[Akari_32]

Just an update on Bentleys new routine:

His hair is growing back, and he’s very noticeably less itchy. I keep meaning to get some whatever/iodine stuff, but when I get off work, the only thing on my mind is getting the heck outta there lol But I’ve been using that shampoo from PetFlow. Says to use it a few times a week for a month, then once a week after that. Do you think it would be ok to rotate through three different types of medicated shampoo? I’ve got some ProSence Allergy and Itch Shampoo in addition to that Vets Choice and whatever that Pet Flow stuff it.

But he loves his new foods (having quality issues with the PB right now, so he’s gotten raw for the last couple nights lol). Mom keeps insisting that he’s starving, and keeps feeding him treats and junk. I’m ready to kill her. Come to find out, she’s been feeding the cat as well. Not only does that screw my rotation up, but it wastes the food because he doesn’t eat later when he’s supposed to! She may come up missing…. Anyways, Bentley just needs to adjust to his new diet before I change how much I’m feeding him. Right now he’s getting a half can a day. I do think I’m gunna have to up it to 2/3 to 3/4 after a while. He has a bunch of raw treats, so I’m gunna try to avoid upping his canned, and just fatten him up on raw treats. We’ll see lol

Also, he’s starting to get tear stains. There is nothing I hate more on a dog than tear stains. I don’t think you understand I hate them lol Hopefully it’s just a detox thing from dry to canned, but if it persists, I won’t be happy.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Susan-
I live in Washington State and some of the foods are available locally and many are not. You can print a list of the best of whichever type of food you are planning on feeding. Whether it be kibble, canned, dehydrated or raw. Bring it to the store with you. Some people buy food at a grocery store (ugh), feed store, big chain pet stores and smaller boutique type stores. You can certainly order online, however. I have ordered online from wag, pet flow, amazon, and petco with no issues.
Which food are you thinking about?

[Dori]

BRT. Yes I do feed NV Raw and the girls have been eating the Venison for a few days. It’s difficult for me to tell you how long the bag lasts us because I feed rotation constantly. I know some feed rotation diet after each bag or two of food then switch to something else. I feed the girls as I would feed my husband and myself. Something different pretty much every meal or every other day, etc. I usually have a few different raws in the freezer. The only reason I use the bites is that the defrost really pretty quickly maybe 10/15 minutes so this way the food stays in the freezer part of the kitchen fridge and I just scoop out their meals just before feeding them. Also, the bites are good if you’ve forgotten to defrost something else for them the night before I just scoop out the NV Raw. I also like the Primal Pronto for that reason also.

Do the transition from whatever he’s eating very slowly. Slower than you would do kibble to kibble because it’s a big difference to their systems. If he’s been on pretty much what I consider crap foods then his gut will take a little time to adjust and detox from all the other stuff as his gut heals. Let us know how it all goes.

[BRT]

Dori,

Thanks so much for your post. Yes, I’m learning certain things about his vet. She would have him on Prescription Hill’s Canned W/D forever if I would allow it, which is nothing but corn! I absolutely agree about the antibiotics for the staining. That’s why I’ve never done Angel Eyes.

Do you actually feed yours NV Raw? I just bought the 4 lb bag of the Venison bites and once I get them switched over completely I might move to the medallions. Just curious how long a bag lasts you with your three.

I’ve been one of those people who always thought the vet knew best because they are doctors. However, I am learning that’s not the case and I need to do what’s best for my boys. You’re right, I’m the one who takes care of them and knows them the best.

Thanks so much!

[Dori]

Hi BRT. Sorry for the delay in my reply. I’ve been a bit under the weather the last few days but I’m coming around soon.

I have three toy dogs, a Maltese, a Yorkipoo and a Maltipoo. They’ve all been on commercial raw for approx. a year and a half. For treats I give them organic fruits and veggies. They love them and the raw food. With the raw fruits and veggies I don’t have to yet again go crazy reading ingredients to make sure that Katie (allergy girl) can tolerate them. She can’t as they all have some ingredient she is intolerant and/or allergic to.

By the way, on your vet’s comments on raw food. That’s pure ignorance speaking. Most raw feeders will tell you, and it is true, western vets know medicine. They DO NOT know nutrition. At best, maybe they had a couple of hours of schooling on nutrition when they were in school. I like my regular vet very much but she knows that the issue of what I feed my dogs is a closed issue. We have learned to agree to disagree. I take them to her for any medical reasons and their yearly blood work up and titers and that’s it. I’m not interested in what I feed MY dogs. They live with me, I know what they react to and what they don’t. I know the differences that raw has made in their lives. Do not put to much emphasis on what the vets tell you about nutrition cause they don’t know it. Just stay strong, make a decision and stick to it. Don’t let the vet put your dogs on antibiotics for staining, it will make matters worse for them and their immune system. And also, don’t let the vets talk you into feeding whatever foods they sell out of their offices that are not fit for any living breathing animal to eat. I read ingredients like crazy to make sure that if their are ingredients that I cannot pronounce, do not know what they are and I wouldn’t eat it, then I don’t feed it to my girls.

[Bobby dog]

Hi Anita:
Here are the supplements, foods, and products I used (and still do along with some new additions) to get rid of Bobby’s flea dermatitis and yeasty skin. Olive oil flea dip, Nolvasan shampoo, raw eggs, bone broth, unrefined organic coconut oil, sardines/fish oil, MSM, and DE. Not too complicated or costly! This along with a new diet plan that I began last September helped to restore his health.

