[Patricia A]

What are symptoms that he is displaying? If it is digestive, such as diarrhea, then possibility of too much fat in diet. If skin issue then first look into irritants such as flea bites or even something as overlooked as bedding washed with scented detergent?
I never found any validation that allergy tests work . Hope link works below.

Research Update: Testing for Food Allergies

So hard to actually do elimination diet. There are so many ingredients in dog food that might cause sensitivity other then just the protein. If you take a look at the ingredient list on the average kibble you’ll see what I mean.
Possibly try a one protein food without added supplements. Freeze dried such as Vital Essentials just the protein/flavor with no extras’ I believe. Very expensive to feed however. I believe it also comes in frozen which is more cost saving. I use Primal, small batch, Bixbi Rawbbles, and at times Stella Chewys.
Just go VERY, VERY, VERY slowly with switch. Also if you look at reviews on DA you’ll see the 5* rated foods in these brands. I ONLY use the proteins DA rates in the brand with 5*’s. The ones that rate lower are too much fat to protein. This can cause loose stools and stomach upset all the way to pancreatitis in some dogs.
I use a SMALL amount of kibble as base to stretch the freeze dried. This being Stella Chewys raw coated grain free.. If you look at their f/b page there are many who had trouble with diet and most do well on this kibble.
Hope this helps. Again any change in diet much go so slowly.

[Nikki L]

I too am struggling to find the right food for my dog who has recently had silica stones removed. There is so little info and I feel like I’m just going around in circles! He also suffers from colitis flair ups and has a very sensitive tummy just to make matters worse!
Bizarrely he won’t touch raw food! I am looking in to home cooking for him, does anyone have any advice or recipes? I would be forever grateful for any help?

[aimee]

It has been 2 years since a class action was filed that alleges Earth Animal’s No Hide contain rawhide; the case is still pending.

Recap: On July 27,2017 Susan Thixton raised the question ” Is No-Hide Dog Treat Actually Hide?” on Truth About Pet Food. Also in 2017, the FDA apparently tried to answer the same question, but it appears they could not. Results on sample number 1020257, “4 inch Earth Animal No-Hide Chicken Chews” “were “inconclusive as to whether or not product contains rawhide.”.

In 2018, The Dept of Ag., Penn. investigated. They interpreted the test they had done at Penn State as “inconclusive.” They asked Dr Brooks “to determine whether or not animal hide (skin and related structures) is present.” Dr Brooks was not even able to identify a labeled rawhide as skin saying, “they are no longer identifiable by this method.” I think one reason the rawhide sample could not be identified as skin is because the structures needed to identify skin, like hair and oil glands, are in the layer of the skin that is removed at the tannery. Interestingly though, Dr. Brooks starts his report with “All slides….” indicating that both the rawhide samples and the No Hide samples appeared similar enough to each other that he did not find it necessary to describe them separately. This I feel was a very important finding because a chew made from skin, I would think, should look very different from one made with plants.

“Microscopic examination of dog chews.” was published on June 20, 2020. Susan Thixton made a post about the study. From the abstract “Two products labeled as rawhide free appeared similar to the dermis [ a skin layer].” In the comment section, Earth Animal appears to claim that one of those two products was No Hide. They also report in reference to one of the authors ” She has already been served a Cease-and-Desist Letter by Earth Animal threatening to institute legal proceedings. ” Apparently, in a Sept.26, 2018, e-mail there was mention of a plan to test and submit for publication a study looking at various types of dog chews. That e-mail apparently reached Earth Animal, and the author of the email received a letter dated Oct. 5th, 2018, to “serve as a notice of potential litigation” making it look to me that Earth Animal did not want the researcher to investigate dog chews.

The lawsuit was filed Oct 12, 2020. A quote from the lawsuit reads, “A recent study was published….. According to Defendants, one of their products, a No-Hide chew, was included in the study and was found to contain rawhide….”. In my opinion, that study triggered the filing of the class action because :1. The apparent statement made by Earth Animal . 2.The study is a reference for how chews labeled rawhide and rawhide-free look under a microscope. Broadly speaking, in the study, the chews tested that had a starch ingredient like flour in them, had a blue background, while labeled rawhide samples stained red (H & E stain). Penn State lab reported Earth Animal No Hide stained red with H & E stain.

On Dec.23,2020 Earth Animal reported. “Ms. Beveridge has agreed to put the lawsuit on hold for 4 months, to give the parties the opportunity to develop a mutually-agreeable protocol which will appoint one or more credentialed experts to conduct a site visit.” To the best of my knowledge a site visit did not occur during the 4-month period, and to the best of my knowledge the lawsuit resumed. I have not found any other formal updates issued by Earth Animal.

Two years after filing, the case is reported as pending. My understanding is that judges can dismiss cases for lack of merit. Initially, Judge Janet Bond Arterton was reported as judge and now Judge Omar A Williams is listed. It appears to me that 2 different judges have overseen this case and neither has dismissed it.

It may be years before the legal case is resolved, but until then pet parents can decide for themselves what this product is made from. Reading all the original test results, documents, and e-mails on Truth about Pet Food.is a good place to start if you desire more information about this product. Also, you can test the product yourself. Iodine changes color if starch is present. The No Hide chew roll’s main ingredient appears to be rice flour, a starch containing ingredient. Open a No Hide treat. Put iodine on an inner piece that is free of any of the flavor coating. Also put iodine on the flavor coating, then compare your results.

.

