[pitlove]

Hi Rosemarie-

What about chopping the mackeral up into cubes and adding it that way? Or deboning it yourself? Also if you’re on Facebook, join “The Raw Feeding Community” page. Someone there could be able to help.

[Susan]

Hi Ryan,
if your cooking Chicken & Rice start adding some veggies, broccoli, carrot etc & start balancing 1 of his meals a day or over the week add things that will balance his diet over 1 week, in Australia we have “NAS Digestiavite Plus Powder” I had to mix thru Patches cooked or raw meal was just 1/2 a teaspoon & it didnt smell of vitamins, it smelt nice like spinach & kale its green powder & has everything to balance a dogs diet…..
Take back the Hills 1/d dry kibble, I would of gotten him the wet Hills Digestive Care I/d Chicken, Vegetables & Rice wet can food, it smells really good, its balanced & formulated for a few health problems, sounds like your dog doesn’t like dry kibble, I wouldn’t flare up his Allergies, I’ve been feeding Patch Chicken since March, the Wellness Core Large Breed formula cause the fat is low/medium, protein % is med/high & carbs are low & Kcals are 345 per cup & Patch does well on it BUT now he has red paws, red around his mouth, he cant eat too much Chicken, the chicken agrees with his IBD/Stomach but not his skin… Have you tried “Wellness Simple” Turkey & Potato ? I buying a bag tomorrow, my cat even likes the Wellness kibbles but she wouldnt eat te TOTW kibble also teh Wellness is palabity money back guaranteed…you have to read thru all the Wellness formula’s ingredients for no lentils, the Natural Balance Potato & Duck or Sweet Potato & Fish doesnt have lentils or chickpeas or Probiotics…
Ive read that Probiotics die by the time we get the kibble or once exposed to heat?? I dont know if this is correct..

Tin Salmon & Sardines in Spring Water or Olive Oil will help balance his diet, Sardines are very healthy, Sardines have vitamins minerals, Omega 3 are very healthy, just read salt % & buy brand with the lowest salt %, add 2 spoons to 1 of his meals a day, also crush up 1 egg shell a day & add to 1 of his cooked meal for calcium…
I often buy tin salmon in spring water, for making sandwiched the smaller cans, I drain all the spring water & add a few pieces of boiled sweet potatoes, 1/2 salmon & 1/2 boiled sweet potato & mix & give only 1/2 for a meal & the other 1/2 the next day… dogs love fresh fish..
I’d look at “Judy Morgan DVM” face book page, look at her videos & “Pancreatitis Diet” her “IBD Diet” she has easy to make cooked balanced meals, you just put everything in a Slow Cooker, then freeze meals, probably healthier then feeding dry kibbles…
Your dog is smart & he can smell the off meat in the dry kibble or he can smell the vitamins & omega oils in the vet diets something is turning him off…

[Rosemarie A]

Hello!

This is my first post. I’ve been lingering for a while and trying to absorb as much information as I can with raw feeding. I’ve started about a month and a half ago. I’ve been prepping using the BARF model. I want to introduce raw whole fish to their diet. I have mackerel that has been frozen for almost 2 weeks. I am very hesitant in feeding my 4 dogs mackerel with all that bone. Any opinions or thoughts with using a meat grinder to decrease the chances of getting bone lodged into their systems? I’ve read that mackerel is a bit of a tough bone. They’ve had canned sardines but I wanted to try a non-canned fish. Should I cook it and take the bones out? Anyone have any experience with using their meat grinder for fish? Thanks for any advice.

[Spy Car]

Hello Jan,

I strongly believe that raw feeding is the healthiest diet for dogs, but it is not a panacea.

The greatest benefit would be to reduce the weight of your lab. Reducing (or eliminating) carbohydrates via a raw diet (or mixed diet) helps. Dogs burn fat very efficiently and while it seems counter-intuitive, fat metabolism helps with weight loss.

The pork femur bones, sadly, are a poor choice, as a bone source. They are too hard to the “eaten” and therefore pose a hazard to teeth and risk obstructions id swallowed in large pieces. Bone-in chicken pieces are far preferable.

On a budget, you’d spend less if you find whole ingredients and feed according to the Prey Model 80/10/10 (meat/soft-edible bones/organs) formula.

Chicken feet are a good source of edible bone and do contain a lot of glucosamine. Couldn’t hurt. But weight loss is the critical issue.

Aim to slowly reduce weight. A raw diet promotes a lean body type. Getting rid of the carbs is key.

Best,

Bill

[crazy4cats]

Hi MX-
Sounds like ProPlan is a 5 star food for your dog! Just keep an eye on his stools, coat and energy level. It’s impossible to tell the quality of the ingredients by the label. For example, not all chicken meal or corn is created equal. Some meals may have a lot more bone than muscle meat than others. There are also different grades of corn. You have to trust the company to do the right thing.

I used to think the same as you. But, there are a few posters on here that have changed my mind. I now feed Purina occasionally as well. I mostly keep an eye on the calories, fat and fiber now. I have two neutered labs that can easily get chubby if I don’t. I’m also staying away from kibble that uses mostly legumes as their carb.

If you do add anything to your dog’s diet that is not complete and balanced, try to keep it under 15% to ensure he is getting all the important nutrients to keep him healthy. I add a little canned or commercial raw to their kibble which are complete. But, then I also add leftovers, eggs, or fish occasionally.

Good luck! I’m glad you found a food he likes!

[Patricia A]

Hi Saundra…I feel for you. I have three chihuahuas. One being 16 who has one kibble and topper she eats(with EXTRA cooked food for her when the others aren’t looking) I then had to search for another kibble and topper when the younger one got very picky and stopped eating.Had to find topper and kibble that would agree with BOTH of them so as not to be buying like 6 different brands of food of wet and dry etc. FInally have them transitioned over to the Stella’s kibble and freeze dried raw. I’m able to get recipes like rabbit topper for the one that gains weight easily and duck for the picky one. Sometimes she still needs another topper on top of the topper to get her going. But so far so good fingers crossed. Don’t remember being this worried about what I was feeding my kids when they were little.. I really need some grandchildren. lol Hope the Merrick works out for you.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 6 months ago by Patricia A.

[crazy4cats]

Is this a raw or cooked diet? If cooked, BalanceiT’s website can help you formulate balanced recipes.

[Patricia A]

Well one thing i’ve learned is that what’s best for one dog does not always work for yours. But I recently switched from Fromm with canned topper for my two Chihuahuas. I’m having success with Stella cheesy raw coated kibble but it’s expensive However they get VERY little of that with a topper now of Primal freeze dried. Very east since you just add the little bit of kibble and break up the freeze dried and add a little warm water to rehydrate. Bothe foods got high reviews. Many different protein types being Venison, Rabbit, Chicken, duck and their favorite Turkey and Sardine. Just have to make the change VERY slowly. Also of course whenever I have chicken I boiled some breasts for them with some carrots, string beans, tiny pieces of steak if they get lucky that day and also sometimes we have boiled salmon so get they a topper of that occasionally. We had a mini dachshund years ago and I know they tend to get back problems . So tried to always keep him trim.Hope this helps.

