[A.Sandy]

Are you feeding raw? Did you know that there is also a wrong way to feed raw? I’ve met people that feed raw hamburger meat and assume that it is a full balanced meal the answer is… wrong! The only 2 nutrients they are getting from raw hamburger are protein and fat. Your pets may seem well fed but dogs and cats require so much more than that. It may be cheap to feed that kind of meat but it will have it’s consequences such as essential nutrient deficiencies such as a zinc deficiency for example that causes retarded growth, coat discolorations and harshness or other things such as food intolerances or even hair loss. Our pets require a complete balanced meal that includes bones or bone meal, fruits and veggies, vitamins and minerals and of course protein and fat all in balanced proportion( this is where the science of nutrition comes into play) Another concern is hamburger meat is mostly meant to be cooked not fed raw because now a days they add hormones, steroids, and fillers, gmos, etc. so there are pet food companies that sell well balanced raw foods that are safe and ready to feed so you don’t have to worry that they are missing out on anything.

-Ana
Pet nutrition expert/advisor
pupcatnutrition.com
@pupcatfacts

[pugmomsandy]

Upcoming batch will include:

16-17 lbs duck necks
9 lb beef/lamb/goat meat
2 lb beef tripe
2 lb beef kidney
1 lb beef spleen
2 lb beef heart
CarnivoreRaw without calcium

[pugmomsandy]

This recipe book has cooked/boneless food recipes and a recipe to make a complimentary vitamin mix to go with the food and serving suggestions: “Real Food for Healthy Dogs and Cats” by Dr Karen Becker/Beth Taylor. You might also look at the home-cooked area at dogaware.com for some tips.

http://dogaware.com/diet/homemade.html

[FreeholdHound]

Treats my boy does well with widely available: Cloud Star Buddy Biscuits (peanut butter is his favorite) & Old Mother Hubbard. He also loves the Halo dental chews in either pumpkin or banana. Most treats are just too small in size & I get the WTH look. Zukes didn’t agree with him at all. I fill his Kongs with the scraps at the bottom of the treat canister frozen with peanut butter or yogurt & sometimes left over banana.

He’s eating Natures Logic Beef right now & just finished a bag of Earthborn Holistic GPF. He has quite a few things I have to avoid, but these 2 foods have been a blessing along with some raw.

[lk]

Patty I found some kidneys! really gross LOL.
This is my New formula for my 11 year old 50 lb best friend
12 oz cooked meat
2oz mixed organ meat * liver, heart, gizzard, kidney
2 oz ground veggies
1 raw egg no shell
1/2 cup raw goats milk
fish pill
vit E
Multi vitamin.
all foods vary weekly. CALCIUM question! My dog is doing better and better and will be off his Calcitriol pill very soon. One of his other calcium pill was…..Tums! apparently Tums is Calcium carbonate. Do you think I could just continue to give him these for his calcium needs?

[sbickford30]

I have 4 dogs weighting from 7 lbs to 15 lbs I wanna fed them all human grade food not raw I don’t care what people say I don’t wanna fed them raw meat so I cook it how ever I don’t know how much meat they should eat as far as percentage verse vegetables and I fed them no grain what so ever .I give them chicken and I buy heart and gizzards and chicken livers and grind it all up together but I give more of the gizzards and liver then chicken cuz of the price .I give them a mix of veggies cooked as well. My problem my dogs r older I don’t wanna not give them what they need as far as vitamin I give them nu vet and I’m not sure if I should be giving them more vitamins .we have pellet stove and wood stove so there fur a little drier I need help please someone tell me how to fed them lol also I’m unsure of how much food to give them right now I’m giving them a 1/2 cup 2 times a day ty everyone

[Angeldogs]

THANK YOU for the heads up on Pinnacle Trout and sweet potato! Not a single allergen, and it’s readily available in the stores!

BLESS YOU!! I just got word a few minutes ago that my boy is ADOPTED!!!! One of my favorite deaf dogs in the kennel! Now I just have to find them an easier way to feed him, as not everyone has the bandwidth to feed raw. (I’ll try with them, though!)