[Mutts and Cats]

I have a dog who started having seizures 2 months ago and I am making changes to his diet in hopes that will help. I’ve eliminated chicken and grains. My latest concern is Rosemary. I’ve read some older posts here on that topic that were helpful, but am hoping for a recent recommendation for foods that don’t contain Rosemary. Most of the food I had been feeding contains it. Even the canned food (Nature’s Logic) and the freeze dried (Primal) contain Rosemary. I am now feeding a combination of canned, raw frozen, freeze-dried, and dry. I have found other brands of canned and freeze dried that don’t contain Rosemary, but I can not find a dry food. Any suggestions?
Also, if anyone has had other revelations on foods/additives that might trigger seizures I would be very interested in hearing about them.

[Gray P]

We all know how harmful any kind of food that is made in factories is for us. As people become more conscious about their health, they are more inclined towards homemade or natural food. Natural foods are just as important for dogs as natural foods are for humans. No other food is better than “Natural dog foods”.

Foods that are found in nature can meet all the needs of dogs. Dogs can easily digest such foods. However, some natural foods are harmful to dogs. You should avoid them. Otherwise, they can be dangerous for your dog.

Why choose natural food for dogs?
It is a universally accepted fact that all kinds of nutrients are present in natural foods. Those who prefer natural foods to other foods have benefited greatly from them. Such as increased energy, immunity, healthy hair and skin, etc. If you feed your natural dog food then naturally you will notice such positive changes in the dog too. Why?

Because just think about how an unnatural food is made. Various ingredients such as artificial colors, preservatives, added flavors, and fillers are used to enhance the taste of the food. But these unnatural ingredients are very dangerous to health and can cause the death of your dog.

Features a good meal
You will understand why natural food is best for dogs by considering the following factors. Those are the key factors that make food good.

Easily Digestible
Healthy and Longer Lifespan
Reduction in allergies
Reduction in skin ailments
Weight Control
So we know why to feed natural food to dogs. At this point, let us see which are the best natural foods for dogs.

Carrots
Not only for humans, but carrots are also very healthy for dogs. When a dog chews on a carrot, it helps to remove plaque from the dog’s teeth. It makes the dog’s teeth healthy.

Carrots can be a great source of vitamin A for dogs. Vitamin A helps in boosting immunity, skin, and digestion in dogs. In addition, the nutrients contained in carrots can be easily absorbed by dogs as they are digested quickly.

Blueberries

Despite their small size, the berries are very nutritious. Among the berries, blueberries are the most nutritious and one of the Natural dog foods. Blueberries have many positive properties for dogs. It contains high levels of antioxidants, which help your dog’s cells grow and prevent kidney damage. It helps in the growth of the dog’s brain cells which helps in increasing the dog’s physical strength.

Strawberries and berries are high in fiber and vitamins that help prevent your dog’s stomach issues and weight gain. So it can be said that blueberries are an ideal food for dogs.

Apples
Apples are a very tasty fruit and you will want to give your dog a portion of them. Dogs love to eat apples.

Apples have many nutrients. It contains vitamin A and C. Apples are also a good source of fiber and it helps in improving digestion in dogs.

More to checkout
White rice
Fish
Watermelon
Pumpkin
Chia Seeds
Green beans
Eggs
Ginger
Bananas
Cucumbers
Parsley
Bone broth
Turmeric

source: https://graypets.com/natural-dog-foods/

• This topic was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by Gray P.

[aimee]

Hi Crazy4cats,

I think this again can relate to the fact that there is no legal definition for the word “rawhide” as it applies to pet food ingredients and chews. In a very broad sense, rawhide means untanned skin and pig skin would fall into that definition.

Merriam Webster defines rawhide as untanned cattle skin, and while I’ve seen in common use the term rawhide applied to hides of elk, deer, bison and cattle, I have not seen it applied to describe pig skin.

For me personally, I wouldn’t “ding” the manufacturer for the rawhide free claim especially because they disclose that the product is skin.

Is pig skin “safer”? IMO no, because I think one of biggest concerns with skin-based chews is attempting to swallow a large piece leading to choking or swallowing a large piece and having it stuck in the esophagus. I do not see a difference between the two in that regard.

Since it will be 2 years since the filing of the lawsuit. I plan on posting an update on what
I know. and don’t know.

[crazy4cats]

Interesting, who knew? It’s too bad that companies will lie to the customer to make a sale when it could cause harm to our pups!

I was at Walmart the other day looking for dog chews. I saw a bag of “Pork Chomps” that stated they were rawhide – free. When I looked at the ingredients, the first one was pigskin, then chicken and bacon flavoring. Does pig skin not fall under the definition of raw hide? Is pig skin safer for dogs?

Thanks for your information on this subject. I know you are trying to help us all get to the truth concerning raw hide.

I remember your posts about the the class action lawsuit against the Earth Animal no-hide company. Any word on that yet?

[aimee]

What is “beefcheek”? In the cooking world, beefcheek is the masseter muscle, the main chewing muscle from the cheek of the cow. Beefcheek rolls for dogs are obviously not muscle, the rolls are white, muscle is red, so what are they made from? Beef cheek rolls may differ slightly from brand to brand, but generally speaking they are the full thickness hide and fat from the face and possibly the neck of the cow. They are untanned cattle skin, AKA rawhide.

The fact that beefcheek is a type of rawhide seems to be information that the pet industry is trying to hide. One store owner told me the roll was muscle, the customer service dept. of the imported chew, in response to an e-mail inquiry, said the same. But the chew was labeled collagen, the protein in skin, When I asked customer service to explain the discrepancy, they stopped responding. At a different store, I was told beefcheek was the inside lining of a cow’s mouth, but when informed that this portion of the cow was relatively small, thin and frondlike, they said they really did not know what it was. Another said it was the “entire” cheek, but when asked if there was bone, muscle, fat and skin in the product, said they were unsure. One thing clerks from stores claiming not to sell rawhide, yet selling beefcheek, agreed upon was that there was no hide/skin in the chew. They would be wrong on that point. It appears they have been misinformed by marketing geared towards selling the product.