[John M]

Hello everyone,
I have a 10.5 week old GSD. He is an absolute beautiful pup. We are thinking of going raw. I made the decision to try out this brand:

/dog-food-reviews/raw-wild-dog-food-frozen/
https://www.rawwild.com/

I read in many places that the 3% of body weight in terms of feeding is recommended for adult dogs (and that seems to be the general agreed rule of thumb).
However, the guideline for puppies seems to be very variable. I see lot of places recommend 10% (my GSD puppy currently is 20 lbs, so I would give 2 lbs of this item (divided by the number of meals of course)). That seems excessive? Once again, I may be completely wrong so please excuse my unprofessional opinion and I apologize in advance. I see other places recommend 7%-10%, and some others recommending 5-8%.
I know that either answers could be correct and is dog dependent, and can always adjust based on how the pup is doing (if getting to chubby, cut back, and vice versa). However, if you guys a magic number for the percentage of body weight to feed, what would you guys say?

Thanks in advance!
John

[Anonymous]

I have been feeding my 5 year old dog Instinct Raw Boost Dry dog food. I can afford to feed her Nature’s Domain canned but I’m not sure which one would be better. Its the only 5 star canned food that I can afford. Is it better to feed a lower (but still good) quality wet food or a higher quality dry?

[Patti P]

Our dog, Gracie, is a mixed breed “best dog ever” and is 11 years old. For most of her life she has had bouts of diarrhea and has been given metronidazole many, many times. Recently her liver enzymes were very high and she was having very soft stools … like soft serve ice cream. Our veterinarian suggested we try the Royal Canin HP. We had been feeding her Stella & Chewy’s Frozen Raw Patties. She was doing very well on this diet but the vet wanted to try the hydrolyzed protein Royal Canin to see if the liver enzymes would lower. We started with the Royal Canin HP canned and her stools were still very soft … although the occasional explosive diarrhea stopped. I then added the dry kibble Royal Canin HP variety that contains potatoes … I believe it is called Hydroloyzed PS. I would give her ⅔ dry and ⅓ canned. Her stools continued to be very soft. So, about 5 days ago I stopped giving her the canned and her stools are more formed now. I did some research and learned that carrageenan, an ingredient added to canned food to hold it together, can be an irritant to the intestinal tract. Royal Canin HP canned contains carrageenan. So, I think stopping the canned version helped.
However, Gracie doesn’t really care for the dry by itself. She will normally eat anything but now eats a few bites, walks away, eats a few more bites, walks away, etc. Last night she threw up after eating the dry. This morning she wouldn’t eat it at all. So, I ended up fixing some boiled chicken and rice for her which she gobbled right up. I am now searching for alternatives. I hope this helps with your decision about the Royal Canin HP.

[pitlove]

Hi emmygirl-

If your dog is truly allergic to all the proteins that you’ve listed you will be hard pressed to find a food he can eat aside from a theraputic diet from the vet that has been hydrolyzed. If that was not offered to you as an option then it is likely that a hydrolyzed diet would impact his PLE negatively.

It sounds like at this point home preparing his meals using BalanceIt is going to be your best option. Especially if you are working with the BalanceIt team and your vet to create a diet that is specific to his illness.

My suggestion would be to get a crock pot and cook in bulk for him and freeze the meals. If you are a member of Costco or Sams you could buy meat veggies etc in bulk and it might be more cost effective that way. Most people that feed raw or home cooked meals set aside a day during the week or on the weekend as a “meal prep day”. It can be time consuming, but it allows you to prepare (most people do a months worth) food in advance for him and freeze it, so all you have to do is thaw it out twice a day. That would be my suggestion to you.

[Ryan K]

Hi Susan! Thank you for all of that info!

I am not sure that I would go raw or take him to a nutritionist. I might one day but right now I want to keep trying dry foods.

I should have mentioned before that I have been having a hard time with him and foods since I decided to take him off his old Zignature Kangaroo recipe and put him on rx Hydrolized protein by Royal Canin and Science Diet Z/D. Both of these cleared his skin up immediately but made him incredibly…OFF. He seemed very agitated and unlike himself when he was on these two prescription foods. He seemed almost restless and irritable. Someone mentioned that it might have been the super high % of Omega 3’s in those diets so I got him off of them and ever since I have been trying new foods. He has been a mess since that. I haven’t had him on one food that has worked well. I am not sure if those rx foods just really messed with his gut and now he has still not recovered or what but I need to get it sorted out. I made sure that the Prescription food by Hills has low Omega’s this time because that was a concern. I also noticed that while on the Hydrolized protein diets his poops were incredibly loose and runny. That was a big part in my taking him off the ZD and trying the Royal Canin Hydrolized. I didn’t like how soupy his poops were. He has anal gland issues so I would prefer him to have a food that gives him a more firm stool. But, at this point…I just need his stomach and appetite to normalize. That’s my priority. If I find something that he actually EATS and doesn’t seem irritated by I am sticking to it. He did well on the Kangaroo by Zignature but the lentils make him super itchy and his ears get very gooey and gross when he eats it. I had him on Orijen six fish for probably the first 2 years of his life (he’s 9 now) and he loved that but continually had ear issues…I realized it was the probiotics and stopped and they cleared up. I have had him on Acana which he likes but again…ear issues…skin issues….not fun.

I did get several cans of the prescription diet you mentioned. Oddly enough, he does not like it! It’s so weird because he normally loves canned food but he sniffs it and turns away. I am hopeful that the fact that he is still eating boiled chicken and rice that that is a good sign? If he’s not eating anything I would be very scared. I think maybe I am overthinking this and giving him too many options and messing his system up. If his triglycerides come back as normal and there is nothing to worry about I will go from there. If that is a problem…I am not sure what the next step is. I think I also need to get him more exercise. He isn’t overweight…the vet says he looks healthy…but, he is very sedentary. I have a fenced yard and he runs around from time to time but nothing very regular. I might start walking him around the neighborhood. Maybe that will work up his appetite and help regulate him a bit more.

Thank you very much for your amazing help!! 🙂

[Ryan K]

Thanks for that info! The vet put him on this diet because his stomach lining on the x-rays appeared inflamed and he was eating a lot of weeds and vomiting. I wound up taking him to an emergency vet for the latest batch of bloodwork because he was panting all night. When I have the results of that said to just go with the RX diet the prior but had mentioned and to have his blood drawn again. I went back and had his blood taken but have not gotten the results back so I don’t know if his triglyceride level has gone down or not. I am praying and crossing my fingers that he has normal levels. The level was crazy though. It said the normal range was under around 290 and his was 2,081! What the heck?! I don’t even give him table scraps! Anyway, do you happen to know how much in cups I should be feeding a dog his size? I’m guessing it’s twice a day? He’s a grazer so it’s tough. With rice and chicken I am not sure since I am just putting it down for him to eat right away. So confused.

[Ryan K]

My question is a little bit layered but the main one is how much boiled chicken and rice for a bland diet should I feed my 26 lb dachund terrier mix? I have no idea if I’m supposed to do a cup twice a day or two cups twice a day? I’ve been doing one cup twice a day since yesterday. I don’t want to underfeed him.