Dogs with severe yeast issues more than likely need a carb free diet to starve the yeast; carbs feed yeast and bad bacteria. All kibble has carbs because they require starch to bind the food into a kibble form. Your dogs would probably benefit from a grain free and low carb food preferably with no potato. Bobby’s yeast issues were bad, but it was not necessary to eliminate kibble from his diet. I did feed kibble that had low carbs and I only feed kibble that has average to low carbs now.
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/05/03/eating-these-foods-can-make-your-dog-itch-like-crazy.aspx

Since September I have fed DFA rated 3-5 star kibble along with DFA rated 3-5 star canned food. After a few months on the new diet, I started alternating canned with fresh foods, dehydrated/freeze dried foods, or frozen commercial raw. By continuing with the supplements, feeding quality food and treats I went into this flea season with a healthy and fresh smelling dog. Fingers crossed no fleas on Bobby and it is rainy and very humid where I live, fleas are in full force.

It is very important not to make too many changes at once; this includes new foods! Start supplements in low doses slowly working towards the desired dose. If everything is okay, add another supplement. As far as shampoos, olive oil flea dip, and applying coco oil topically I used them right away and regularly without any worries because they provided immediate relief and were important for treating the yeast.

For a flea dip I used olive oil (from the grocery store) which has no long lasting effects, just immediate relief for the skin and to kill the fleas without chemicals. I did this outside so I did not have to worry about being tidy. Start under the chin and in the collar area working your way to the back, belly, and leg areas all the way to the tail. With Bobby I would just pour it on then massage it in to be sure his skin and between his toes were coated. His fur is not too thick or long. He loved the massage that came with it not to mention he was not itchy and uncomfortable while it was on him. The fleas pretty much disintegrate. Your dogs’ coats may be heavier than Bobby’s if you decide to try this, be sure to separate the fur, pour a little, and then work it in. I always left it on for an hour letting him run around and play, but you will definitely see their lifeless bodies after a short time so an hour is not necessary. Then I shampooed it off, it is easy to shampoo out; I even use olive oil as a conditioner for my hair.

I bathed Bobby once a week using Nolvalsan shampoo mostly. I always shampooed twice leaving the first application on for at least 10 minutes. I can’t find Nolvasan on-line so they may not make it anymore. Hibiclens or the drug store equivalent has the same ingredients as Nolvalsan. Malasab shampoo is a popular choice and highly recommended by many posters on DFA. I also used EQyss Micro-Tek medicated shampoo when the condition became less severe. You can find Micro-Tek on-line and in some pet stores. With your size of dogs I would look into a large bottle of Malasab shampoo, but in a pinch you could always purchase the Hibiclens or generic equivalent at a drug store.
http://www.drugs.com/vet/malaseb-shampoo.html
http://www.eqyss.com/pet_microtek_shampoo.asp
http://www.vetstreet.com/nolvasan-shampoo

The biotin in eggs is great for the skin and hair. I fed Bobby one raw egg a week. However, he recently decided he no longer likes raw eggs so we have poached eggs on Sundays. He gets a one minute egg and I get a two minute egg. lol
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/feeding-your-dog-raw-eggs-good-or-bad/
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2005/02/09/raw-eggs.aspx

I made bone broth and fed it once a week. I still feed him bone broth weekly; Bobby weighs 44 lbs and I feed him ¼ – ½ C of broth.
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/reasons-your-dog-love-bone-broth/
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/12/02/pet-bone-broth.aspx

The coconut oil must be organic and unrefined for all the benefits. I fed it 3x/wk as well as used it topically when needed as a soothing and healing salve; I tried feeding it 2x/wk after his skin healed, but found he benefits most eating it 3x/wk. Previously I bought Spectrum brand from Wal-Mart, 14 oz. for $8.99; they were cheaper than my health food store. I recently found organic unrefined coco oil at my BJ’s, 36 oz. for about $10. So if you belong to a price club, look for it there.
http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.com/2012/02/coconut-oil-is-good-for-your-dogs.html
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/16_11/features/alternative-treatments-updated_20861-1.html?pg=3
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/the-health-benefits-of-coconut-oil/
http://www.greenpasture.org/public/Products/InfusedCoconutOil/index.cfm

I started out feeding tinned sardines packed in water once a week, but I failed to keep it in my pantry on a regular basis. So I switched to a fish oil supplement. You can find many good fish oil supplements for dogs on-line and in pet stores. I used CVS 1000 mg fish oil tabs 3x/wk and I still supplement his diet with it. Tinned sardines packed in water would be the healthiest choice. I tried cutting back to 2x/week, but he developed a little dandruff so I am now back to 3x/week.
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/15_12/features/Fats-Chance_20658-1.html
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/15_9/features/Fish-Oil-Supplements-For-Dogs_20600-1.html
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2009/06/13/the-frequently-missing-ingredient-in-your-pet-s-diet-that-could-devastate-their-health.aspx

MSM helped to relieve and heal his itchy skin. MSM has other benefits that may be helpful for your dogs as well. I use only100% pure MSM powder with no fillers or flavorings. You can find pure MSM marketed for dogs on-line and in pet shops.
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/msm-raw-fed-dogs/
http://www.vetinfo.com/msm-for-dogs.html
http://www.natural-dog-health-remedies.com/msm-for-dogs.html
http://essentials4all.org/100__Pure_MSM.html
http://wolfcreekranch1.tripod.com/naturvet_msm.html

