find the right combos. I will let you know the difference. I have phone dog with multiple issue, loss of fur, losing weight beside being ravenously hungry , even though the vet said he has pancreatitis, he has a 5 cm tumor on his liver, with normal liver function. Going for more testing next week, so far a lot of money is going out with little answers. My other dog has dry itchy skin, and torn ccl. Just today seems like the other leg is affected, he trying to hobble on the bad leg. They are on a raw and home cooked diet. I hear a lot of good things about Nuvet plus, so I’ll post soon my thoughts

[CLAIRE H]

I am so thankful for this information all of you have shared!!! I have a boxer, Tigra who just started this about 3 months ago. She is not a rescue and has never known any trauma or abuse yet she has some anxiety and has developed fear of loud noises and thunder drives her on to my lap. I have another boxer who is a rescue and has none of this anxiety nor does she have the reflux issue yet is on the identical diet.

I am hopeful since eliminating the Glucosamine treats and the Zukes training treats and the treats with salmon oil and all dairy, Tigra, is not showing signs of the gulping and gagging at all and it has been 2 weeks since I stopped all treats. She eats Great Life dry raw Chicken kibble with Coco Licious can food in morning and again in evening and nothing in between. I am keeping my fingers crossed. With all the environmental toxins we are all exposed to and god knows what is in dog food it is no wonder there are these mysterious conditions that vets have no idea how to treat. I am grateful for all of your experience and will continue to follow this thread and hopefully report good news down the line.

[Susan]

Hi when I rescued Patch he was weeing blood, we did ultra scan & he had crystal, Patch was put on the Royal Canine Urinary SO wet & dry for 6 weeks only, wet for dinner, kibble for breakfast & no other foods then after the 6 weeks he had another ultra scan & all crystals had dissolved & were all gone…… 🙂 then vet said he can stop the Royal Canine SO & eat a normal diet… here’s a diet for preventing Urinary Crystals just scroll down & click on “Acidifying Raw Diet” its raw but it can be cooked it gives you an idea..
http://www.naturalanimalsolutions.com.au/natural-diet.html

[Shirley F]

Hi, I´m new here and would like some feedback about nutrition facts and lack of nutrients in the raw food I feed my 2 dogs? My older is 4 years old and has recently been diagnosed with crystals in his urine. My vet recommended a dry food that contains an SO index, but he would rather eat carton than that kibble…I am using vitamin C and a cranberry dosage in his food, but my vet said that would not clear up the crystals, but am I wrong in assuming that the SO index is just magnesium? I´m feeding them Nordic, a food blended here in Iceland, but the same ingredients the Swedish company uses except for the meat, it´s local. They also get raw turkey necks once a day. Anyone here with thoughts on extra nutrients in their diet? Thanks!

[InkedMarie]

What kind of ear infections? My oldest dog had recurrent yeast ear infections & paw licking; my holistic vet suggested a raw diet without produce as some canfeed yeast.

[Bobby dog]

Hi Susan:
Glad you read my post and hopefully you can help others that are using it in their raw diets.

Too bad you can’t get Balance IT in Australia Bobby has done really well on it. I like it because I have access to so many recipes which are easily prepared. I also find it very economical depending on which ingredients I choose.

There are vitamin packs in the U.S. available for raw feeders, however I am not familiar with any because Bobby only likes commercial raw not prey model.

I absolutely agree feeding an unbalanced diet (unless for medical reasons) is the worst you can do for your pets. However, at this time I feel the best diet is individual to the dog whatever form that might be as long as it is balanced.

I am very lucky since I have sorted out Bobby’s health issues I can feed anything and everything; I know some pet parents aren’t so lucky. I feel it’s best not to rule out any form of food. You never know what will be best at any given time.

[Susan]

Hi Bobby Dog, on one of the raw feeding groups a few people are using the “Balance It” to balance their dogs raw diets….I’ll have to tell them you can’t add the Balance it to raw foods, its just for cooked meals….
I can’t get “Balance It” in Australia, I’ve read good things about “Balance It” I use DigestaVite Plus an Australian product & its for raw & cooked foods, it doesn’t matter… that’s when vets start seeing health problems & start not recommending raw or cooked diets cause people are not balancing their dogs diet properly….. The worse diet for a dog is an unbalanced cooked or raw diet, then kibble…

[Bobby dog]

Hi Susan:
You suggested to the OP to look into Balance IT. I use one of their products regularly for home cooked meals. My dog loves the few recipes I have concocted and has done well on Carnivore Blend. However, this company does not produce any product to balance a raw diet, or more importantly the company does not recommend feeding raw at all. Here are their reasons and the importance of using any of their products as directed from their FAQ page under the subtitle “HOMEMADE PET FOOD RECIPE PREPARATION”:

“Do I really need to cook the ingredients in my recipe? – I hear raw food is good for pets.