Also, does anyone have any ideas why my dogs triglycerides were so high? Is that usually a cholesterol issue? My vet made me take him back after fasting and draw blood again yesterday. I’m concerned this is a serious issue. All his other blood work was great. The triglyceride was the only high abnormal level. His urine mircoalbumin canine reflex was elevated too. I have been having a hard time getting him to eat over the last few months. He has become very picky. I had comprehensive x rays done 2 weeks ago when he seemed to be in pain. He was tensed up and shaking for an entire night and had runny stool. He has slipped a disc in the past so I was worried it was a flare up of his IVD but the vet said it seemed ok in the x rays. His X-ray also showed moderate hip dysplasia. My biggest concern though is his eating. I just ordered a bag of Hills I/D naturals low fat. It’s a little better then the regular I/D in that it’s not full of corn and fillers. The fat content is 7%. My worry is the fiber content. It says 1.5%. Shouldn’t this be higher for a RX food? Should I be concerned with that? Overall, I’m just a worried mess over my dog and his sudden lack of interest in kibble and his shaking and stomach seeming to be upset. I want him to feel better fast.

Also, does anyone have any idea if Nutro Healthy Weight would be a better substitute for a low fat food for him? Is that a decent food? The fat content is 7% on that and the fiber is 11%. I’m wondering if I should just return the RX and go with the Nutro. So confused! Any ideas would be great.

[Susan]

Hi Marjorie,
when I got my rescued dog that afternoon while he was doing a wee he was weeing blood, I quickly rung the rescue lady & she said contact our vet, the vet said we’ll do Ultra Scan while he’s being desexed on Monday, after he was desexed, the vet rung me & said he has Urinary Crystals probably from being used as a breeding dog he has caught an infection, I said what happens now? the vet said, he needs to be on a vet diet for 6 weeks & eat no other foods, no treats, nothing or the crystal wont dissolve properly, when I went to picked him up she gave me a cartoon of the Royal Canine S/O Urinary cans x 12 cans & a bag of the Royal Canine S/O Urinary dry kibble & said feed the dry R/C S/O kibble for breakfast & for dinner feed him 1/2 a can of the R/C S/O wet can food, then she said, I’m given him cartoon of the wet can food so he has variety just incase he wont eat the dry S/O kibble, then she booked him to come back in 7 weeks for another Ultra Scan to see if all his crystal had dissolved, 7 weeks later we went back to see vet, he had his Ultra Scan & no more crystals, they had all disovled, the vet said now put him back on normal food & thats when my nightmare started, Patch had IBD & while he was eating the Royal Canine S/O wet & dry food it was agreeing with him & he didnt have any reactions to ingredients…

The only thing about the Hills & Royal Canine vet diets for Urinary problems is the fat, it’s a bit high, so if your girl has Pancreatitis make sure you tell the vet about the higher fat in these vet diets, the fat in the wet can food is around 17-18% the dry kibble is 17%max
Not recommended for (contraindications):
Chronic renal failure, metabolic acidosis
Heart failure
Pancreatitis or history of pancreatitis
Hyperlipidaemia
In conjunction with the use of urine-acidifying drugs
Pregnancy
Lactation
Growth

Feeding a vet diet for 2 months will work out cheaper then if your girl gets a blockage & needs an operation, it will be more expensive, I dont think she needs to be on the Urinary vet diet for 6 months ?? Patches crystals all dissolved within 6 weeks & he had a lot of crystals, they look like big rock salts…

I ended up contacting a Naturopath Jaqueline Rudan for Patches IBD
Here’s a Acidifying Diet, Urinary Crystals Diet, it gives you an idea about ingredients to feed after her crystals have dissolved with the vet diet, its a raw diet but it can be cooked as long as there’s no cooked bone…
http://www.naturalanimalsolutions.com.au/Shop/2016/03/15/acidifying-diet-urinary-crystals/

[Roger O]

Hi, I was wondering why Endless Valley Gather is no longer on the Editor’s Choice list? I started feeding my 9-1/2 year old Lowchen this as a supplement to his raw diet, and he’s doing extremely well on it. Should I be concerned?

Thanks!
Roger

[anonymous]

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

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

Excellent science based articles (nothing is being sold at that site)

[Susan]

Hi Jenny,

look at “Natural Balance” LTD Sweet Potato & Bison formula, Sweet Potato & Venison formula..
https://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/dog-formulas/special-category-limited-ingredient-diets

You’re better off doing a food Elimination Diet this way you will know 100% what ingredients your dog is sensitive too, these salvia, blood & fur tests give false positives..
You have a small dog so home cooked or raw meals would probably work out cheap, just make sure diet is balanced after 1-2 months & diet is high in Omega 3 ingredients & oil for skin.

Look for a kibble or wet can food that has 1 novel protein & 1 carb & start from there…
also bath in a medicated shampoo, weekly or twice a week baths are best to wash off any allergens on their paws, skin etc
If you want to stay with vet diets look at the “Royal Canine” Select Protein, PR-Potato & Rabbit wet can & dry vet formula, the Natural Balance limited ingredient formula’s are similair & cheaper, there’s also “Rayne Canada” vet formula’s have Rabbit, Crocodile, Kanagroo.
http://www.raynecanada.ca/canine-diets/

[Denys A]

I just joined this site because of German Shepherd Man, who has his own, extensive, VLOG, and he recommended it. He also was highly favorable about Victor Super Premium Dog Food, grain free, for large dogs. No mention of Victor brand here! His other favorite was Blue Buffalo Freedom grain free. No mention of that. When I talk to people about homemade dog food, they recommend brown rice or they condemn it. They recommend raw or they condemn it. Everybody is an expert and yet, it seems, nobody is. Help!

[Anne D]

Hi there! I’ve been through the same thing. I’ve been feeding raw for over 2yrs now & my 3 would never allow me to buy kibble again! HAHAHA
Nor would I want to, since it was the best decision I’ve made for their health.
I agree with the previous poster about the fat content. Small amounts are ok, but watch leaving the skin on since they really can’t chew it up. It’s basically a glob in the belly, which can cause upset.
Don’t worry about the bones, as long as you’re not cooking them, you’re doing everything right. Their digestive tract is set up for this.
The only thing I didn’t see suggested for you was canned pumpkin. I always keep that in. Just in case. Dogs get upset stomachs. Just like us. The pumpkin helps to bind them up. I also add slippery elm bark to the pumpkin. Clears them up really quick. Just make sure that you’re buying canned pumpkin, not pie filling.
I know you’re aware of transitioning proteins, just be sure not to keep them on 1 protein too long. Always rotate. Green Tripe is an excellent way to soothe his belly too. It just might make you incredibly nauseous! HAHAHA Bone broth is great too & if you don’t want to make it, honest kitchen sells a powdered version w turmeric. Nice to keep on hand.
So sorry I’m rambling on. I just hate when our best friends aren’t well & feeling at a loss as to what to do for them. I would post the same question in every raw feeding FB group I was in & was lucky to get a response the next day.
I hope your puppy is feeling better.

[anonymous]

Ground up bone can cause gastrointestinal upset and bowel obstruction, sometimes partial, never-the-less
painful.

I am sure the pro raw folks will chime in.

I hope your dog is okay.

Best of luck. Sincerely

PS: The title of your thread implys that your dog has had diarrhea for 2 weeks!
That is what I responded to.