I also used DE as a flea powder and for treating his environment. Some posters use garlic to repel fleas. Here’s some info:
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/garlic-for-dogs-poison-or-medicine/
http://www.springtimeinc.com/product/bug-off-garlic-dogs/All-Natural-Dog-Supplements
http://www.enonvalleygarlic.com/About_Garlic.html

Homepage

I was not fully aware of the important benefits of probiotics for our pets. I now feed kefir twice a week to Bobby for the probiotics. This would have made a tremendous difference with the healing process if I had used it during his skin/flea issues; if I only knew!
Probiotic info:
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/10/26/advantages-of-using-pet-probiotics.aspx
http://probiotics.mercola.com/probiotics-for-pets.html
http://www.medicine4animals.com/23/Does-Your-Cat-or-Dog-Suffer-with-Digestive-Problems,-Skin-Problems-or-Poor-Immunity.html
http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.com/2012/05/foods-rich-in-probiotics-beneficial-for.html

ABC diet:
This is a download I highly recommend; it is $2.95 and worth every penny! I feed the ABC diet now throughout the week rather than in one meal. This is an easy way to enhance any kibble diet with fresh foods. I found this download after Bobby’s issues were cleared up, but I definitely would have followed it during that time. I believe it would have helped with the healing process.
http://www.seespotlivelonger.com/home/sll/page_41/see_spot_live_longer_the_abc_way___electronic_down.html

I recently started giving Bobby unflavored beef tendon and beef trachea chews. Here’s some healthy treat suggestions:
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/02/10/easy-to-make-pet-treats.aspx

[DogFoodie]

I would second C4C’s recommendations.

I would add that you should choose sardines in water with no salt added; and not those that are packed in tomato sauce, olive oil, etc. Canned salmon would be OK, but I still prefer sardines. Tuna isn’t recommended because of the mercury issue, but I have to say, I eat a can of tuna for my lunch almost every day and I’m not dead yet. I probably shouldn’t eat that much tuna though. I need to spend a few extra bucks and buy the Wild Planet mercury free tuna when I’m at Costco…. I digress. Sardines have significantly less threat of mercury than tuna. Oh, and never give your dog raw salmon. Raw salmon can contain parasites that can prove deadly, but are eliminated by cooking. You can also feed Pacific oysters.

[RescueDaneMom]

Something so cheap always warrants a close inspection. It’s too good to be true. Also, I know some people in Central Florida go all the way down south (Stuart) for cheap raw food from Pete’s Meats. It seemed ok at first until I bought $140 of supposedly organic ground beef that turned out to be rancid. I tried emailing, texting, and calling the guy and he never got back to me. I ended up losing the $140 as I just cut my losses. I don’t deal with him anymore and I warn other people away from his poor quality raw product. Always investigate “good deals” thoroughly and buy small at first so you don’t lose out a ton of money if it doesn’t work out.

[RescueDaneMom]

There are 2 other threads for this food:

/forums/topic/thoughts-on-raw-performance-dog-food-by-tefco/

/forums/topic/tefco-performace-dog-raw-food/

They don’t contain that much information. It would be really helpful if we could get Hound Dog Mom’s opinion on it but from what I saw of the analysis, I would not feed it.

[RescueDaneMom]

I will definitely let you know, Linda. I imagine that Publix could probably special order for you, I just don’t know how their pricing would be. If you buy in bulk they’d probably give you a better buy. I have gotten chicken hearts, gizzards, and liver as well as beef heart and beef liver from Publix. I found beef kidney at Winn Dixie this past weekend. Ethnic supermarkets are also a great place for harder to find items.

Both books I recommended have ample information about supplementing so you are not lacking anything in the diet. Also, be sure to check out the Raw Food forum, especially the Suggested Menus thread. Hound Dog Mom is the queen of homemade raw food and balances her recipes from scratch. She even did a nutritional analysis on some of them. I’ve learned most of what I know about feeding raw from her posts and those two books. You have come to the right place to learn how to feed raw!

[RescueDaneMom]

Hi Kate,

In theory, the Grandma Lucy’s pre-mix (once meat is added) should be a complete and balanced meal for your dog. You shouldn’t need to worry about other supplements though adding krill oil or fish oil can be beneficial. You can also add kefir, yogurt, or raw goats milk for probiotics.

Primal’s recommendation of feeding 2-3% of body weight is for raw food which is less calorically dense because of the amount of water in raw food. I don’t think the 2% rule carries over to dehydrated food like GL’s. I would feed the amount of food that keeps your dog in the right weight range. Feeding guidelines are just that…guidelines. Some dogs need more or less than what is suggested. It’s going to be trial and error to see what the right amount for your dog is.

I know finding a food your dog will eat has probably been very frustrating but I would keep at it. It’s best to rotate whatever food you are feeding, in this case the pre-mix. I would suggest rotating between different pre-mixes to make sure all of your bases are covered with vitamins/minerals. Some other pre-mixes you could look into include: The Honest Kitchen Preference, Urban Wolf, See Spot Live Longer Dinner Mix, and Sojos (though I’m not a fan of that one). Also, I would limit the amount of tuna you feed as it can have high mercury levels. Canned sardines in water with no added salt would be a good fish to use and it is naturally high in omega 3s. Canned salmon is also good.

I hope this helps.

[Linda C]

Anyone try this brand of frozen raw?

[BRT]

So, I decided to go with the NV Raw Venison Bites. I started them on it this evening. The person who sold me the food also feeds her dog raw and she recommended I don’t mix the kibble and the raw together while transitioning the foods. She said I should start with dinner and give them less kibble and then an hour later feed them a bit of the raw bites. Slowly do that until their dinner is completely raw. Then work on transitioning breakfast.