[BernerdAd]

Hi sorting through all the good information — I’ve come up with a few questions
1) why did Grain Free Canine Caviar Open Sky make the list but Grain Free Canine Caviar Puppy did not?
2) None of the Blue Buffalo dry products made the list at all – why is that.

Ive created some spread sheets and in particular looked at calcium and there are not major differences? At what point do small percentage points — i.e. the difference between 1.2% and !.5% make a difference – I mean statistically what is the variance in these numbers when a food doesn’t make the list by only a few tenths of a %?

3) While numerical data is great isn’t there any sage wisdom out there for specific large breeds? I have Berners (bernese mountain dogs) – on the main website it says ”

“Bernese Mountain Dog owners feed a range of food from raw diet, homemade diets to commercially prepared kibble. No matter what type of feed, Berner owners seem to agree to feed a high quality food with relatively low protein level, approximately 18 -26% and a moderate fat content, under 16%. High protein/fat feeds (> 28%, >16%) can be ‘too much’ for many Bernese, especially those that are not very active working/performance dogs. Feeding a diet that is too ‘heavy’ in protein has been known to precipitate hotspot outbreaks in some Berners. A diet too high in fat adds unwanted pounds and in some cases causes diarrhea.”

So did one study on large breed puppies looking at critical variables protein levels, calcium etc debunk all the sage wisdom from breeders – some of which specifically notice concerns with high levels of protein over 30%

[theBCnut]

Brother’s Complete is my number 1 favorite food, all formulas. Earthborn Holistic Great Plains Feast is good. I’ve been dying to try Nature’s Logic, I just got a bag of the venison. I really like Nature’s Variety Instinct on paper, but when I tried it Micah had a reaction, tomato pomace I guess. My other two are doing great on it, and I ordered a bag of one of their limited ingredient foods, it doesn’t have tomato pomace. I also just got a bag of Canidae Pure Land and Pure Sky. The Pure Land is a bit low in protein for my tastes, but I always add raw to my dogs food anyways, so I didn’t figure it would matter. I’m still trying to find more foods that Micah can handle.

[OhBichonPlease]

GoldenGuide, If you do decide to switch and then travel, there are plenty of great local pet stores in the Raleigh area that carry raw foods and premix diets. There are also plenty of local butchers offering locally-sourced, healthy meats and animal parts.
I live about 30mins from Raleigh and this is a very dog-friendly area with lots of healthy-looking dogs and owners who spend a lot of time [and money, apparently] on dog food [invariably the busiest aisle in the smaller pet stores and there are always customers wanting opinions chatting with workers].

[theBCnut]

C. perf is common. And I agree, I wouldn’t go raw until he is healthy.

[lmnordrum]

In humans, Clostridium is also known as c.diff, and is quite serious. As someone who has spent a lot of time in the human healthcare environment, and infection control, and have had family members with this infection, you need to find out what sort of strain you’re dealing with and treat it accordingly.

Going raw is probably not a good option.

[A.Sandy]

Hi,
That is a hard question because sodium amount is not always specified on food levels but I think you’re best bet would be to feed raw like primal, stella and chewy’s, Nature’s variety are excellent foods and raw is all natural no salt, and has excellent health benefits in general! good luck!!

-Ana S.
pet nutrition expert/advisor
pupcatnutrition.com
@pupcatfacts

[losul]

KMS- I hadn’t followed what had been going on with your pup, so had to go back and read your entire history.

Antibiotic usage/overusage can become a vicious circle. You might want to google antibiotic induced colitis. The clostridium overgrowth is one thing that can cause colitis from the toxins they produce, although it’s very possible there might be multiple causes.

When you said your pup has had full-blown diarrhea the last 5 days, that would very much concern me. Are you checking to make sure he isn’t becoming dangerously dehydrated? Lift the skin on the back of neck/shoulders. When released, the skin should spring back to to normal fairly quickly. Check the gums, they should be pink. Press on the gums briefly and pink color should return them within a second or 2. Mouth should not be overly dry nor saliva very sticky.