[Jenny L]

My 5.5yr old yorkie has had food and environmental allergies for a few years now. Per the vet she has been on Hill’s Prescription Z/D food with the corresponding treats. She had an allergy test almost two years ago (after trying to fix the problem with prescription food with no luck) and came back with quite a bit of food allergies. The vet suggested she continue with the Z/D food, however I recently read the ingredients. First on the list is corn starch, and my dog is allergic to corn.

The vet hasn’t seemed terribly open about my interest in either home cooking meals or going raw. However I’ve done some searching and have seen instances where cooking/raw has helped dogs with all types of ailments tremendously.

She is allergic to the following food: pork, milk, corn, barley, peas. She’s also right on the edge of the scale being allergic to: beef, salmon, chicken/turkey, lamb, fish, duck.

Any guidance, suggestions, help is VERY appreciated.

[FIREMAN29]

I’m not looking for veterinary advice per say, as you state I can call them up at any point and get advice from them. I’m looking to make sure what and how much I’m feeding him jives. All the food is was ground up through a grinder and thoroughly mixed together. He hasn’t vomited at all, and is still defecating on a normal schedule with the exception of the one incident. He is still energetic, has a normal appetite, is not displaying any muscular weaknesses, bloating, and has been drinking water normally. I don’t suspect a bowl obstruction at all, I appreciate the concern but spending hundreds of dollars based on a complete lack of symptoms isn’t responsible either.

I was under the impression this forum was pro-raw diets, and a place where I could seek some conventional wisdom. The websites I’ve gone to are all regarded very highly and I’d like to think that I can sniff out BS when I smell it, or read it in this case. If information doesn’t jive especially when held up to other professional literature then I don’t bother with it.

I’ll seek advice elsewhere…

[anonymous]

It is irresponsible for anyone other than a veterinarian that has examined your dog to give you veterinary advice.

Don’t waste time on the internet.

Please go to the nearest veterinarian asap, raw food (especially bones) is well known for causing gastrointestinal upset and bowel/colon obstructions.
An x-ray is the only way to rule out.

Sorry that you had to find out this way, best of luck.
Give us an update.

[FIREMAN29]

Hello,

This is for anyone who can help me. I have a 2.5yo +/-95# male AmStaff. He is a great dog but has been plagued with digestive issues since he was a pup. We went all the way up the kibble food chain ultimately having to get him the most natural gain free, chicken free, high protein, high priced food on the market. And he still showed some opposition to eating it and would drink tons of water a day. On June 1st my wife and I finally got tired of all the issues and switched him to a raw diet. I read several books and web sites trying to gain all the knowledge I could. We transitioned him over 8 days essentially switch and 1/8 of his food out each day. He was more excited to eat and seemed happier after even a few days. He was pooping less, I mean this in terms of shear volume, his poop was firm and smelled less, and he seemed to stop straining when he pooped.

A couple days ago he woke us up around 3am and we had to rush him outside as he had a photo finish with totally watery stool. He had also felt a bit warmer to the touch leading up to that. I’m confident that the meat was not contaminated (given that we ate form the same batch), and we made sure to clean everything thoroughly throughout the transition and after. I went back to the trusty internet and books and couldn’t find anything relating at least within the area of what he’s experiencing. It was a lot of “WebMD” type of reading where he could just be having an upset stomach and it will pass or I may be killing him slowly in which case rush him to the vet immediately.

He still seems happy, and energetic, and hasn’t gotten as warm as frequently as he has since those two days ago.

Food Break Down: 13oz 85/15 Ground Beef or Lean Ground Turkey
3 oz Meaty Bone (usually a stripped turkey leg portion or cow bone of some sort, he doesn’t like chewing them so I have to break them up which is a pain.)
4 oz Organ Meat (only 2 oz if all we have is liver)
2-3 oz additonally of fruits and veggies

One meal a week we will give him fish.

Just looking to see if we even doing this the right way. I thinking that from what I read we put in too much fat but I can’t be sure. If anyone could shed some light on this I would be very grateful. We want the best for our guy and we know we can get this right just need some guidance.

[Rebecca B]

That makes total sense!
She has always eaten either a salmon or red meat based meal/food – never chicken. She’s turning 7 in July.

We do partially raw and on a whim I put some raw chicken into her meal (always been bison, beef, veal or lamb before this) and we ended up at the emergency vet with her entire body covered in golf ball sized welts and her eyes swollen shut.

She’s never had chicken so I now have to assume she has absolutely no tolerance to it.

You definitely confirm this!

Looks like Farmina will be our new go to for kibble.
🙂

[haleycookie]

If she’s allergic to raw chicken then she’ll likely be allergic to chicken meal or deboned chicken. Typically from what I’ve seen in people that start in a kibble diet and the dog is allergic to chicken meal will often not be allergic to the raw chicken because it’s unprocessed. So I wouldn’t try with chicken meal just to be safe. Chicken fat though, is different. It isn’t a protein so she probably won’t react to that. Many hypoallergenic foods with say, salmon, as the ingredient will use chicken fat as the oil/fat in the food so I wouldnt be AS scared of that as the chicken meal. But if it makes you feel better and you wanna be extra safe I would avoid the fat as well.

[Rebecca B]

Hi there!

I have a pup who is severely reactive to raw chicken.

Would she most likely be allergic to chicken meal and chicken fat found in the dry foods?

I know that the protein is what typically causes the reactions and that the raw would obviously have more of that protein, but I don’t want to subject my girl to another reaction.

Looking at Earthborn Primative Natural.
Farmina Lamb is my backup but my wallet cries whenever I look at it.

Thanks in advance!

[kkwins]

Hi Jessica-
The website you linked certainly does not make it clear but the Signature recipe is the recipe you are accustomed to. It is the 95%/5% recipe and has not had any changes made to its formulation. They simply re-branded it when they released their lower protein line which is in the packaging of the previously 95%/5% formulas. Its confusing but the quality of the food has not changed. The 85%/15% was introduced for people “new” to raw because it is more affordable. Many other brands have similar protein/produce compositions (e.g. Primal, Northwest Naturals, Darwins, and more).
I second everything Pitlove said, the important thing is having the single protein composition. Which looking at the ingredient panel of the Natures Variety non-signature chicken and beef formulas they have maintained.

[pitlove]

Hi Jan-

What you attempting to do currently for your dog would help manage symptoms of arthritis, but not really hip dysplasia. Depending on the severity of the luxity of the femoral head, you may see little to no difference with what you are doing.

For HD dogs, keeping them lean and surgery are your best options at making them comfortable. The surgery is called a Femoral Head Osteotomy and what is done is that the head of the femor is removed and scar tissue is built up around the femur and acts as an anchor to the acetabulum. Without surgery, his pain will likely get so out of control that he would have to be on pain medication for the rest of his life.

Also just as an aside, it is a falsehood that raw food and kibble should not be fed together.