I took her suggestion and someone is a little gassy. I think it’s my maltese/toy poodle boy (the one with the allergy issues).

This food smells, too. They loved it, but I found the smell awful.

My other concern is that little rescue baby (shih tzu/yorkie) likes to bring his kibble into the living room and eat off of the carpet. He’ll bring a mouthfull at a time and drop it on the carpet. Obviously, I can’t have him doing that if I’m feeding him raw.

I also don’t want to get too paranoid about cross contamination. Like if they eat and then go play with a toy. Do I need to religiously wash the toy daily?

In addition to food allergies/intoleranc he also definitely has environmental allergies, as well.

I’ve never tried the food elimination diet. I’m not even sure I’d know where to start.

I also didn’t realize how expensive this food is. I guess I’ll be eating Ramen noodles for a while. Just kidding…. Anything to keep my boys healthy.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 9 months ago by BRT.
• This reply was modified 11 years, 9 months ago by BRT.

[RescueDaneMom]

Hi Linda,

I have a 8 year old Great Dane and live in Apopka, FL. I currently feed homemade raw. It is by far cheaper than buying commercial raw like Primal, Stella & Chewys, Bravo, etc. I still buy and feed it for some extra variety but using it as the basis of the diet will send your food bill skyrocketing.

There is a co-op for central florida raw feeders on yahoo groups. Here is the link (I hope it works), if not just search for it: https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/CentralFLRawFoodCo-op/info
I personally have never ordered from the co-op because they only have beef and their pickup time and location doesn’t work for me.

I am currently getting my meat from a meat market that supplies to the public as well as restaurants in Fort Pierce (I just moved from their 5 months ago and still go back on the weekends). I am currently looking into a supplier in Sanford called Hopkins Meat Packing.

I am following recipes by Steve Brown using his book “Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet.” I also have “Real Food for Healthy Dogs and Cats” by Dr. Karen Becker. Those are by far the best two in my opinion. Also, if your dog gulps his food or you are skittish about feeding whole bones (which I am), you might want to invest in a meat grinder. I bought one on Amazon for less than $90.

This is one of my favorite topics so please ask away. I’m sure more people will chime in too but I was so happy to see someone else in the Central Florida area! 🙂

-Caroline

[Linda C]

I am acquiring a 5 yr old Black Russian Terrier. I want to switch him from the kibble and mix he has been eating – need some advice as to best food, and method by which to switch him. Curious about raw/frozen raw – but unsure about where in my area to purchase – we’re in Central FLA. Help, Please?

[crazy4cats]

I feed mine mostly Victor grain free kibble so far. It is fairly budget friendly depending on whether you have to order it or if you can find it locally. I’m trying to find another kibble to rotate with also. They have had some digestive issues, but are doing much better. I also add canned, eggs, sardines, frozen raw or dehydrated to their kibble every meal.

Yes, separating them as much as possible is a good idea to avoid separation anxiety in the future. One of mine has a lot more trouble being separated from his brother than the other. I actually think he’s glad to “get away” sometimes. LOL!

[Susan]

Hi, have you ever tried an elimination cooked diet, its very rare for a dog to be allergic to that many proteins, Id be looking at the carbs the fillers in the kibbles that you have tried & it takes a good 3 weeks to see any results, the best way & I know it takes time is the elimation diet… start with a protein say turkey or duck with some pumkin mixed thru for one straight month, no treats nothing no other foods & with the carbs watch out for wheats, potatotes sweet potato any high carbs.. Brown or white rice are Ok, good as fillers when on elimination diets… I use pumkin as Patch get the runs from rice but not grounded rice is OK with him….any carbs that convert to sugars they make yeast thats what makes them stinky & itchy….Im going thru this with my dog at the moment, he normally doesnt itch in winter but he’s itchy this winter, so now Im looking at the food, before vet said it was grasses pollens etc but its winter & there’s no pollens at the moment, Like Betsy said Im trying the Wellness Simple limited ingredients range kibbles, Ive just bought Patch the Duck & Oatmeal Formula, it has no eggs, no gluten, no dairy, no corn, no by-products, no soy or No artificial preservarties, colours or flavours, its a good start, also can ur boy eat wet tin foods they dont have all the processed stuff that kibble have..Start all over again from scratch, thats what Ive been doing this week, Ive also been using human tin Salmon to replace Patches chicken mixed with pumkin he loves it, but I still havent started the Wellness Simple Duck kibble as the vet said 1 thing at a time, if Patch can handle the Salmon with his IBD then next week Im starting the Simple Duck but Ive given him a few simple Duck kibbles & he loved them so Im just using them as a treat for this week so far there’s been no diarrhea, the Wellness simple does have a Salmon & Potato kibble but Im trying the Oatmeal instead of too many potatos try & look at all the foods he has had & see what carb ingredient was in most of them then try a kibble that doesnt have the same Carb ingredients.. thats way Im trying the Oatmeal its something Ive never tried..keep us posted, Id like to know how he went & what food you choose..but Raw is the best if you can handle it.. http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/dog-wellness.aspx

[Bobby dog]

Hi Anita:
I will sort through your questions and add some links to the over the counter remedies that I used to completely heal Bobby! Remember, all dogs are different. Bobby had no health issues other than flea dermatitis, flea infestation, bad diet (please remember, anything they eat must be quality ingredients, it really makes a difference), and yeasty skin.