So how can beefcheek rolls be marketed as “hide free” or “rawhide free”? I looked to my state feed control official for answers, this is how I understand it, The FDA regulates consumable chews, including rawhide, as food, but states usually do not regulate the labeling of chews. With no regulation of the label, and no AAFCO definition for the word “rawhide”, it appears manufacturers define words like “hide” or “rawhide” in such a way as to allow them to claim their product, made from hide, is not hide/rawhide. For example, “rawhide” is partial thickness skin and “beefcheek” is full thickness skin, therefore beefcheek is not rawhide.” This seems to be a common tactic in the pet industry and why other chews made from rawhide, like collagen chews or corium chews also claim to be hide/rawhide free. And while most beefcheek brands seem unwilling to disclose that the product is skin, some do. Lennox, for example, lists the ingredient in their beefcheek rolls as “beefcheek skin” HydeOut brand reports it is made of “skin above the neck”

Knowing what happens at the slaughterhouse and tannery is the key to understanding beefcheek. The hide is removed at the slaughterhouse and sent to the tannery. At this point the hide has hair on it and a fat layer attached to the bottom of it. At the tannery, the hide is cut, leaving two flaps, one at each end of the shoulder area. These flaps are called the “cheeks” of the hide. Some tanneries trim the “cheeks” off the main hide before tanning. If these pieces are trimmed before hair removal, the beefcheek roll manufacturer may dehair with a different method than a tannery would use. If they are trimmed after dehairing, which I suspect is more common, beefcheeks may receive the same treatments as other rawhide chews. In either case it seems this is usually done before the fat layer is removed. Therefore, most beefcheeks are full thickness skin with attached fat. You can find an explanation of beefcheek sourcing in the comments section of this youtube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0A8PpBrdcQ Taking a look at so called Rawhide Alternatives – today:Cheek Rolls

It has been claimed that beefcheek rawhide chews are more digestible than traditional rawhide chews This appears to be marketing based on wishful thinking for the purpose of making a sale. Rawhide digestion models in the lab have reported “digestibility” up to 99.5% for rawhide, but it can vary based on the digestion model used and the size of the pieces tested. After inquiries to multiple companies, I only found one that actually tested the digestibility of their product in dogs. That company said they would expect traditional rawhide to have the same digestibility as their product. I’d agree! And because beefcheek skin, like other skin-based chews will not fall apart when swallowed it would be expected to have the same risk of choking and obstruction as any other rawhide chew.

Bottom Line: Beefcheek rolls are made of untanned cattle skin and are a form of rawhide with the same pros and cons of other rawhide chews. They are marketed as a rawhide free product, which in my opinion is a shameful misrepresentation by the pet industry. Pet parents deserve to know what it is they are offering their dog.

[Natalia C]

Share your experiences of raw feeding!

My name’s Natalia and I’m a PhD student in sociology at the University of Nottingham and University of Adelaide. My project is exploring the relationship between what people feed dogs and their own diets. Currently, I’m looking for participants to take part in the study who themselves are vegan or vegetarian and feed their dogs a raw meat-based diet. I’m hoping to better understand why people choose to feed raw and explore values around food and animals.

What would you have to do?
– Take 3 photos/short videos of your dog’s mealtimes to talk about together in an online interview

How much time with this involve?
– The photos can be taken quickly and it’s up to you what you’d like to share. The online interview discussion would take roughly 1 hour of your time.

I’d really appreciate your time to help me out with this project which is aiming to improve understandings of raw feeding. If you’d like to take part or would like more info, I’d love to hear from you. Please contact me at [email protected].

For my website, see: https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/research/groups/raw-feeding-project/index.aspx.

Thanks!

[AdvisorExpert P]

Hello, same problem here, so what is the solution that you found please ?

What about BARF raw feeding ?

Thank you.

[Katherine B]

I’ve been using Maeve dog food for about 5 weeks now. My main complaint with them is their terrible website and the fact that it’s hard to reach someone. They offer text support but nobody ever texts back, I do get emails back but it takes usually 2 days. The food is not consistently packaged, I have to open the bag dump it in a very large bowl and mix it otherwise they’re getting layers of food. This last batch doesn’t have hardly any chicken it’s almost all beef and very rich, my dogs have thrown it up a couple of times but this could be because of how quickly they are eating it. Otherwise I have noticed increased energy and gratitude from my fur babies. I’m going to try it for another month and see how it does. Cleaning up after all of this raw food is really gross but so far I think even with all of the trouble it might be worth it. For my 14 lb and 26 lb dogs it will cost me around $2,800 a year. I’m also giving them the vitamin bars every other day. I hope this helps.

[Tricia M]

I’m also interested in doing this…I know most do it because raw is expensive…my problem is that high quality kibble is expensive and I raise rabbits making part of supplementing kibble cheaper for me..I’m worried about removing kibble completely as I am dealing with a few puppies that need the balanced vitamin content and not confident in my ability to maintain that on fully raw diet. Any opinions or concerns I should be aware of?