[anonymous]

It most likely has nothing to do with the food
A veterinary dermatologist would be your best bet, if that is not within your means, I would work very closely with your primary vet and do exactly as he says, I would disregard any advice that I read online/forums and such, tons of misinformation.
Per the search engine:
/forums/topic/dog-chewing-paws-raw-and-vet-prescribed-food-making-it-worse/#post-116655

/forums/topic/prescription-diet-and-pooping-too-much/#post-109822

PS: There is no cheap way out of this. Veterinary care is expensive nowadays. It is what it is.
From what you have described, it sounds like your dog may need the expertise of a specialist. It may be cost effective in the long run, rather than going back and forth to the regular vet (bandaid treatments) and trying all kinds of different foods with no significant results.

[Susan]

Hi Baileysmom,

Yes Patch was the same, his skin & paws got worse while on a Vet diet that had Corn Starch, he started to get smelly yeasty skin & paws..
Look for a new kibble that has 1 novel protein & 1-2 carbs, has limited ingredients & see how he does….. Patches yeasty smelly skin went away when he started a raw diet, 3 days after eating just raw Kangaroo & green blended vegetables, Patches yeasty itchy skin went away, I bathed him in “Malaseb Medicated Shampoo & his smelly yeasty skin didn’t return..
There’s no point doing a elimination food trial with the vet diet he’s eating made his itch increase since being on this vet diet food….
If itchy skin paws, or ears become worse, you need to stop the vet diet & try another formula, when you start a elimination diet using a vet diet you only continue feeding the diet if skin is stable & skin paws have improved then after 6weeks just eating teh vet elimination diet, then you start your elimination diet by adding 1 new ingredient every 6 weeks & see if skin starts to itch & get worse again, then if skin paws ears itch go red etc you stop that new ingredient, continue just feeding the vet diet wait for paws, skin are stable again, then when skin isnt itchy or smells yeasty before adding another new ingredient…..Best to start a elimination food diet in the cooler, colder months when environment allergens aren’t high…
Are you bathing twice a week or weekly…….Baths wash off any allergens on skin & paws, using a medicated shampoo is best, it puts moisture back into skin, reduces itch & redness & kills any bacteria & yeast that might be on skin & paws..

Have you tried “Royal Canine” Select protein PR – Potato & Rabbit formula? there’s the wet can & dry kibble formula’s, Vet diets for skin problems are higher in omega 3, what is needed when dogs has skin problems..

I’d take back the vet diet that has made skin worse & ask can you try another vet diet, look at the “Royal Canine Select Protein” formula’s & see how he does..
or get a refund & try something else..
*https://www.royalcanin.com/products/vet/food-sensitivity

* Hills have their D/D range
https://www.hillspet.com/dog-food/pd-dd-canine-potato-and-duck-formula-dry

* “Natural Balance” LTD Sweet Potato & Bison or Potato & Duck or Sweet Potato & Fish NB formula’s. https://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/dog-formulas/special-category-limited-ingredient-diets

* “Wellness Simple” Turkey & Potato or Salmon & Potato formula’s https://www.wellnesspetfood.com/natural-dog-food/simple-dogs

[Jan I]

My 8yr. old 140lb. Lab mix has recently started suffering from hip dysplasia. I am really reluctant to the idea of surgery. I started him on glucosamine Chews and switched his dog food from Purina Pro to Nitro dog food. Then I read about chicken feet and started feeding him those for his afternoon treat. That got me interested in the raw food diet and I found My Pet Carnivore web sight. I ordered a case of ground Green Beef Tripe with Trachea & Gullet and an order of pork femur bones. I am a widow on a strict budget and plan on feeding raw and kibble. I learned not to feed both at same time. Haven’t received my order yet but interested in feedback and suggestions. Also wondering if anyone feeding raw diet can tell me if this will give him any relief with his problem. Digger means the world to me. He’s been my greatest comfort through my husbands illness and recent death. I never sought his comfort he just gives. The only time this lug of a dog gives me problems is when I try and push a pill down his throat or hide it in food….he knows and refuses. He has been walked pretty much consistently since I got him.

[a c]

James P. Thank you for sharing. I also feed Wellness Core Grain Free Reduced fat. I mix it with Annamaet Grain Free Lean Reduced fat. I believed both are rated with 5 stars by dogfoodadvisor.com. I think Wellness Core is slight higher in protein and fiber, but I like the fact that it is available at local pet stores.

I made a mistake and feed commercial raw last year, after everyone told me raw is the best, to my 10 years old girls. That triggered pancreatitis to one girl. She was put on Science Diet ID wet food by our vet. I still have a few Science Diet ID cans on hand. That’s my to go food when she doesn’t act right.

I also add some fresh vegetable and the meat that we have for dinner to the kibbles, and sometimes a spoon full of wet food as topper.

My two 11 years old’s annual check up is coming up. Do your miniature schnauzers have any schnauzer bumps?

[haleycookie]

If there’s nothing medically or physically wrong with him any food would be fine. Typically higher protein lower carb foods would be the best. Some I can think of are Natures variety raw boost, merrick Orijen. Canidae has a new food called ancestrial that looks very promising as well.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 6 months ago by haleycookie.

[Susan]

Hi Baileys Mom,
Join this face book group, link below, 2 Dermatologist frequent this group + 1 of the Admins dog suffers with Yeast, her dog is allergic to her own yeast, it’s rare but it happens… https://www.facebook.com/groups/240043826044760/
As they age their allergies get worse… Are you seeing a Dermatologist?

My boy also gets yeasty paws, red around mouth & yeasty smelly skin but only when he eats certain ingredients he is sensitive too & when he walks on grass & wet grass..
He suffers with Food Sensitivities, Seasonal Environment Allergies & IBD, this last Summer has been his WORST Summer he has ever had in the 5 yrs I’ve owned him.
I live Australia & we did not have a Autunm this year, it went from hot Summer straight to cold Winter, my vet also said she is seeing heaps more dogs suffering with Environment Allergies last Summer 2017-2018….. Cause of climate change & our Summers are getting hotter & hotter, animals, plants etc are all suffering…

Make sure when you cook or do a raw diet it’s balanced properly & is high in Omega 3 oils, as Omega 3 is Neutral anti-inflammatory. Here’s “Balance It” site, https://secure.balanceit.com/

*also have you tried “Rayne Canada” vet diets? http://www.raynecanada.ca/canine-diets/
Ranye has Kangaroo, Crocodile & Rabbit formula’s, ingredients in Rayne formula’s seem a bit better
….also did you try the TOTW Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb that’s what Patch ended up doing really good on for 2 yrs then he became very unwell last Novemeber after I moved he stopped eating his TOTW… listen to your dog if he doesnt want to eat something, dont feed it, return the food & get a refund….We have just had a heap of dogs die & get Megaesophagus in Australia from the Advance Dermocare formula.. Test that were done found very high in toxins, everyone is still waiting for test results…the poor Police dogs are feed the Advance Dermocare or Advance dog foods..
Patch never did well on the Australian prescription vet diets for his skin, they would clear up his skin problem but not his red paws & then he’d start reacting with his IBD cause the fat was too high.. One good thing the Skin Vet Diets are very high in Omega oils, but this upset Patches stomach, he gets bad acid reflux, I wonder if that’s why Bailey is feeling yuk & miserable..being a Shih Tzu mix, they can suffer from Pancreatitis, so be careful with high fat diets, we don’t realise cause we just want them to stop their itching & scratching it drives me nuts so imagine the poor dog feeling so itchy 24/7..