It sounds like you already have been to the Vet and there are no other health issues?

Did the Vet give him a steroid shot for the itching?

I really suggest feeding canned with kibble. Moisture is really important for healthy dogs and especially important for dogs that have some health issues. I always feed kibble with canned or fresh meat lightly cooked, or dehydrated, freeze dried or frozen raw for every meal. If you are going to TSC for DE, check out the 4Health canned dog food. It’s 99 cents/can and DFA rated 4.5 stars. I feed 4Health, Pure Balance from Wal-Mart ($1/can for stews and $1.25/can for 95%), and Earth’s Pride ($8.99/6 pack) from BJ’s as my main canned rotation.

4H DFA review:
/dog-food-reviews/4health-dog-food-canned/

4H TSC link:
http://www.tractorsupply.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SearchDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10051&langId=-1&pageSize=&beginIndex=0&searchSource=Q&sType=SimpleSearch&resultCatEntryType=2&showResultsPage=true&pageView=image&searchType=1002&autoSuggestURL=AutoSuggestView%3FcoreName%3DMC_10001_CatalogEntry_en_US%26serverURL%3Dhttp%253a%252f%252ftsc-prod-lb01.crossview.inc%253a3737%252fsolr%252fMC_10001_CatalogEntry_en_US&searchTerm=4health+wet+dog+food

I was wrong; you can buy 20 lbs of food grade DE for $12.99 at TSC. They carry it in the livestock feed section.
http://www.tractorsupply.com/product__10151_-1_10051_2789

Check out the Activyl site to see what they say about bathing your dog. Most products are waterproof, but you never know. The Vet Tech at my Vet’s office gave me info on it, but I never checked it out after I settled on Sentinel because it already had the flea egg killer in it and I want to use as little chemicals as possible.

For treats, stay away from carbs or anything sugary, it will only feed the yeast. I have never fed them, but posters here recommend The Honest Kitchen Beams. I haven’t fed treats from the pet store recently and find many have carbs and starches so I just make very, very small meatballs for Bobby (I freeze them) using 2 lbs of ground beef, an egg or two, fresh garlic, tumeric, and I add fresh basil, cilantro, or parsley if I have it. I also throw in any veggies I have, but if you decided to make something like this I would leave the veggies out for now. You can also slice meat as thin as you can and place the slices in the oven on the lowest temp and cook until they are like a jerky consistency.

It is not unusual for them to try and lick off the coco oil if they like it. It is a wonderful product and is good to feed and apply to skin irritations due to its antiseptic properties. Just try to supervise your pups so it can soak in, it really will make them more comfortable and the fleas don’t like the oil.

Probiotics is an important step to get their immune systems back on track too! Probiotics has helped my cat tremendously. I use plain Kefir or plain greek yogurt right now for him. He has grown hair in places that I thought would never come back! That is another story. I think you will see a tremendous improvement within a week of using probiotics with their coats and skin.

Everything that I used on Bobby you will find at Wal-Mart, drug stores, health food stores, on-line, or pet stores very easily. I will post tomorrow what I used to help Bobby and hopefully something or several things can help your guys as well.

[DogFoodie]

I have two vets. I pretty much get lectured when I’m NOT feeding raw. OK, well not really “lectured,” but they both prefer that I use it. If you are interested in the NV raw, give it a try.

And, I think that Wellness products are great. My Cavalier does amazingly well on Wellness Core products, but I think you’d probably prefer the Wellness Simple line for your pup with food intolerance issues.

[RescueDaneMom]

Case,

I experience an evolution of my dog food feeding habits as well. I started off feeding premium kibbles. Then I started adding canned and dehydrates as toppers as well as some freeze-dried here and there. Then I tried commercial raw and used it as a topper too. The more I educated myself, I decided to ditch kibble completely. I fed 50% dehydrated and 50% commercial raw for about 6 months. My food bill was about $200/month for my Great Dane. He got tired of the dehydrated and I couldn’t afford 100% commercial raw so I decided to do 50% kibble. He was pooping twice as much and not a regular schedule, plus it stunk to high heaven compared to when he was eating the dehydrated/raw. Now I am working toward 100% homemade raw. I bought myself a grinder a few weeks ago. I made a little over 20 pounds of raw this weekend and he’s eating his dehydrated food again since he hasn’t had it for awhile.

Long story short is that what is best depends on your dog. Mine does SO much better on dehydrated and raw then he does on kibble. He was always overweight on kibble before I switched. Now he is nice and lean. I prefer the Pureformance line of GL’s over the artisan. I would suggest trying that one first. It should be easier for your dog to transition to because it has chickpeas in it which I imagine are similar on a digestion basis to the lentils in Orijen. My dog would eat the Artisan but didn’t really care for it. He refused to eat the Pureformance. He eats The Honest Kitchen.

I hope this helps.

[neezerfan]

Hi BRT,
I have 2 Havanese. When I first got them, 1 from a puppy, 1 2 yrs old from a rescue, they had both been eating kibble and had terrible eye/mouth staining. I switched them both to a combo of raw and canned and no more stains! It takes a while to grow out though so you have to be patient. When I got the second dog, I tried introducing kibble to save money and the staining started right up again! I use Darwin’s and Nature’s Variety raw and they do wonderfully on it. I’ve discussed it with my vet and we agree to disagree about it. I think they are required to discourage raw feeding because of public health concerns. It’s the “official” AVMA position.