We NEVER recommend feeding raw meat as it can result in serious life-threatening infections for both pets and people (see review article at http://avmajournals.avma.org/doi/full/10.2460/javma.243.11.1549). Always use safe handling procedures when cooking with raw meats by washing hands, preventing cross-contamination, cooking food thoroughly, and storing food properly.

The guidance from the AVMA at https://www.avma.org/KB/Resources/FAQs/Pages/Raw-Pet-Foods-and-the-AVMA-Policy-FAQ.aspx may also be of interest.

It is also important to cook each ingredient as directed in the cooking instructions for the recipe, as the cooking method can significantly change the level of nutrients in the cooked food. For example, boiling a food results in some loss of nutrients into the surrounding water; therefore, if the recipe instructs you to bake the ingredient and you choose to boil it, the total level of nutrient in the diet may be significantly decreased.”

https://secure.balanceit.com/info/helpfaq.php

[Susan]

Hi, here’s the raw maintenance diet Patches Naturopath put Patch on, I had to pick 1-2 proteins, I picked chicken breast & kangaroo mince, 2-4 veggies, I picked broccoli, celery, zucchini & 1-2 fruits, I picked a red apple, you peel & cut up the fruit & veggies & put thru a blender & blend & stop just before the veggie/fruit mix becomes a pulp or you can make into a pulp if you like it watery, to 1 cup protein you add 1-2 spoons of the blended veggie/fruit mix, per meal, for a 18kg-40lb dog twice a day, I then froze the veggie/fruit mix in 2 spoon sections, you can freeze in an ice cube trays, make sure you cover with plastic wrap, that’s about 1 spoon in each ice cube….. I had to add the omega 3,6 & 9 oil & I had to add 1/2 teaspoon DigestaVite Plus to 1 daily meal, I was feeding Chicken breast cut up + 2 spoon veggie/fruit mix + 1 squirt omega oil for breakfast & the Kangaroo mince + veggie/fruit mix + omega 3,6 & 9 oil & DigestaVite Plus for dinner….. I never gave any bone cause Patch has IBD….I added egg shell instead for calcium…1 egg shell is 1 teaspoon..
http://www.naturalanimalsolutions.com.au/natural-diet.html
This Maintenance Diet will give you a ruff idea, I had to rotate different lean meats & make sure diet was balanced by the end of the week, or some people balance every single meal…. also on Face Book there are some “Raw Feeding groups” that show what their dogs are eating, egg + shell, chicken feet, tongue, coconut oil, tin sardines, & bone meat is given twice a week only, you can also use “Balance It” to Balance the meal…
https://secure.balanceit.com/
Make friends with “Rodney Habib” on face book page, he is excellent to follow….he spends 75min every morning making his dogs fresh, raw breakfast, lucky dogs…

[Michelle R]

That is what we use as our main kibble for the dogs and the show cats. We love it because it is not grain free and full of starch, but is very hypoallergenic. Closest thing to a raw diet in a kibble form. No MSG! No synthetic vitamins or minerals from China! Eight flavors to rotate through! Beautiful coats, no scratching, and winning show cats! Can’t find a better kibble out there.

[melanie C]

My dog is approx 60# a pit bull chocolate lab mix. He was doing great on raw beef pre-made diet. I made the decision move to pre-made when he started having diarrhea from raw chicken. He was getting skinny when just eating about a pound and a half of the premade raw beef formula diet, so I added all organic with access to outdoors chicken, about a half pound chicken each day. Under the assumption that chicken with skin has enough fat to help gain weight. By the way, I feed two times daily half in am and half pm… He was doing great for two days. By day three we are having diarrhea and horrible smelling farts. Ahhh! Ideas? I’ve switched him back to just the beef, as I think I’ve pegged his tummy troubles to the chicken. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks everyone we are new here, made account because this is urgent

[Rox B]

I feed my GSD a raw diet and feed raw pork as a regular staple with no problems. I freeze it 3 weeks before serving just to be on the safe side. I do not feed any cooked foods and would not advise feeding any dog pork (or any foods) loaded with human flavorings or processed pork like bacon. A raw diet is species appropriate and superior to any kibble. Join my Facebook group if your interested in learning how to feed raw. https://www.facebook.com/groups/LearningRawWithRoxane/

[anonymously]

You may want to consult with a veterinarian before proceeding, some science based information here: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=raw+diet

[Pitlove]

Hi Chandra-

I would recommend inlisting the help of a veterinary nutritionist to properly balance a raw diet for a growing puppy, not to mention him being a large breed and prone to orthopedic disorders especially if hes bred as AKC show quality. You can find a list of board certified veterinary nutritionists through the ACVN website. This is the safest route to ensure he is getting proper nutrition.