I use “Sudocrem” on Patches paws & around his mouth & anywhereon his skin that’s red, Sudocem is a anti-fungal, anti-bacterial healing cream for Dermatitis, Eczema, Nappy Rash, Pressure Sores, I apply every night before bed so he has a good sleep & in morning on his paws before he goes outside for his walk, the Sudocrem is a thick cream & also protects their skin & paws from allergens.

Also “Canine Skin Solutions” on FaceBook is Dr Karen Helton Rhodes, DVM, DACVD & Dr Terri Bonenberger, DVM, DACVD both are Veterinary Dermatologists. Good site with true information..
https://www.facebook.com/CanineSkinSolutionsInc/

* Here’s their “Facts & Myths about Yeast Dematitis in dog”s..
http://www.healthyskin4dogs.com/blog/2015/9/8/facts-myths-about-yeast-dermatitis-in-dogs

There’s alot of bad information on the internet about why dogs get yeasty, smelly, itchy skin, ears, paws etc potaoes, high carb starchy foods, high sugar diets are suppose to cause yeasty smelly dogs….Not true… its only when your dog is sensitive to certain ingredients they will get yeasty itchy smelly skin, ears, paws…. Patch can’t eat rice, oats, barley, tapioca causes red itchy paws & smelly yeasty skin, bad farts sloppy poos & carrots cause very itchy ears & he shakes & shakes his head/ears..

The only way 100% to find out what foods Bailey is sensitive too is to start a food elimination diet BUT cause he probably has environment allergies as well it’s hard cause you might feed him say rice & then he starts scratching 20mins after he has eaten the rice or new ingredient your testing but he might be re acting to tree or flower pollen from outside in garden?, so I always recommend you do your food elimination diet is the cooler months, Winter when allergens aren’t as high, as they are in Spring & Summer months…
Patch is at his worst every March just when Summer has finished also keep a diary & you will work out what months seem to be the worst for Bailey. Patches vet said she sees Patch every March when his IBD flares up really bad cause his immune system goes into over drive & Patches IBD flare up really bad also high potency Vitamin C is good, also probiotic to strengthen the immune system… Prednisone is a bandaid as soon as you stop giving the Prednisone the itchy skin all comes back…. have you tried Cytopoint injections yet? this is why it’s best to join the “Dog Allergies, Issues & other information support group” right up the top is their link…

[James A]

I have Beagles and one has locked paws raw and chewed fur. Five years. We tried several foods and meds like you have. Nothing helped. I think he gets worse if he eats chicken or wheat. I have been using a new food for two months now and seems to do it less. Cut back on treats as most have wheat in them. Walmart and Chewy dot Com sell I and Love and You Nude Food Red Meat Medley Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, 23-lb bag. I tried the chicken but not good. The Nude has pork and fish. He licks much less. I hope this helps.

[BaileysMom86]

Hello, I have an 8 year old Lhasa/Shih Tzu mix (our best guess since he was a stray) named Bailey that we adopted him from the humane society 6 years ago. Bailey has licked his paws and everything else (the floor, the couch, us) since the day I adopted him and I have gone to many vets over the years, tried all different kinds of foods, etc. He has been on grain free food since a few weeks after I adopted him. We tried many brands over the years, but Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream was what we fed him for years because he would actually eat it (he’s very picky) and didn’t seem to bother him. He started to like it less and less and I had to coax him to eat. So at the beginning of August last year, I went to the pet store and asked if they would recommend a food that Bailey would eat and one that had very good nutrition to help my other dog shed a few pounds (she has no licking issues, she was just a little overweight that exercise wasn’t helping). He recommended Acana Singles lamb and apple. I transitioned him over and things went well at first, Bailey loved the food and I hadn’t seen him excited for meal time like that before. Then, at the end of August/beginning of September, things changed. One day, pretty much overnight, he went from licking his paws to biting them to the point they bled. He attacked all 4 paws and his “armpits” to the point they lost all fur and were a mess. We put an e-collar on him to prevent further damage and went to our vet. He was given medication for a staph infection, along with ketoconazole pills. His wounds healed, slowly, but he still attacked his paws every time we took the e-collar off. He would also contort and get to his back paw every now and then even with the e-collar. The vet pushed for hypoallergenic food and Apoquel. I told her I was going to switch him back to Taste of the Wild instead and she prescribed him a course of Temaril P to help with the itching, which did not help one single bit. I tried a lot of shampoos, olive oil in his food, Sulfodene ointment, seasonal allergy chews, basically anything I could find over the counter to help him so we could finally take the e-collar off. Nothing worked. I bathed him in Zymox shampoo one day and he broke out in red bumps down his back and extending to his belly and legs. They looked like hives and formed greenish/tan crusts. So I went to a different vet that was recommended by my mother in law. That vet recommended a Cytopoint shot so we had it done and it did absolutely nothing for Bailey’s itching. They also gave powder to put in between his toes to stop the itching and a shampoo to help his skin. Nothing helped and he was still having to live in the e-collar. So they thought it might be sarcoptic mange and gave him a Frontline injection, which did not help. Then they recommended Apoquel. I had a lot of concerns about that medication, but desperate for some relief for Bailey, I gave it to him. It helped a tiny bit, but not enough to take him off the e-collar and not enough to make me want to continue. Also, a small mass he had on his gums where he had lost a tooth swelled up to the point that I was very concerned so we stopped the Apoquel. Thankfully, the mass shrank back down to the size it was before the Apoquel and today it is gone completely. Then they recommended allergy testing and that was very far out of my budget given the pretty hefty bill I had already accumulated at that point.

So, frustrated and desperate to find answers, I did a lot of research online to see if anyone else had experienced the issues Bailey was facing and learned about systemic yeast infection and correlation to food…which I have also recently (in the past 2 days) read many feel are unrelated. But anyways, in April this year, I put him a home cooked diet of ground beef (73/27), hard boiled eggs including the shell, Nupro Gold supplement, and an omega 3/omega 6 oil blend made by Ark Naturals. The changes he went through while on that diet were interesting to say the least. After about a week in, his white/cream fur turned dark pink in many places-down his legs, around his face, on his rear. This happened pretty much overnight and I was excited, thinking this was the yeast coming out (as I had previously researched). The fur color went back to normal about a week later. Then, his fur started falling out on its own (we had him in an e-collar still). It happened in patches. He didn’t get any ear infections since I started the diet though. In fact, his ears were cleaner than they had ever been since I adopted him, so that was a positive sign I held on to despite the loss of fur being a shock. Then, about 4 weeks in, he started getting a thick, green discharge from his eyes and some of the fur around his eyes fell out (but not all of it) and the skin was red. And all of the fur on his chest and neck fell out and the skin was red, hot and inflamed. He smelled terribly of Fritos and my house smelled terrible. All of this was very, very concerning but I told myself this was still the yeast and bathed him regularly with a holistic anti bacterial neem/tea tree shampoo and tried to keep him comfortable. A week later, he was still experiencing the fur loss/red skin and he also got a bad ear infection and his ear was swollen worse than I had ever seen it. The fur on the underside of his ear came off easily in chunks when I tried to clean his ears and put drops in. Then, the following day a benign cyst he had on his tail from the day I adopted him burst. I expressed as much of the black gunk as I could but was concerned about the bleeding and risk of infection (and everything else that was going on) so I took him to the vet again the next day. I told them about my systemic yeast theory, everything I was doing with his diet and everything he had experienced. They were concerned that he was possibly allergic to the eggs or beef I was feeding him and told me those were highly allergic foods. I was shocked and didn’t want to give up after being on the diet for less than 6 weeks, but I was very concerned about the state he was in. They gave him a steroid shot, more medication for his ear infection, a new chlorhexadine based shampoo and mousse, and a prescription for Purina Pro Plan Hydrolyzed food. They also sent me home with prednisone pills to use if the steroid shot didn’t help. I transitioned him to the new food. His ear infection cleared up with the meds. The steroid shot gave him some relief from itching for about 2 weeks, but it progressed back to him being very itchy. I called the vet and started him on the prednisone pills, but they didn’t help at all. Now, 5 weeks after I started him on the prescription food, he is absolutely miserable. He is still in an e-collar. He has been able to get it off a few times and he has chewed his paws bloody in a matter of seconds. I know he has not been on the food the recommended amount of time to truly evaluate it, but he is so itchy, rubs himself on anything he can, licks his e-collar constantly and will try to chew his paws the second he is done eating.