If the severe diarrhea isn’t causing an emergency situation, I would slow down on what you are introducing to him, with the exception of the pro-pectin you mentioned you already have. The main ingredient is kaolin, a form of bentonite clay, that should soothe and coat the intestines. It is also said to absorb toxins and bad bacteria. But you should also be aware that kaolin will interfere with absorption of some antibiotics, and specifically trimethoprin (the TMP in the antibiotic combo you mentioned). Pro-pectin also has one form of encapsulated beneficial bacterium in it. Then I would wait for the outside lab results, and then maybe go for the colonoscopy if advised.

If I were you, I wouldn’t yet even think about adding raw meat to his diet until you can get his intestinal flora back in balance, although a homemade lightly cooked one could be the way to go for awhile….

[A.Sandy]

Hello,
My name is Ana I am the owner of a small pet nutrition consulting business called Pupcat Nutrition Consulting I am a pet nutrition expert/advisor. Dogs with pancreatitis have very fragile immune systems, avoid high protein and high fat diets, feed small frequent meals through out the day, and less or no processed diets and avoid dry foods and rotation. The next thing PLEASE STOP feeding science diet it’s killing your dog! Here are some suggestions: lean meats,(bison,chicken,turkey) low fat treats, try senior formulas they have less fat and less protein. Here are some awesome brands that will transform your pup forever!! ok , your best bet would be dehydrated raw, I recommend Honest kitchen preference or all except thrive mix with canned for extra moisture and flavor try senior formula canned like merrick , and natural balance(try to stick with 4% fat or less) avoid grocery store pet foods. and it would be beneficial to add a probiotic/prebiotic to aid digestion, like PROZYMES is a really good one I like. and remember there is a transition period when switching foods (7-10 days) for more info on honest kitchen go to thehonestkitchen.com and for more real nutrition facts follow me on twitter @pupcatfacts and on facebook or at pupcatnutrition.com
good luck!!

-Ana

[Angeldogs]

I rescue deaf dogs of all breeds. Allergies are really common. I highly recommend finding a vet that sends allergy tests out to Spectrum Labs. The results include food proteins, carbs, grasses, trees, and other common household issues like dust, etc. It’s been very helpful for us. Just wish finding a kibble for the allergic dogs was as easy…..some of our dogs are raw fed so we can control the ingredients.

[Angeldogs]

Losul just gave you some GREAT advice. Just went thru this with one of our deaf rescue dogs. I fed him some raw organ mix from http://www.greentripe.com, and we had a normal poop for the first time in months. Off to the vet to confirm by labs, and we knew we had a case of EPI.

He’s now back to high quality kibble easily available at the store with a bit of canned mixed in for taste. With a half tablespoon of added pancreatic supplement, let it sit for 25 min, and he snarfs it up.

After just a few weeks, he’s almost back to normal weight, no poop-eating, no counter surfing for food.

I have done the research. EnzymeDiane is the cheapest place to find the supplement, by far. You can also add raw pancreas to his kibble, available at http://www.greentripe.com.

[Angeldogs]

Yep….have one big guy here that is allergic to peas, white potatoes, venison, chicken and turkey. Confirmed by allergy tests by Spectrum Labs, which I highly recommend if you are struggling with food issues and skin rashes.

You’d think that I’d have an easy time of finding him a kibble? Nope. I have been doing ingredients research on every brand of food that is relatively easy to find…..shocking! Just because it states sweet potatoes……well, I keep finding potato gluten or white potatoes on the same list of ingredients. Or LID foods that list lamb or beef as the protein source with chicken fat in them.

So far, after two days of reading ingredients on websites, I found ONE kibble: Canine Caviar Lamb and Pearl Millet.

I’m currently feeding him raw ground beef mixed with Sojos Grain Free, and being careful about treats, which are mostly raw beef bone treats.

Really frustrating that the names of the food indicate limited ingredients, but they are NOT.

[theBCnut]

LMAO!! I can picture that! Too funny! Maybe she thought you should just give it to her raw.

[davinoj]

Ok, davinoj again, on second look the calcium looks a bit high. We are struggling because we are trying to feed a product without any fillers like tomato pommace or “natural flavors” in the listing and can’t seem to get a product with everything in it. I guess that’s why some go Raw. We just don’t have the time. We seriously need some help trying to decide. Also, we need to avoid chicken and turkey we’ve been told for our Bouvier and to stick with foods they would have had in the wild such as beef and fish. Help!