[BRT]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I hadn’t even considered Wellness. No, I hadn’t even thought about looking at other ingredients. I knew I was on the right path of grain free and then I’ve just only focused on the protein.

I have been reading a lot about NV Instinct Raw Venison and have not read or heard one negative thing about it. I had my heart set on switching him to that and my gut is telling me I have to at least try it before I shut it down. He had his annual exam on Sat and I mentioned it to his vet. She was visibly upset that I would even consider feeding him raw food and how so many raw foods have feces and other disgusting things in them. I love his vet and I was so shocked by her harsh response.

Plus, his staining is just terrible. He used to be so white and his whole face, feet, tummy, and bottom are stained.

They did all of his baseline bloodwork and he’s completely healthy and I want him to stay that way.

Dori, I see from your profile pic you have little dogs as well. How long have you been feeding them raw? They’re all doing well on it?

Thanks!

[arwyru24]

For those of us that do not feel confident quite yet in feeding raw bones, I would like to find a safe and quality edible chew/bone type of treat. Something to occupy his time. I have been told to avoid pig ears.

Also, for training treats I have been using Ziwipeak daily dog venison and fish dry food, they are perfect little squares for training, and they’re very high interest, he loves them, we adjust his mealtime portion of his regular food to allow for these as treats and its actually a pretty cost effective way to treat I have found/

• This reply was modified 11 years, 9 months ago by arwyru24.

[Anita L]

Thanks for all the info BCNut and BobbyDog!

I will definitely be going to TSC tomorrow for the DE.
Our 55 lb Aussie/Blue Heeler (Gazpacho or Spocho) mix is the one that is having the worst reaction with the fleas (hot spot and hair loss -wise). Doc said she is allergic. He put activyl on her and said don’t bathe her for the next 3 or 4 weeks. But she has no hair on her butt (baboon butt)! He also gave her a shot for the itching. That was Friday and today, Mon, she is itching horribly. So now I am realizing about the house, the yard, the bedding, etc. We do not have carpet (hate it!). Actually we have slab right now due to water damage, ugh! But we do have a rug in the den and a rug in the bedroom. The rug in the den is a shag rug! I am dreading treating it but I know I have to. Any suggestions on this?

Spocho is also 9 years old and has trouble with her hips. The DE sounds like it would help her greatly! I am thinking that I will add it to the other supplements (Miracle Pack) which I give in plain yogurt. They love it!

On the treats, I do have some milk bones, marrow bones and raw hides left. I’m thinking I need to quit being cheap and throw them out. I have done so much research on the food that I haven’t gotten to treats and don’t even know where to start. Suggestions?

On the food, my pups only get kibbles (the quality kind). Now I am wondering if I need to add a canned food (quality kind of course).??????

I will also be picking up the medicated shampoo and the p/i sounds great too. I have coconut oil that I use already (on my skin, my hair, cuts/scrapes, and the list goes on). I tried to put it on Spocho’s butt once and it def seemed to soothe her right away, but a few mins later she was licking it off….is that normal?

I’m also thinking of adding coco oil to their supplements. What would you recommend on this? How much and how often?

Sorry for so many questions. I appreciate any answers!

[Hound Dog Mom]

Freeze-dried may or may not be raw. The process of freeze drying doesn’t use heat so if raw meat is freeze-dried the end product is raw, if cooked meat is freeze-dried the end process is cooked. Grandma Lucy’s cooks their meat prior to freeze-drying. If you want a raw freeze-dried product Stella & Chewy’s, Primal, Orijen, Nature’s Variety, Vital Essentials, Northwest Naturals and Dogswell Nutrisca (I’m sure there are others I’ve forgotten) all have some good options. Just be aware that freeze-dried foods are VERY expensive. Frozen raw is much cheaper, but a commercial frozen raw will still likely cost more to feed than kibble.

[spaniel39]

I have had great luck with Sophie my 120 pound Komondor on
Nutrisource Large Breed Lamb (she was on large breed puppy previously but now
she’s 15 months old).
It gets great reviews and reasonably priced especially compared to Orijen or Acana.

Before that, she did well on canine Caviar Lamb Puppy dinner but was very expensive
plus they had a labeling problem, where there was a misprint on the bags showing
the puppy formula calcium level over 2% and did nothing about it
(Oh, the food inside is ok, we just need to use up the bags!!!)
Another good one I used but don’t anymore is Artemis’s Osopure Duck and garbanzo beans
but the big bags are $70.

Personally, not into the “raw” diet for my pups;
I do supplement their diet (have 2 springer spaniels also) with a very lean
Hamburger or turkey burger—cooked—once a week or 10 days.
They love green beans, blueberries, cooked spinach.
It’s great to supplement with veggies, etc

GLTA!

[Dori]

Nature’s Variety Instinct Raw is a great choice for a dog with food intolerances. Along with the typical proteins, they have a Vennison, a Goat and a Rabbit formula that you could try. The ingredient list is very short and should do nicely for your dog. Go to their actual site and you can read the ingredients list for each of their raw foods. Good Luck. As “nut” said, it could also be a reaction to one of the many ingredients that most dog foods include. It’s one of the reasons I like feeding my girls raw. Not too many ingredients.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 9 months ago by Dori.