[YorkiLover4]

You may want to consider a raw frozen, hypoallergenic diet. One of my dogs has had an autoimmune skin disease on his tail (ugggh!–hair loss, pimply blackened skin, etc) and we had to change his diet. We were told that diets high in carbohydrates can make it worse and he was getting a lot of ear infections too. We switched from dry food to a raw frozen diet and have seen a huge improvement. Dry dog food is not nearly the same quality as a raw frozen diet and it is very high in carbohydrates. It does cost more but maybe you can mix the raw with some canned, homemade or kibble? We use STella and Chewy’s, Vital Essentials and Small Batch–depending upon what’s available. You can get raw freeze-dried and frozen. We have also use this product called Immune Harmony https://www.askariel.com/plant-sterols-for-pets-p/122.htm Our holistic vet told us to find a supplement with plant sterols and this product has done wonders for him. It’s specially for pets with autoimmune problems and I think (?) they have a testimonial or section on their website about IMHA.

[YorkiLover4]

I have a rescue dog that was overweight when we got him and pooped a lot too. We switched him to Small Batch Raw and also give him Vital Essentials treats. The problem is he is always hungry so to help him lose weight we add in lots of vegetables and divide the food into 3 meals a day. We buy frozen vegetables and cook them. The vegetables give him lots to eat, fill him up and are well digested. The raw food by itself, especially the raw freeze dried as treats is constipating and really firms up stool. His poops are normal and formed and 2x a day. We have to always watch his weight but he is a senior now and has down great on this diet.

[lizzie R]

Hey, I just found this forum and am excited to hear anybody’s opinion.

I have a 6 year old GSD, 115 pounds, healthy weight. No illness or adverse conditions. I have been feeding him a home cooked diet going on three years. In the very beginning I briefly flirted with raw recommended by a vet, but it wasn’t for me. My current vet is afraid to give any nutritional advice and so sometimes I feel like Lewis and Clark here.

His daily diet:

whole wheat sourdough bread
(I make a 250g flour loaf every other day and split it in two)
14-16 oz beef scraps
(Relatively high fat in the 30-40% range depending on the cut)
8 oz chicken meat and bones
(I boil them into a stock for 24 hours so they mush in your hands, no sharp edges)
1.5 cups of said stock
(Seasoned with celery seed, thyme, parsley, rosemary, shitake)
.5 Tbsp butter
1 duck egg
Half a cup of vegetables of some kind (green beans right now)
A small handful of fruit
(Raspberries right now)
A small handful of leafy greens

At least once a month he will have fish of some kind. Mussels, shrimp or other shellfish

My current philosophy is:

I don’t do supplements because I don’t take supplements. If I can meet my own nutritional needs I should be able to meet my dog’s. My goal is for that not to change.

Just curious what fellow home-cookers think.

Thanks in advance for taking the time to read!

[d W]

hello, i am about to make dr beckers raw food recipe for my dog and cat ( i have her book with all the homemade recipes in).
in the recipes it says to use salt but it does not say what type of salt.. i,m wondering if i can use celtic sea salt.
does anyone please know (without guessing- sorry i dont mean that to sound cheeky) if i can use any salt such as celtic sea salt etc….i dont want to use normal salt you buy from the shops as it is said to not be good for you at all.
i know this is a dog site but if anyone makes dr beckers recipe for their pets and for their cat as well can i also ask what mg taurine you use for the cat recipe as i notice that taurine is sold in 500mg and 1000mg capsules but the book just says to use a 1 gram capsule..it does not say the mg amount.
my dog has been eating raw meat-bones since a puppy .he is around 6 years old and my cat the same age has been eating cat food from tins…dog has perfect perfect white teeth and cat has grotty teeth so i really want to also make the recipe for cats as well ,not just to help his teeth but for his overall health.
i really want to try dr b,s raw recipes but am worried about the salt. if it is to you sea salt.
i hope someone can help (with out guessing;).
also does anyone know if dr beckers recipe has changed from whats in the book as the book was printed in 2011..i cannot find any info at all on her recipes except from this book of hers..
i cant find a few of the now supplements..does dr becker still recommend the now brand? hopefully someone can help
thankyou so much.

[Jennifer W]

I have a 14 month old intact female Giant Schnauzer from a very ethical responsible breeder (spent 2 yrs on wait list for a pup). You may or may not know that Schnauzers can have a defect in their gut (the exact cause is unknown) that makes it very hard to digest fat and puts them at increased risk for pancreatitis or worse, a condition called Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis (HGE) which can often be fatal and when not fatal becomes a chronic life long health battle. Since my girl has had 3 bouts of bright red bloody stools that got her sent to after hours ER vet, I have put the fear of God in me about what she gets her mouth on. The breeder feeds Purina Pro Plan (which is one of your top 10 picks) and gave me a pretty thorough “feeding plan” to adulthood. Ordinarily the breeder would have her on 5-6 cups per day of the Large Breed Under 2 Years and that’s what she’s been on up til recently. I’ve switched her off the chicken/rice one to the Salmon/rice (still Pro Plan under 2) (it has a German Shepherd on the bag).

Anyway, I did this because she just never has firm poops – and I mean never. It isn’t diarrhea, but it’s mushy enough that it’s difficult to pick it up with a poop bag. It just kinda mushes everywhere. At least once every other month or so she’ll have a bout that requires several meals of white rice and pumpkin along with 2 doses of Imodium to quiet her gut down. She’s not a huge fan of food so I just leave her bowl full and she eats when she feels like it. Her poops smell far more than my Corgi’s poops (she’s on Nulo Weight Mgt), but I wouldn’t say they smell particularly foul. She’s perfectly healthy otherwise and her weight is good – very pronounced waist, but you can’t see or feel ribs when petting her sides. But, becuz of my fear of HGE and the chronic soft stools I’m wondering if I should consider something different. I fed my GSDs a raw-ish diet of small about of high quality kibble (for bulk), mackerel filets, Icelandic sardine oil, Sojos Mix a Meal, and a GSD specific vit/min supplement. My Corgi also gets the sardine oil and 2-3 mackerel filets per week. My last GSD was 19 generations OFA Good or Excellent so I know that diet works, but I’m worried about what all that fish oil might do. I’m just at a loss for what’s the best approach. I’ve even thought about taking her to a gastroenterologist at A&M, but my local vet said they don’t what causes this in Schnauzers so there’s not much they do but treat it symptomatically and watch what she ingests. Cheerios and cheese are the only training treats we use also. She prefers Munster over cheddar or Swiss. ;o) Any thoughts?