[CSollers]

IMHO, the FDA’s issues with raw products are based on the fact that the big money companies don’t sell them.

[crazy4cats]

Well, I’m using NW Naturals frozen beef nuggets right now. I believe they have chicken also. My problem is that I keep switching so many things, such as food, supplements and toppers that I’m not sure which is making the most difference. But, with the combo I mentioned above, their poops are always good except after exercise. They are then a little soft, but not runny. I think if you are not opposed to raw, the Nature’s Variety frozen raw medallions would be great, but expensive. They have the clay in them that I believe helps with colitis. Have you checked out the dogaware.com website? They have a lot of information and tips on digestive disorders. Good luck.

[Moonskimom]

Been making this for my dogs for years, slight variations of what is on sale in the veggie dept. Vet fine with it b/c they are super healthy!:
BIG POT (I freeze 1/2)
3 lbs ground chicken or turkey or ground pork (or mix)
2 lbs ground beef (total amount 5 lbs of meat)
Organic: dried lentils, split peas, brown rice, barley, apples, squash, spinach, kale.
No salt V-8 juice, tomato paste, organic flaxseed meal, organic virgin coconut oil, cranberries, frozen mixed vegetables, water added as needed but goal is nice thick stew; often add oatmeal if not quite thick enough.When cooling I add a few fish oil pills to pot (same as I take). Served with plain organic yogurt & add powder in caps of pro & prebiotics. Heaviest on the proteins, veggies, & fruits. 2 cups/ 2x’s daily with water added too. CHEAPER than Orijen but use that occasionally- they don’t like it as much. Glucosamine/chondroitin a couple x’s a week, not sure if helpful, mm.
Both dogs rescue lab/hound etc =pure-bred mutts, both approx 55lb. Both 6yo Therapy dogs & both get TONS of exercise in woods & parks. Raw femur bones a couple of x’s a week & I make my own treats too for when they are working. LOVE MY DOGS!

[crazy4cats]

Right now I am feeding my dogs that have IBS Victor grain free which contains montmorillonite clay. I use a small amount of frozen raw beef nugget topper. To that I add the supplement Gastriplex by Thorne that includes slippery elm and L-Glutamine in its ingredients. So far, it’s the best they have done as far as their poops go. I have also used The Honest Kitchen’s Perfect Form and Vetri Science’s Vetri-Probiotic BD supplements with success. I never thought my world would revolve around my pup’s poop, but sadly it does. lol!

[RescueDaneMom]

I’m not sure if you are feeding grains or not. I’ve fed my big guy Annamaet and Earthborn Holistic with great success. My grain-free picks from the list would be: Annamaet Aqualuk (fish), Earthborn Meadow Feast (lamb) or Earthborn Coastal Catch (fish). Canine Caviar Wilderness (venison) or Open Sky (Duck) look good too- never personally fed this brand but I like the looks of it. My grain-inclusive picks would be: Annamaet Option (salmon and venison) and Victor Select Lamb Meal & Brown Rice. I’ve never heard of Pet Pantry dog food so I googled it. It looks like a pretty good food. I think the Buffalo and Duck would be worth a try. I’m currently feeding The Honest Kitchen and raw to my Dane and he is loving it. The Honest Kitchen Love is beef (though it’s pricey). Let us know what you end up with and how it goes. 🙂

[Sue’s Zoo]

Feeding my extra large pup his first turkey neck. He’s in heaven! I bought a roll of plastic for him to eat on but his front paws are now covered in ‘raw’. Doesn’t seem too sanitary. How do others deal with it. Our younger pup is going to want to eat his legs. She hasn’t transitioned to raw yet.