[Dori]

All my dogs (three toy breeds) are fed commercial raw diets as of about 1 1/2 years ago. I rotate brands as well as proteins. I can now rotate them from meal to meal without a slow transition but that took quite a while to accomplish. Their guts are now at the point that changing from protein to protein doesn’t bother them in the least. My favorite of the commercial raw brands are Primal Pronto (although any of their complete “Formulas” are great), Natures Variety Instinct Raw, Answers Detailed Raw (a bit hard to find), Darwin’s Natural Selection (that’s an auto delivery food only from their web site or by phone), Vital Essentials Raw. These are the brands that my dogs have thrived on. Some of the others are pretty popular also such as Stella & Chewy’s, etc. my dogs haven’t faired as well on the other brands. Since being on raw they no longer has goopy stuff coming from their eyes, tear stains are gone, no more yeasty ears, their skin and coats are healthy and very very shiny. Oh, also no more gas, gurgling tummies, no more smelly poops. You’ll find that their poops are much much smaller and firm enough to easily pick up and dispose of. Their bodies utilize more of the nutrition in raw than they do on kibble. Added benefit of raw is that they are grain free. Dogs don’t have a necessity for grains, white potatoes, corn, soy, etc. One of my girls is allergic to all things poultry (anything with feathers) so I avoid all of those.

Many people start their puppies right on raw after a couple of weeks being home. Usually when you bring a puppy home it’s best to keep them on their same food for a couple of weeks that they were eating at the breeder. Theory being that they are stressed enough going home with a stranger to a new environment with no familiar scents, missing litter mates, etc. But then you do a slow transition as if you were transitioning from kibble to kibble. Initially you may find that the puppy has some diarrhea but that will pass. What I did was purchase a product from The Honest Kitchen called Perfect Form and while I was transitioning them to raw (good for transitioning any foods really until they get healthy enough to transition without issues) I would add the recommended dose to each of their meals. Gets rid of the diarrhea almost instantaneously. At least that’s been my experience with the product. I no longer feed dehydrated foods because to me they’re not strictly raw. Not crazy about freeze dried either.

Commercial raw is more expensive than kibble but you’ve already been feeding ZiwiPeaks which is an expensive dog food already so it shouldn’t be too shocking. I believe raw is much healthier therefore you save a ton of money at the vet which makes up for the more expensive diet.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 9 months ago by Dori.

[inov8v]

if the food is too rich…any thoughts on a less rich brand…i like the notion of feeding raw diets…i decided on ziwipeak after a fair amount of research but would primal or one of the other 5 star brands be less rich or should i consider moving him from raw to something else given he’s a puppy?

[Elizabeth P]

Aimee makes a good point. General treats are different from training treats, at least in my mind. Training treats need to be very small, like the tip of your little finger. And if the treat isn’t that small, it needs to be dividable. Zukes are a good size. I like training treats that are smelly and very, very special to the dog, although I draw the line at fish. Because my dogs get such small amounts, I am not fussy about ingredients and, luckily, my dogs will/can eat anything.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Are you preparing home cooked or raw food? If so I’d suggest freezing.

[Cyndi]

That does make sense C4C, I should have mentioned that I feed raw. Thanks for clearing that up! 🙂

[Cyndi]

I give my Bailey a few raw, cage-free chicken or duck eggs per week. I feed her the whole egg, shell and all, and she loves it. I also use tinned sardines, yogurt or kefir, pumpkin, etc.

Here is a good article about feeding your dogs eggs. There is also a ton of good info on the rest of the site.
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/feeding-your-dog-raw-eggs-good-or-bad/

• This reply was modified 11 years, 9 months ago by Cyndi.

[DogFoodie]

Steve Brown is considered by many to be one of the authorities on raw feeding. Here’s and article from this site: /choosing-dog-food/raw-dog-food-fat/

Down toward the bottom of the page, you’ll read where there is mention of the e-book, the ABC Way. Here’s a link to that also: http://www.seespotlivelonger.com/home/sll/page_41/see_spot_live_longer_the_abc_way___electronic_down.html

The download costs $2.95, but it’s great for learning about healthy toppers and even how to replace meals, once weekly, with fresh whole foods and the benefit that it can have. It’s a great download for the money!

[Zach M]

So I just give my dog the raw yolks and slightly cool the egg whites? I’m not trying to question you and be rude but why don’t you give the eggshells? I just want to extend my knowledge.

[DogFoodie]

My dog with food intolerance issues is doing very well on Nature’s Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient foods currently. I’d probably look at the LID formulas for your pup rather than the regular products.

If you’re interested in raw, you should pursue it, regardless of what your vet says.

[crazy4cats]

Zach-
I do not give my dogs the shells. I separate the yolk from the whites and give the yolk raw and lightly cook the whites. My dogs are about 80 pounds each and they get two eggs twice a week.

[BRT]

I have an eight year old male maltese/toy poodle mix. He’s 19 lbs. Anyway, my poor boy is struggling with allergies. He’s actually on prednisone for a week. Otherwise, he’s perfectly healthy.

He cannot tolerate chicken, beef, and lamb. He’s been on Lotus Grain Free Duck for a year and his itching is still pretty bad, so the vet and I are thinking we need to add duck to the list of foods that don’t work for him. Plus, I just found out the glucosamine chews he’s been on are beef flavored. Ugh! Now, I just switched him to a veggie based hypo allergenic chew.

I feel so bad for him and want to find him some relief. I’ve been doing a lot more research and my options are switching him to Lotus Grain Free Fish. I’ve also been researching Nature’s Variety.

I’ve looked at NV Instinct Kibble Salmon formula, NV Instinct Raw Boost Kibble Venison formula, and of course NV Instinct Raw Venison formula. I have no idea what to choose.
Of course his vet is completely against raw.