[ShiroTheCavapoo]

Hi folks,

I have a one year old Cavapoo (weight 10.5kg / 23 lbs) who is on freeze dried raw patties. He is given the following together with his food: Adored Beast Potent-Sea Omega 3 Oil, golden paste, probiotics, chia and flax seeds.

Normally, the discharge / gunk from his eyes in the mornings are clear or white in color and his ears do not have much ear wax when I clean them weekly.

For the past 3 weeks, I have been slowly transitioning him to Orijen Six Fish. No issues in the first 2 weeks of his transition to the kibbles.

In the third week of transition, he is being fed 1 cup of Orijen Six Fish kibbles (which forms 2/3 of his meal) with his freeze dried patties (1/3 of his meal).

This is when the discharge from his eyes became rust colored and he has ALOT of ear wax. I have been cleaning his ears daily but every morning there seems to be more. However, the ear wax is not foul smelling and my dog doesn’t seem to be bothered by it (no scratching or head shaking etc).

I suspect I am overfeeding him and there is excessive intake of protein and fats (since Orijen is very high in protein). Will cut back on the kibbles and see what happens.

Anyone has any experience on this or any advice?

Thanks in advance.

[Shawna M]

Has anyone tried Maev dog food? It looks extremely straightforward, transparent, and by my inexperienced opinion, well rounded.

Despite this, I’ve seen little unsponsored reviews of this food, which is unsettling.

Does anyone have any experience with this food? Please feel free to chime in if you haven’t but know the world of raw food.

[Caroline A]

I have been feeding my dog Primal Dehydrated Raw Beef nuggets for over 5 years. However, I notice that your rating has changed from 4.5 to 2. Why was this changed or is it an error? The company said it was the same formula. Please advise as I depend upon your ratings.
Thank you very much.

[webiators T]

I’ve compiled a collection of regular recipes, not “diet” meals. My very fat foster child just shed 10 pounds on a grain-free canned food/raw food combo diet that was very low in carbs. My group only goes to the bathroom twice a day.

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[McLovins P]

You could freeze dry raw meat, but that requires expensive equipment and a lot of energy to freeze dry food. You also run the risk that, even with freeze dried food, it is technically not cooked, so when you handle it, the moisture on your fingers may be activating the bacteria and enzymes on the meat, returning you to the position where you must be cautious about what you touch.

You can visit this website at https://www.mclovinspet.com to know more about the products.

[Patricia A]

I give Bixbi Rawbble freeze dried for treats. No reason a treat shouldn’t be nutritional. My Chihuahuas’ love them.

[Patricia A]

Thank you for bringing this discrepancy to light regarding reviews rated by DFA. I have been using DFA ratings as a starting point to make choices on diets for my dogs. I do my best to incorporate variety as tolerated as well as home cooked. My choices are based on his 5* reviews in a brand as well as various proteins.
That being said, I’m trusting that my food of choice being Stella Chewy’s grain free raw coated kibble (small amount to stretch cost of freeze dried), Primal freeze dried, Stella’s freeze dried and Bixbi Rawbble freeze dried are some of the better brands. As stated I only use the 5* ratings in the protein selection . I believe the lower ratings in the same brand but different flavor/protein are due to higher fat to protein ratio. Was thinking of adding Vital Essentials slowly also.
Just curious of your opinion on these brands. Do you see these brands as being rated correctly regarding nutrition and quality of ingredients. I visit site every so often to see if any new reviews have been added or a change of ratings for what I’m feeding now. Sometimes DFA’s ratings go lower from possibly a change of recipe but not sure.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 8 months ago by Patricia A.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 8 months ago by Patricia A.

[Patricia A]

Treats for my dogs are freeze dried nuggets. Bixbi Rawbble is reviewed by DFA as 5* . My dogs love them and don’t know that their “treat” is packed with nutrition.

[YorkiLover4]

I have found that raw frozen and raw freeze-dried brands can keep my dog’s weight down. I also add a lot of vegetables like squash, broccoli, green beans to help him feel full.

[YorkiLover4]

I usually buy from Chewy but recently found a really good deal for very high quality food. I buy directly from Vital Essentials. I give my dog their treats and their rabbit mini-nibs raw freeze-dried. This brand is very expensive normally but they send me promotions and I am kind of shocked because if you buy a certain number of bags, they give you a discount up to 30%. I thought it was a gimmic but then I compared the price on Chewy and saw it was the same. My dog had a mast cell tumor that was removed and I try to feed him the best food–raw frozen and raw freeze-dried. Also, my vet told me about this cancer multi-vitamin OncoPet https://www.askariel.com/OncoPet-Cancer-Vitamin-p/135.htm that seems to give him energy and he hasn’t had a recurrence. My dog has a sensitive tummy and I am so glad he can take this one without any problems. This website AskAriel has a lot of information about pet food and supplements.

[Kate L]

Hi! I know this topic has been covered endlessly, but I wanted to share my experiences with allergies and maybe gain some insight on different kinds of food for my 7 year old staffy, Gumbo.