[lk]

I think I have sooo confused myself, and I would greatly appreciate it if someone could look over how I am feeding my dog and let me know that I am doing it right? or wrong?
I have a 12 year old 50 lb guy with a few issues.
I feed him one pound of food a day.
he gets
8oz cooked meat
2oz cooked liver
4oz cooked veggies
1 raw egg
1/2 cup raw goats milk
fish pill
vit e
Calcium is an issue he has and the Vets monitor his calcium levels closely.
I plan on adding in the mulit vitamin and getting rid of the vitamin e
his meat and veggies vary every week.
does this sound like i’m on the right path? or do you think his meat should be more?
thank you
lk

[theBCnut]

Hound Dog mom’s list has commercial raw foods at the end of the list that have appropriate calcium levels.
https://docs.google.com/viewer?srcid=0BwApI_dhlbnFTXhUdi1KazFzSUk&pid=explorer&efh=false&a=v

[chewysmom]

Hi Angie and congrats on the new “baby”! You’re on the right track with choosing to go raw for your little guy. Neapolitan Mastiffs are prone to hip dysplasia which can lead to arthritis as they get older so it’s important to choose on a good diet as a puppy to prevent a lot of vet bills (and heartache) down the road. Here’s a good article from raw dog food diet guru, Robert Mueller that explains how diet can help prevent hip dysplasia in large and giant breed dogs: http://www.barfworld.com/blog/?p=2422.

Best of luck to you both 🙂

[sharfie]

Does any one know about the calcium levels in canned food? Would one be able to calculate using the same method as for the dry and raw? Also, is the canned food usually “all life stages” and appropriate for a puppy? Sorry if this has been asked and answered already.

[grouch_29]

I am researching what would be the best diet for a Neapolitan Mastiff. I have never owned one before but this is my all time favorite breed and hopefully soon I will be able to add a baby neapolitan girl to my family. I would like to get more information on what I’d the best diet for them. I know they are a giant breed and the diet plays a big role in their growth development. I wasn’t a strong healthy girl not a over weight girl with joint and hip problems due to inproper feeding. Please, if anyone has a mastiff and has suggestions or advisr I will greatly appreciate it. What I’d best? Raw or kibble? I’s it possible to do both? If I do just raw, how much do I feed? Do I mix different meats or can I stick to one? Help!!!!

Thank you,
Angie

[theBCnut]

HDM doesn’t come here very often. She is busy with school and other projects.

Here is her list of foods that are OK.

https://docs.google.com/viewer?srcid=0BwApI_dhlbnFTXhUdi1KazFzSUk&pid=explorer&efh=false&a=v

NVI raw is not one of them. The end of the list is the raw foods that made the list.

[Emastiff]

Question for Hound Dog Mom.

What do you think of feeding an English Mastiff puppy Nature’s Variety Instinct Raw Frozen food. We are looking to blend a kibble and a more convent pre made raw food. The dry kibble will be Nature’s Variety Instinct Rabbit
Would love some thoughts.

[theBCnut]

If the vet finds nothing, stop everything except the food for a few days and see if that helps. In a perfect world, you can’t give too many probiotics, however the probiotics have other things in them besides just probiotics. If he is sensitive to the other stuff in probiotics, or digestive enzymes, then taking him off of them for a few days should help. It may do nothing at all, but then you would know that they aren’t contributing to the problem. I would take him down to the normal dose of probiotics now anyway. By now he has got to have what his system can support in his system. Right now, I feel like straws is all we have to grasp at. Basically, this has been going on long enough that I feel like if you can think of something different to try, try it, just wait until after the next fecal check.

[kms]

So do you mean stay on double doses of Probiotics, regular doses of Digestive Enzymes and Perfect Form till vet appt – and then, if stool is clear, discontinue all of it or just the PF and pumpkin? Just want to make sure I don’t misunderstand.

A was thinking yesterday… could the twice per day double dose of Probiotics for 2 1/2 weeks be too much for him? I could back it down to a double dose once per day (that’s actually what the jar calls a “theraputic dose”). I called Mercola and asked if that could cause loose stool. She said that you really can’t give too much of Probiotics, but some dogs will end up with loose stool if they have too much of a build up in their system. Probably grasping at straws here…

[kms]

I made a vet appt for this coming wed – will have a fecal sent out. Also, I started Perfect Form last night. He ate it right up – no issue with taste. So far, he has had 3 stools – all 3 softer/runnier than normal. But he has only had 2 doses, so it’s prob too soon to tell. As far as pumpkin, I’ll stop that today.