Please, please help me decide. I have to find a food that will give him some relief.

He used to be on Natural Balance Venison for the longest time and did great on it, but after the recall I never went back. Then I learned they were bought out and the food hasn’t been the same.

Thank you!

[Suresh PM]

Dear Friends,
I am Suresh PM from Chennai, India. I am planning to make a own Dog food fr my Tweety. I have prepared the dog food for my dog but unable to preserve it for long time and so i planned to add preservative. After long search I found that ASCORBIC ACID, a Natural preservative will be suitable. But, I have some doubt in which you can help me I believe,

> How to add the preservative with the food. I brought it in powder form. Should I mix the powder in water and add them with raw materials whole mixing? Or should I spray the preservative after the process?

> How much of preservative should I use? Can I use 3 gm/Kg of Vegan food and 5 gm/Kg of non-vegan food?

> What will be the approximate shelf life of the product?

> Is there any other better preservative I can use to increase shelf-life without causing any problem to my Tweety?

Please help me with full details.
Eagerly waiting for your kind help.
Regards,
Suresh PM

[barkalicious. com]

Gimborn Raw Naturals are our favorites. Our German Shepherd has a sensitive stomach and she tolerates these very well, plus they are of course made in the USA which is a must. They’re made with fruits, veggies, and real meat.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Betsy – Great description, I like the NV treats too. Have you tried their (sorta new) freeze-dried raw that come in the little nibblets? It’s the same formula as their frozen food. Makes great training treats!

Aquariangt – Thanks for the description of EOS. I’ve seen them online before and was actually considering ordering them sometime because I liked the ingredients. Maybe I’ll try them now. 🙂

[InkedMarie]

I admit that I get confused when people talk about feeding raw, bacteria,etc. Unless you’re a vegetarian, you handle raw meat for your family. What’s the big deal? Feed a pre made raw if you’re inclined to feed raw but don’t like the “ick” factor.

Regarding vets & raw, yep I’ve read similar writings. I just ignore it. I do my research, which includes the fact that unless a vet is a nutritionist or holistic vet, I probably know more than they do. Jmo

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Zach M –

I like to suggest toppers that are high in both moisture and protein as these are two things that kibble is generally lacking. These are some of my favorite suggestions to make for toppers:

-Cage-Free Eggs (omega ‘3’s)
-Tinned Sardines (omega 3’s)
-Canned Salmon (omega 3’s)
-Plain Yogurt (probiotics)
-Plain Kefir (probiotics)
-Raw Goat’s Milk (buy locally is it’s available or both Answer’s and Primal sell raw goat’s milk for dogs that has the additional benefit of added probiotics)
-Cottage Cheese
-High Quality Canned Foods
-Re-hydrated Freeze-Dried Foods
-Meat (use lean leftovers, purchase meat that’s on sale or items such as gizzards or heart that are fairly cheap

Remember that if using unbalanced extras, they should account for 20% or less of each meal (if using balanced additions such as canned food or commercial raw this rule doesn’t apply).

[crazy4cats]

Hi Zach-
I give my dogs canned every morning with their breakfast. In the evening they get either sardines, eggs, dehydrated, or frozen raw nuggets with their Kibbles. If we have healthy leftovers, I’ll throw those on too!
I think it’s really healthy to add to dry food. Good luck!

[Zach M]

I just want to get some ideas of toppers for kibble. My friend won’t go raw, but wants to ensure that he is feeding well. I suggested some stuff I learned from HDM, like salmon oil and coconut oil, as well as adding things like meat. I want to get some of your guy’s opinions on adding toppers to kibble. All suggestions are welcome.

[arwyru24]

and hope you don’t get an organ transplant from a guy like this

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/07/23/raccoon-rabies-blamed-for-death-of-organ-donor-and-recipient/

[Case]

If I can go raw for less than Orijen, I’m likely to do that in the future.

[Case]

It’s not raw?! My bad! I’m trying to watch Criminal Minds and research food at the same time…obviously it’s not working out for me

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Case –

Are you comparing Grandma Lucy’s to Orijen? Grandma Lucy’s isn’t a raw food. Like BC said, you’d need to compare cost to feed on a calorie basis but I’d assume any (or at least most) commercial raw foods would be much more expensive to feed then even a super premium kibble like Orijen. Homemade raw, however, can be done fairly cheaply. I feed my dogs homemade raw for cheaper than it would be to feed Orijen. I haven’t done the calculations in awhile but I believe most of the commercial raw foods would run me about 4X – 5X more than I spend making it myself.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Jazz Lover –

The bacteria present in raw meat isn’t a concern for healthy dogs. Just prepare it with the same safety precautions you would take when preparing raw meat for human dishes – wash the counter, wash your hands and wash and utensils and dishes that touched the meat. The potential for bacterial contamination is there when feeding kibble as well – there have been many recalls over the last year for kibble contaminated with salmonella. So the same safety precautions apply when feeding kibble as well.

Something I did want to mention before and forgot in my previous post is that if you do add veggies to the kibble you want to be sure to cook them. Dogs don’t produce the enzyme cellulase which is necessary to break down the cellulose in plant matter. Cooking in a sense “predigests” the veggies and starts to breakdown the cellulose. They should be mashed or pureed as well. However, imo, it’s a much better idea to top with high protein additions like canned food, raw food, cooked meats, eggs, yogurt, kefir, etc. Dogs don’t really have any need for the additional starches from fruits, veggies and grains when they’re eating kibble which is starchy to begin with.