[Chandra E]

Last week I adopted a German Shepherd puppy. He was approximately nine weeks old. I had read up on how to feed him raw (learned about it from a friend who also has a GSD) and thought I had a good plan in mind but now I’m running into issues.
I started him off on turkey and he did great. Poops were perfect. I had about two days worth of meals on turkey when I switched him to chicken, despite what had been advised because when I returned to the grocery store for more turkey they were out but I was sold on the 10 pound bag of chicken quarters, much cheaper.
I think he was still doing alright on that until I added liver. Immediately after his first and only liver meal (it was about 70% may and 30% liver) I was reading more on the raw diet for puppies specifically and found that it was advised not to feed them offal at first because it can give them runny stools. Indeed, his next poop was runny.
I thought I should balance this with more bone and then read that the knuckles can cause blockages. After he didn’t poop for a day I panicked (probably prematurely) and gave him about a tablespoon of canned pumpkin, having read that it will serve as a laxative for him. I had to mix it with the plain yogurt he had been receiving in his Kong for him to eat it. (Possibly the yogurt is a problem too) this is his fourth day on the chicken, two days of runny stools… I keep trying to read what I can but was hoping somebody could give me a direct course of action to take from here.
Do I just need to wait for the organs and pumpkin to clear out of his system? Quit with the yogurt? Is it too soon to say his body doesn’t like chicken? To avoid further complications I have fed him meat only for the day, when should I go back to bone?
Sorry for the mess, much appreciation in any help given!

[Becca]

My dog was just diagnosed with pancreatitis, he seem too have gotten really bed acid re flux for a while. vet said to give him these two meds one is pepcid ac, and another that breaks down the acid. he prescribed 2 antibiotics at the same time and my dog was getting sicker, i stopped the antibiotics, and the pain seem to let up a little. i was feeding raw for 4 years with no problems until i added trachea to thier diet. i did not know the repercussions of doing this. he wound up with hyperthyroidism, and now the vet insisted i cook his food, well now he has pancreatitis and bad acid reflux, he never mentioned a digestive enzyme, i now have him on a very bland diet, low fat. should i give him a digestive enyme? i have a plant based one but i hear that is not as good.

[Dog Pack Mom]

Hi Inked Marie,
You are correct the Hare Today grinds are just scoop and feed. I was referring to the other option for feeding raw less expensively which would be to prepare the raw meals myself. That is the time investment to which I was referring.

I am not currently interested in feeding a full home prepared diet. I am truly interested in finding several kibbles that are well tolerated by my pack to rotate. I would like the kibbles to be low carbohydrate as far as kibble goes. If I choose to feed raw it won’t be more than one day per week at this time. I’m familiar with Steve Brown’s book that instruct how to best do that or the option of feeding a Hare Today or Reel Raw balanced grind.

[Dog Pack Mom]

Thanks to you both for your input. I have ordered from Hare Today in the past when I was raw feeding. I just can’t seem to stick with a large portion of the diet being raw due to either costs or time investment required. I won’t completely rule out raw if it became necessary. Right now, I’m just trying to find several lower carb kibbles to rotate as the main base of our diet. In trying to decrease the carbs and potatoes, I increased the peas and tapioca. It appears one of those ingredients may be the culprit in the tolerance issue Delilah and Rooster are currently experiencing.

[theBCnut]

Do a search here for “low sodium” Another poster, some time ago, did the work for you on finding low sodium foods. If you aren’t opposed to feeding raw, you might want to add a bit of heart to your dog’s diet. Heart muscle is a good source of taurine, which they have found Cavs need.

[theBCnut]

If you want an easy way to add raw to the diet, go to Hare Today. Their grinds already have the correct bone/muscle meat/organ ratio, so all you have to do is thaw and add the right amount. I choose the amount of raw that works for me and adjust kibble accordingly.

Yeasty ears are usually a sign of a food intolerance.