I can find a lot of information on yeast online, but very little on the symptoms dogs face during yeast die-off, only that it will usually get worse before it gets better. I know every dog is different, but I can’t find any personal accounts/experiences which is confusing. Then, I also recently read that many people say diet can’t create or eliminate yeast issues and that was a myth perpetuated by a vet on the internet. I’m so confused with information overload and saddened that my dog has had to live almost a year in an e-collar and is so miserable. Does anyone have feedback on the symptoms I described to determine if it was an effect of yeast die-off, or an allergic reaction to beef or eggs like the vet thought? I have been doing research on the internet this week trying to decide what move to make next in regards to getting my dog some relief from his itchiness and I’m trying to decide between keeping him on the hydrolyzed food, switching him to another food, going back to homemade, or doing something else. Thank you and I’m sorry this is so long!

[Scarlett B]

Today I watched the info-mercial…and some of the things I don’t like are the suggestion that those of us who will not feed this to our pups must not love them as much as those who can afford to buy it. KatJ-your post was ok the first time, but posting the same thing over is akin to trolling. I think it would actually be cheaper if you bought the raw ingredients, chopped them, then fed to your pups. We LOVE our Exeptional Eight, all rescues, but unless we both go back to work to supplement our income, there is NO way we can afford to feed this to our pack. For those of you whose sweeties’ health conditions improved, it is probably cheaper to feed this food than all the vet bills and cost of meds. Not to mention the side effects of the meds and the pain and suffering your fur babies had to endure on other foods.

I looked on Chewy for Wellness Core Tender Bites as you have suggested. If you order on autoship, you get another 5% off. It has good reviews as well. If it is your first time ordering autoship, you can get a whopping 40% off on the first one. I would order 1 bag to see if my pet likes it, then order enough for 16 weeks. You can cancel anytime.

I just ordered Stella& Chuy’s meal mixers on amazon through subscribe and save and received 15% off. The 18 oz bags are $36.99 if you place a one-time order-still expensive, but a lot less than Dr. Marty’s. This has a 4.5 star rating on Dog Food Advisor. No controversial ingredients. I really bought these as treats, not as foods. You can also purchase 8oz bag for $19.99.

This is what I found for those of you who are looking for a more cost-effective alternative, after searching for air-dried grain-free dog food: MeatMax or MaxMeat air dried and grain free. the chicken variety tested on Dogfood Advisor rated it 5 stars. No controversial ingredients. It comes in 2-lbs=23.99, 7.5 lbs=79.99 & 2×7.5lbs=151.99. On your first one-time order you will get 15%off. If you decide you want autoship, you will receive 15% off for as long as you want to keep getting this dog food. You can cancel anytime, or if you find your dog(s) are not eating as much as before, you can pause and resume later. Shipping over $60 is free. Flavors are: Beef, Chicken, Lamb&Cod (out of stock at the moment). You can get the 2×7.5 lbs as a variety pack with any two of the 3 flavors. I will try a one time shipment of the beef and chicken variety pack for 129.99. That is around $8.50/lb. Customers have given it a 4.5 star rating.

Not advertising for anyone, just trying to feed our sweeties as well as possible. We have been feeding them 4Health from TSC, a cost-effective, well rated dog-food. We usually stock up when we get the 10% coupons for being in the Neighbors Club and purchasing discounted gift cards.

[Cavalierluvr]

Unfortunately my budget does not allow me to feed raw. I’m not opposed to rotating. I have a 9 year old Cavalier and I do rotate brands with him. I switched him to grain free when he was around 2 years old. He was on Fromm Gold and had developed a yeast infection…that’s when I switched to grain free. I’ve only had my pup for 3 1/2 weeks. I didn’t want to start rotating foods until he is and adult. I have several stores I can shop at and many carry quality brands. It just seems there are so few puppy formulas. I really do not want all life stages. It sure can be overwhelming. With the food he is on, he can both firm stools and soft stools. Since I have a probiotic for my older dog (Nusentia Probiotic Miracle) Ive been giving it to the puppy too.

[Susan]

Hi,
I’d start rotating your dog foods, so he is getting a variety of different ingredients, this strengthen their immune system & later on he can eat anything & no dog foods will be too rich (High in Protein) for him..
When you rotate between different brands, if he’s eating a brand that isn’t balanced properly then he’s not eating it long enough, to cause any health problems cause you’re rotating his foods..
* Look at Freeze Dried foods, Raw Coated Kibble, Air Dried Raw etc
I’d stay away from kibble or try not feed him just dry processed kibble…
introduce a variety of different foods…
Dogs have a short digestive tract made to digest a raw, low fiber diet, not these high fiber dry kibbles full of lentils, sweet potatoes are good, low in Gi…

Click on link below & watch Stella & Chewy video & their new Raw blended baked kibble & their Raw Freeze Dried Patties look good, you add water, scroll down bottom & look at all Stella & Chewy’s different diets.
https://www.stellaandchewys.com/dog-food/raw-blend-kibble
But I did notice the raw freeze dried coated kibbles have Chickpeas & Lentils, so this is when you rotate between different brands & the next food you feed doesn’t have any Lentils or Chickpeas. When the bag of dog food is nilly finished & there’s 1/4 of the bag left you start introducing another new brand of food with his old food & introduce, once his immune is strengthen from rotating different dog foods, you won’t need to slowly introduce new foods…..
You’ll see which brands he does really well on then use these brands in your rotation… I feed 1 brand for breakfast & lunch & something different for dinner…

*Have a look at “Canisource Grand CRU” Dehydrated Raw balls
you can add warm water wait 15 mins so the balls rehydrate or add some yogurt or kefir as a topper..
http://www.canisource.com/grand-cru/recettes-chiens.php

*Also Look at “CANIDAE” Grain Free PURE Ancestral. Raw Coated Dry Dog Food
https://www.canidae.com/dogs/canidae-grain-free-pure-ancestral-raw-coated-dry-red-meat-formula-with-lamb-goat-wild-boar/

There’s a few good freeze dried dog foods around..