We adopted Gumbo when he was 2. He was missing hair, his coat was dull and rough, belly and paws were red and irritated, and he was constantly scratching. The only allergy we were informed of was chicken. He was immediately started on a prescription diet of Royal Canin Hydrolyzed Protein. It helped slightly, but still itchy and red.

After not seeing much of a difference with the prescription diet, I tried a few store bought foods. Zignature Kangaroo, Taste of the Wild (with fish) and Instinct (can not remember which we tried.) Nothing really helped and we put him back on the prescription diet, this time Royal Canin Ultamino. We do not feed any treats-just carrots and cucumbers.

Monthly cytopoint shots started two years after we got him which I would say brought him the most relief. He also got groomed monthly and bathed with oatmeal bath. Still not 100% but the best he had been. His nails were still red, raw and yeasty. I almost feel he has more of an environmental allergy at this point-different times of the year he seems better or worse.

Over the past few months I have noticed the cytopoint injections are not helping at all. I know it is dry in December where we reside, but his itch became unbearable. His breath was rotten. Coat looked terrible. Vet put him on antibiotics for a “skin infection.” The stink and extreme itch went away, but he was still uncomfortable.

Out of desperation I found an article online that said dehydrated beets had helped their dog considerably.
I immediately ordered and I can not even begin to explain the difference I’ve noticed in Gumbo this month. His nails are growing in completely white (which I have never seen before-they are always brown/red/streaky) his coat is gleaming and his energy is great. He is barely scratching himself. If anything he is still licking his paws, but we are trying to be diligent about wiping them down when wet and using medicated wipes and cream. Then we wrap him like a burrito so he can’t lick the cream off.

I know I shouldn’t mess with something that seems to be working-but I am also tempted to try another type of food with limited ingredients. At $100/month and our first baby on the way it would be great to find him a more cost-effective food and I just don’t love the idea of a kibble that is made in a lab. I’ve considered making his food-I just haven’t done enough research and want to make sure he’s getting the correct ratio of protein, vitamins and nutrients.

I just received a sample from Verus. I spoke with the operations manager and she recommended the menhaden fish formula. Gumbo loved it but it immediately gave him terrible gas..
“We truly believe that VeRUS could be the perfect fit for your furbaby. In addition to offering chelated and proteinated vitamins and minerals (where the body can absorb more efficiently than standard vitamins and minerals), we utilize wholesome ingredients without the use of synthetic chemical preservatives, fillers, or by products. Our cooking methods and standards of manufacturing are of the highest possible being that we are manufactured in an EU certified (European Union) facility. This mandates that each ingredient must be fit for human consumption with an increased level of testing to confirm only the best ingredients are trusted and safe to be used in our formulas. Reliability and transparency are the principles of VeRUS with dedication to nutrition being the guiding force.”

So I’m leaning towards trying a full bag of this food but wanted to see if anyone had any suggestions on what has worked for their pup. I always feel for anyone going through allergy troubles because it has been something we have been dealing with for years. We really do everything we can for our furbabies! Thank you for reading my novel and any insight you may have.

[Patricia A]

I looked at the Glandex reviews. I always start with the negative ones. So some dogs had adverse reactions to the supplement. But doesn’t hurt to try.
I find there is sometimes no rhyme or reason to why some of my dogs over the years had the scooting and others never had to have the expression of the glands.
Had a Doxie when kids were little and probably not on the best diet with all the table scraps and not knowing back then about kibble quality etc. But he never had soft stool, or anal problems. Lived a long life of over 17 for our Pookie. Had Chloe our first Chihuahua and even though stool was never loose, had the scooting and always needed expression.
My mom came to live with us and hence we also have added to our already two Chihuahuas’. I know my mom was giving her table scraps and even found her dog bowl filled with Pepperidge Farm gold fish due to start of dementia.
So now living with us, she has lost a few needed pounds and on and loose stool has totally stopped with diet I give our other two. So living with my mom she was getting too much fat in diet which also causes my two to have Diarrhea.
I feed a combination of freeze dried in Primal and Stella Chewy’s. Their treat is one Bixbi Rawbble nugget. They get a little Stella Chewy’s Raw coated chicken kibble to stretch the freeze dried since now it’s getting expensive with having three.
I always go by the DFA reviews and only get the 5* proteins because I believe less fat.
Treats are high fiber raw baby carrots and string beans being canned low salt or raw.
I went REALLY, REALLY, REALLY slow when introducing these different brands and proteins. This way I can tell which doesn’t agree and also it takes a few days for digestion to get used to. Maybe stick switch SLOWLY with a few Stella’s kibble. See how she does. Then if want and all good add a little freeze dried in one brand and protein. Stella’s also comes with the freeze dried in the kibble.
Hope this helps her but sometimes it isn’t even the diet .

[sophia A]

Did my own comparative analysis of meat grinder specifications, price, company longevity, number of units in circulation, performance, risk, warranty, reviews, and then made the decision based on best value for us. For about a month prior, we used lesser capacity, lesser capable food processor devices when starting to mess with raw food augmentation of dry food, then when we were comfortable with raw food preparation in its entirety, and we committed, the decision was made. After 6-7 months of complete raw food preparation, we are convinced we made the right choice
192.168 l 8.1.

[Shashank S]

Hello people and bow wow to their furry babies. I have a 1.5 year old male Golden Retriever and I’d been contemplating feeding him only home cooked meals since kibble has a lot of processed materials that are harmful to dogs in the long run.

I’ve been feeding him the following recipe and I would be much obliged if someone could comment on whether I’m on the right track/need to add something more. This is per meal. I feed him twice a day.