I like everything I’ve read about Honest Kitchen products and would be willing to try. Also have been reading about Primal, Darwin and NV frozen and freeze-dried raw. My biggest fear is that things could get worse at a critical time in his development. I’d also have to face both my vet and breeder – who aren’t really in favor of my direction so far (in terms of going to a kibble rotation diet and also for heading toward raw down the road). But I’ll keep reading and taking baby steps. Another reason why I’m so thankful for this forum.

The NVI Rabbit uses chicken fat as a preservative and it’s 4th on the ingredient list. So NVI Rabbit is not 100% chicken-free, but it’s fat instead of meat. I don’t know if that changes anything. In other words, can I still rule out “chicken intolerance” – or could that small amount of chicken fat still cause a chicken intolerance? I really hope his system just needs more time to heal, as Pattyvaughn sugggested. It’s just that I’ve never had a dog who didn’t have worms or diarrrhea at some point – and it has always been remedied quickly. So I keep worrying that it’s something more serious.

I’ve read on threads where people go back to grain-inclusive and the stools get better. Why is that? I thought grains were not good for a dog. The reason I went grain-free is because I thought it would be healthier and the food would be less likely to trigger an allergy.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 4 months ago by kms.

[theBCnut]

Mine have never had a problem with it and all different foods digest at different rates but they never mention anything except mixing raw and kibble. I do know someone that has one dog that doesn’t do well when she mixes raw and kibble, but all the rest of hers do fine mixed. Her dog that doesn’t do well vomits and has loose stools and shows other signs of being in distress, so I expect if your dog has a problem with mixing, you will know it.

[RescueDaneMom]

I don’t take stock in that theory about not mixing raw with kibble. I started out feeding raw by adding it as a topper to my dog’s kibble. He never had a problem with it.

[pugmomsandy]

I don’t look up the scientific stuff myself. I feed a mixture of foods sometimes. One meal can just be kibble or it can be kibble, freeze dried raw, raw and canned all together!

[Tiyapup]

I am feeding my pup a rotation of high quality kibbles, mixed with a balanced homemade raw diet. She is doing very well.. healthy growth, beautiful thick soft coat, lots of energy, pretty firm and very regular stools, etc. etc. I’ve read several times now that you should NOT mix kibble and raw in the same meal because of digestive issues. Has anyone really had problems with this, and can anyone give me a real scientific explanation why I shouldn’t mix them? I’ve heard they digest at different rates and (literally, I read this) “confuse the pancreas”. So what? Why does it matter how fast a dog digests something? She has firm and regular stools, and that’s enough to convince me that mixing is fine, but I’d still like to hear a scientific argument why mixing kibble and raw might be bad.

In case you care, the rotation is Taste of the Wild puppy, Wellness Core puppy, and Blue Buffalo Wilderness puppy, supplemented with a homemade variety of livers, hearts, gibbets, cheap cuts of venison or lamb, chicken necks, eggs, yogurt, pumpkin, salmon oil, a small amt. of an herbal supplement, and add Grandma Lucy’s grain-free no meat pre-mix. I was doing about 20% raw 80% kibble, but now its close to half and half.

[dogGirl]

Not only is the address the same, but the contact person is also the same: Steven Lea.

Check out the May 2006 planning board minutes from Iredell County if you want to know what Lea-Way does. The link between those 2 businesses is disturbing, especially for those of us who feed raw.

[Brittany Mom]

I feed the Force, Embark, Love, and Zeal on a rotating basis. They get Honest Kitchen in the AM and Bravo raw in the PM. I also give them beef knuckle bones, duck feet, bullysticks and trachea for their chewing pleasure. All of which come from Bravo. I too have a 3 yr old Britt, but I have to watch his weight because he has a tendency to gain weight.

[RescueDaneMom]

While I love Stella & Chewy’s, it is not practical for large dogs to feed as a sole source of food. Your dog would eat you out of house and home. If I fed my dog just S&C, I would be spending $15/day. You can use Stella’s as a topper for the kibble. That’s how I started feeding my dog raw.