[haleycookie]

You’re far better off just making your own raw food then buying this stuff. If you follow nature’s varietys freeze dried raw foods guidelines for feeding you feed a 40 lbs dog 2.5 cups a day. A 1 lbs bag (60$) would last you less than a week. Most freeze dried foods are not affordable. If you’re looking to stay away from kibble consider researching a properly balanced cooked or raw diet for your dog.

[haleycookie]

I would go with natures variety puppy raw boost. Probably the lowest carb grain free puppy food you can easily find in a petstore.

[Daniel K]

Hi, so I recently joined the Editor’s Choice membership and have been browsing through the list of 5-star rated dog foods of all types (dry, raw, wet, etc.). What’s been frustrating about this process is that no matter which of the 5-star rated foods I look up on Amazon or other websites, there are always a dozen or so people who gave it 1-star and warn people to NOT buy this brand, claiming that it nearly killed their dog or caused thousands of dollars in vet bills. This happens for every single food that I look up and I’ve looked up a lot so far. All I want to do is find a healthy food to feed my dogs that won’t “kill” them if I get a bad batch if I’m one of the unlucky ones. Help?

[Susan]

Hi Jaskirat,
Go to pet shop & buy a Large Breed Puppy dry kibble, this way your puppy will get all the nutritents he/she needs for growing & bones while she/he’s a pup..
google “Diet for Large Breed Puppy”

* “Royal Canine” wrote-
The growth rate of a puppy is influenced by the nutrient density of the food and the amount of food fed. Regardless of whether puppies grow slow or fast, they will still reach a similar adult weight. It is critical that puppies are fed for optimal growth and bone development, rather than maximal growth to avoid skeletal abnormalities.

Three dietary components have been implicated as factors that increase the incidence of skeletal disease in large and giant breed puppies; protein, calcium and energy.

* “Hills” Wrote-
Large and giant breed dogs — Great Danes, German shepherds, Labrador retrievers and the like — have different nutritional needs than smaller breeds. All puppies are born with their bones still developing, but large breed puppies are more susceptible to developmental bone and joint disease during their rapid growth phase to 1 year of age. In fact, large breeds reach 50 percent of their body weight at around 5 months of age. Smaller breeds reach 50 percent of their body weight at around 4 months of age.
The growth rates of all puppies are dependent on the food that they eat. Puppies should be fed to grow at an average, rather than a maximum, growth rate. Compared to smaller-sized puppies, large breed puppies need restricted levels of fat and calcium to moderate their rate of growth. They’ll still reach their full-grown size, just over a longer period of time, which will result in healthy development of bones and joints for these breeds.
Two key nutrients that should be decreased for large breed puppies are fat (and total calories) and calcium:
*Fat: High fat/calorie intake causes rapid weight gain, and bones/muscles aren’t developed enough to support the excessive body weight. Controlling the fat level and total calories in the food for these puppies may help reduce the risk of developmental bone and joint problems.
*Calcium: Excessive calcium intake increases the likelihood of skeletal problems. It is also recommended that calcium supplements not be fed with any commercial pet food for growth.

Kibbles to look at
“Eagle Pack” Large breed puppy dry formula for puppy
“Eagle Pack” Large Breed Adult dry formula for your adult dog
“Canidae” Large Breed, All Life Stages Turkey & Brown Rice formula can be feed to both your dogs.
“Wellness Core Large Breed Puppy…
“Wellness Core” Large Breed Adult..
“4Health” Grain Free Large Breed Puppy.
“4Health” Grain Free Large Breed Adult. Sold at Tractor Supply shop & is cheaper..

If you’re on facebook join a Canine Raw Feeding group..
“The Australian Raw Feeding Community” f/b group, is really good & help starters.
Also look at buying & adding tin sardines in spring water or Olive Oil to diet as Sardines have Vitamins, Minerals, Omega fatty oils, Calcium etc add 2 spoons sardines a day to 1 of their meals to help balance their raw diet…

*Nutrition Facts
Sardine, Atlantic, canned in oil
Amount Per 100 grams

Calories 208

Total Fat 11 g-16%
Saturated fat 1.5 g-7%
Polyunsaturated fat 5 g
Monounsaturated fat 3.9 g
Cholesterol 142 mg-47%
Sodium 505 mg-21%
Potassium 397 mg-11%
Total Carbohydrate 0 g-0%
Dietary fiber 0 g-0%
Sugar 0 g
Protein 25 g-50%
Vitamin A-2%
Vitamin C-0%
Calcium-38%
Iron-16%
Vitamin D-48%
Vitamin B-6-10%
Vitamin B-12-148%
Magnesium-9%

Just make sure you check the salt % & get the lowest salt% can of Sardines in spring water or olive Oil cans.

[haleycookie]

That’s all you’re feeding? That is NOT a balanced diet. I would put them both on a kibble until you can figure out how to make properly balanced raw meals.
No an extra drumstick won’t cut it. Expecially for a puppy. Puppy’s need the proper nutrients to grow correctly. They also need DOUBLE the food an adult dog needs typically for atleast a year depending on the breed. So one chicken leg isn’t going to cut it. I would put them back on kibble and figure out more balanced raw meals. Or buy pre made raw until you can figure it out.

[Christine P]

Hi all,

I will be getting a Labradoodle puppy in August and am looking for suggestions for a hiqh quality kibble or canned food, or can I use both? Originally, I was planning to go with Acana or Oriijen kibble but now I’m reading there have been some issues with their food since Champion moved to Kentucky Eventually, I will transition to a more raw diet (or make my own). Heard Ziwi is a good canned food but expensive. Thank you.

[Patricia A]

Can someone please explain why some dog food is reviewed as being high in carbs and gets a Dog Food Advisor rating of 5 and on his preferred list. I thought carbs are what you would see lower in an excellent dog food with the higher protein and even average or higher fat? Then I see other reviews with LOW carbs, higher protein and average fat also being five stars. I’m so confused. I was looking at this one in particular for Bravo Freeze Dried. Is it high fat or carbs that would weight on a dog that needs to loose a little?
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 48% and a mean fat level of 13%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 32% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 26%.
Above-average protein. Below-average fat. And above-average carbs when compared to a typical raw dog food.

[Tiffany T]

I am not upset that Anon is providing the information. Anon seems well educated on the subject and I’m not going to minimize the situation they went through.

However, I do disagree about bones cleaning teeth being a myth. I saw a substantial difference in both of my dog’s teeth. But I also agree that it might not work for all dogs, especially if they have a tendency to gulp. My dogs are chewers, so that’s why it probably helped them.

My final decision has already been made for the time being. We will be feeding Taste of the Wild high Sierra with added goodies (like yogurt, fruits, veggies, chicken, and raw beef, if Ari can handle small amounts). But we will also be foregoing bully sticks and other chew treats for RMB’s mainly on the weekends (turkey necks, duck necks, and other raw treats that tend to have “softer” bones which Ari has proven to be able to digest). And on their birthdays, we’ll splurge and get some lamb. I’ve also thought about adding some freeze dried food in the mix. Everything in moderation 👍