200 gms White Rice, cooked
250 gms Chicken, usually one whole chicken breast
1 egg, cooked white and raw yolk
1 tsp Olive oil
100ml yogurt
Handful cooked peas
1 cup cooked spinach

Any feedback would be extremely helpful. Thanks in advance. Cheers.

[Rahul S]

Moreover, raw meat has very high chances of giving your dog a stomach infection, especially in India, where tropical temperatures aid bacteria growth. They advise dog parents to provide for the meat requirements of their dog with cooked meat, which is easy to digest.
Shop now: https://starpets.in/

[Philip M]

Hello forum thanks for having me! So I’ve just started feeding 5 dogs on a raw diet, I’ve been doing it for over 10 years now. However the smallest one, a pug/terrier, gets so excited about food that he won’t chew it! He stands there barking the whole time I am preparing the food and demolishes anything put in front of him. However last night I gave him a 100g peice of chicken beast and after trying to swallow it twice and regurgitating it he got it down on the 3rd attempt and to my horror just keeled straight over like he was dead! I tried lifting him by the hind legs and then putting my finger in his mouth to find something to grab but within seconds he was absolutely fine and sniffing about for food again. I am concerned that he may kill himself doing this one day and despite the fact I’m sure he would be quite happy to die gorging himself on food he’s way too precious for us to see him go out like that!
Why would he just keel over like that, like he was unconscious? Should I just cut his food into smaller chunks? Feed him away from the other dogs? He’s an old boy with heart problems. He always finishes way before the others so is never challenged for his food. I’ve read that it is good for them to work for their food so would like to give him big chunks if it is safe.
TIA for any help!

Phil

[Rachelle G]

Hi there, I have a 6 month old toy french poodle. I recently started him on a raw food diet. I was giving him chicken and switched it up a few days after and gave him venison. The venison was way more bloody. After about 2 hours after feeding his urine changed color to an orangey colour. His behaviour is still perfectly fine. Is this normal? Could it be from the amount of blood in the food?

[Staci W]

My dog has allergies and they effect his skin badly. I was informed by my vet to go grain free. That helped some but he was still having some major issues with loosing his fur and odors and well as bad skin. He was really starting to look like he had mange. Vet says no Potatoes. He has yeast and Potatoes feed yeast. Ok so I go find a food that has no grain and no potatoes. His skin is healing within days of this switch. But now he smells like cat pee. We do not have cats and he is a senior dog who does not hang outside long enough to roll in cat urine. I googled it and turns out it is common in dogs who are sensitive to high Omega 3 & 6. So now I need to find a dog food that is Grain Free, Potato Free, and low in Omegas. NO I’m not going to feed raw and NO I’m not going to cook for him. I barely have time to cook for myself let alone my doggo.

[Sonja T]

Jeanne – look up RawPets . Com in Florida.
Grassfed/grass finished options . They are a distributor with different tier breakdowns.

[Paola P]

Hi there,
My 3 yr old shih tzu has alt at 253 she is on primal raw and homecooked
I am thinking it is her diet and perhaps missing a few supplements so taking her off home cooked and goi g with primal raw mornings and big country raw evenings increasing thrive herring oil as well as adding milk thinsle zinc and eliminating red meat so only duck rabbit fish and turkey
Is this ok do you think?

[Rich P]

Hello I’m new to the forum. I’m the dad of two female Fox red yellow labs which are one year old and two years old. I started feeding them a raw diet one month ago. So far everything is going fine and they seem to love the Raw food and be perfectly healthy.

My first question is that I’ve noticed that my 2 year old Lab Harlee is urinating much less since the change to Raw. Frequently in the morning when she first goes outside she does not run out into the lawn to pee as she did previously while eating kibble food. Sometimes Harlee does not pee for the first time of the day until later in the morning. Harlee does pee during the day but it appears to be significantly less then while eating kibble food. Harlee is not a big drinker of water like her younger sister.

I remember reading in one of the raw feeding books I read before before changing to the raw diet that dogs on a Raw diet tender to drink less water. Has anyone less experienced a reduced urine volume on a Raw diet compared to a kibble diet?

My second question is is it recommended to have a full blood test done on a dog after being on Raw diet for a while to confirm everything is ok under the new feeding plan?

[Atticustherottweiler]

Please don’t come at me.

So I have a 8 month old Rottweiler and we want to do a 50/50 diet of raw and kibble diet.
The beginning of this week Atticus began to vomit we took him to the vet and they suspected a bacteria infections, they put him on antibiotics, probiotics and sulcrate plus. He has been on a bland food diet since Monday. Tried to introduce his kibble but he threw up after the second feeding so back to chicken and rice only. How long should I wait to introduce the raw diet? (we are using big country raw gran and go) should we start with his kibble first. Also another side note had him on hill science threw up, had him try wellness threw up, now on purina one smart blend as this one was recommended to us by a friend who has 4 Rottweilers, he was doing amazing no issues until now. Vet doesn’t think his tummy issues has anything to do with his kibble.

So for going on, I just want the very best for our boy.

[aimee]

Apparently there is a market withdrawal of Super Snouts water soluble tinctures. It seems the product was not stable when subjected to heat during shipping. Currently, it appears that Super Snouts is alerting retailers. I do not find mention of this withdrawal on their website.

Additionally, it does not appear that retailers are being advised to alert consumers. From a FAQ they apparently released to retailers, “Do I need to contact any of my customers ?” They answer “No, this is not a safety issue. It is a quality issue with odor [which Super Snouts describes as “funky”] and appearance”

Personally, I think if a problem is severe enough that the company is withdrawing the products from the market, they should alert consumers and offer them refunds.