[Melissaandcrew]

LOl. I try to buy food for the upcoming month to be at least 30 days ahead. I counted food bags yesterday and realized that except for a bag or two of “new try” products, I really don’t need to look until mid Jan or so. Especially now since I switched from premade raw topper to 50% homemade raw.

[pugmomsandy]

There are hundreds of foods to try out. Maybe your dog is not used to high protein grain free. What were you feeding before and how long? There are foods “in the middle” if you want to try that. I feed a range of 4 to 5 star foods and haven’t had any issues with more poop or larger poop. And actually my fosters have the largest and more frequent poops after being vetted and then I get them. I also give the dogs some probiotics a couple times a week. The best poops are on raw food with bones – small, formed, no smell like the size of little bird eggs. I have small dogs though. But what I’m saying is, try something else. My fosters do good on Nutrisource Heartland Select and grain free Lamb. I would call those “in the middle”.

[PippaY]

Hi all,

My 18lb Welsh Terrier has a mild-moderate case of Protein Losing Enteropathy.

Our Vet specialist has recommended a Purina HA diet that’s made of “hydrolyzed protein”. Unfortunately I’m wary of anything made by Purina and hydrolyzed protein sounds horribly processed. So I’m looking for suggestions.

I’ve read that MCT oil (for humans) can help. Not sure how much to give her..

What about kibble and/or raw food? Brands and types would be appreciated if you’ve had success with any.

I switched her from Purina Pro Plan sensitive stomach (salmon) variety to Orijen’s Fish formula and “Primal”‘s raw lamb wet food. Her spirits are good. She’s eating well and she doesn’t seem to be losing weight around the middle..though I suspect that she might be losing muscle mass.

Other things to note:
She’s allergic to chicken and starts to itch just looking at it. Not sure about turkey or duck.

Thank you!!

[RVPets]

We have a 7 year old German Shepherd and we have been struggling to control a systemic yeast infection for the past 9 months. Our old vet (I do mean old now) kept putting him on antibiotics, saying it was not yeast, but never doing a skin scrap. Our new vet checked first and immediately told us it was yeast. He wants him on a no carbohydrate/lo. starch diet and has suggested a more holistic approach to controling the problem. We are very pleased with the results so far. He’s grown back most of his hair and his odor has diminshed considerably.

We add Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar (with the “Mother”) to his drinking water and we wipe him down with a vinegar and water mixture (50/50) and we are cleaning his ears with the same solution daily. We have hi on a partial raw diet that we have been adding a high quality dog food too (about half raw half dog food).

My problem is that we are having a hard time finding a food that he can eat due to food allergies. Has anyone tried Canidae Grain-Free Pure Elements for dogs? It does not have anything on his “don’t eat” list, but I’m not too sure about having sweet potatoes in the top 5 list of ingredients.

Has anyone else tried this with a “yeasty dog”? Did it help or make it worse? We are trying very hard to find a solution, but we simply cannot feed an all raw diet right now.

This is a list of ingrediants:
Lamb, turkey meal, chicken meal, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, peas, chicken fat, menhaden fish meal, potatoes, suncured alfalfa, natural flavor, minerals (iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite), vitamins (vitamin E supplement, thiamine mononitrate, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, niacin, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid), choline chloride, dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, dried trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, mixed tocopherols (a natural source of
vitamin E)

[theBCnut]

Hi ShelterGirl

Plaque build up on teeth is due to starch in dogs, just as it is in humans. Kibble is a high starch food. If you don’t want plaque build up on your dogs teeth, you brush them, just like you do in humans. Or you can try feeding raw meaty bones. Dogs that eat nothing but kibble still need to have their teeth cleaned regularly, so obviously kibble is not the answer to plaque build up.

No type of food leads to obesity, overfeeding any type of food leads to obesity. Weight issues are a matter of calories in, calories out.

[pugmomsandy]

If I’m giving a capsule that is a higher dose, I will give the whole capsule but then only give it a two or three times a week. I’ll buy human fish oil capsules to use on me and the dogs. Once in a while, they get a whole raw sardine too.

[theBCnut]

If you are giving less than 20% of the diet in raw food then buying from the grocery store is fine. If you are planning on giving more raw than 20% of the diet, then you have to start considering balancing all the nutrients.