What do you think?

[Barbara C]

I have a Jack Russell and Chihuahua cross that is 2 years old. He gets diarrhea much too often, so I change his food or feed him boiled rice and hamburg till it stops. People are now telling me to put him on raw pet food diet. This food comes frozen. Is this good and safe for my dog? Any opinions/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

[Susan]

Due you know in Australia & other countries around the world we had NO problems with Grain Free dog foods, its seem to just be USA?? & the amount of cases were low/
Have you read the latest whats was put out by FDA about DCM?? they do not have enough proof & G/F kibbles have gone back to using legumes again..

ROTATE your dry dog foods that your dogs do well on & if you want the best for your dogs look at feeding Air Dried & Freeze Dried Raw instead of Kibble, kibble is over processed cooked & cooked high temps with no real nutrients….or add fresh healthy ingredients to your dogs dry kibble.

also with Edie start walking him daily exercise, take away some of his kibble 1/4 cup & replace with beans veggies so weight drops, you don’t want an over weight senior, also put him on a good Krill Oil or Antinol for his his joints, brain, heart, skin, coat eyes, kidney health..

[James H]

Before the inevitable “take her to a vet” responses, I just want to say I’m not able to take her at this time, so I just wanted to see if anyone has had an experience like this with their dogs before.

Heres the deal, about 2 days ago, I noticed that my 14 year old dachshund named Dalilah had puffy upper lip folds. They were both equally visibly puffy.

That same night, she was frantically walking around whining and excessively licking the carpet.

The face puffiness is gone and the carpet licking has stopped, however, for the past day or 2 since this happened, she has been lethargic, and also very nervous and scared. If I touch her with the slightest pressure, she yelps loudly and nips at me.

She also has bouts of quick labored breathing and what appears to be disorientation.

Heres the kicker though, her appetite has been excellent. She eats all of her food and even barks at me to out her food in the bowl faster when she sees me grab her food from the fridge (something shes always done). Here food by the way used to be zignature canned venison limited ingredient formula, now shes on stella and chewy’s raw frozen food beef formula.

She doesnt get around as much as she did before all this happened, but when it’s food time, she gets right up enthusiastically and walks into the kitchen.

I switched her food after this happened, thinking that a more wolf like diet is more biologically appropriate and therefore healthier.

Shes also urinating and defecating perfectly normal.

I dont know if she got bit by an insect or what, but heres what I’ve been giving her supplement wise:

– manuka honey 1tsp per day (umf 20)

– dr mercolas probiotics

– dr mercolas liver and kidney support

– hawthorn berry liquid (in case it’s a heart issue)

– Cbd oil specifically for pets to help her sleep

– Bio C vitamin c with bioflavanoids for pets

– Nordic naturals ultimate omega fish oil for dogs

Thank you to everyone who took the time to read this.

Based on all of these symptoms, face puffiness, licking the carpet, acting scared, does anyone have any possible idea of what this sounds like??? I’m completely stumped.

[Laura L]

Moni – Glad that your vet has a plan for your pup. What is the pentason? I’ve never heard of that one. My good friend was in a similar situation with her yorkie. Rocky is tiny…only 5 pounds. She was giving him cerenia and hydrocodone and he wasn’t really feeling any better. She was worried because that’s a lot of strong medication for a tiny pup. Rocky is what got me to researching CT and alternative products. It’s been about 2 years since I posted above. My friend has been using the Ultraflex and Lypozyme from this site
https://www.askariel.com/collapsed-trachea-supplements-s/1896.htm
and Rocky is doing really good. She changed his food to raw (like you did) and it really helped. He doesn’t gag or choke anymore when he’s eating. Rocky doesn’t need the cerenia at all anymore and he only gets the hydrocodone once in a while…like during the fireworks last week.
Hope that your dog continues to do well!

[Moni T]

Hi everyone i have a 12 yr 4lb chihuahua.
That got diagnosed with tc about a yr ago. My vet came up with a plan which involve getting a pentason shot 4 time in 1 month then 1 shot monthly. Which helped with his cough and although it used for restless leg syndrome the side effect is that it help the trachea maintain from getting worse so quickly.
But a week ago on monday he staring having a coughing fit so i rushed him to the vet they took xray and it was determines that his trachea had servely collaspe so they prescriped this medication call cerenia (it for neaseua but it also trick the brain into not coughing) it a little on the expensive side 6 dollars a pill but my pup is so small the pill can be cut in 1/4 so 8 pills will do a month. Also i did a consult with a specilast yesterday. And they want to try the cough suppersent first before placing a sent. So hes will getting is pentason shot once a month a cerenia 1/4 pill every 24 hr and hydrocodone liquid form every 6 hours. So far so good i heard him cough like twice compared to coughing almost 24 hours straight that was my breaking my heart. So that all the meds i give him .

but i also i bought on chewy.com from zesty paw the 11 in 1 multivitamin it help with his guts his bladder hip joints skin etc. And it helped alot.

Also changing my ac filter out twice a month. Air purifer and scent free laundry detergent. When i clean my floors i vacum right quick n then put in outside for like 10 mins while i mop with a very light scent mr clean. That doesnt upset him at all.
Also i dnt take him outside if i dont have to i have decided to just put pee pee pads down and let him do his business inside.
Also no candle n no smoke near him at all i smoke(im trying to quit for my n his sake) so ive always gone outside but what i do now is have a shirt i put on to smoke and one i switch out of before i even go near him. If u have air plug in from glade i use clean linen and if you have the febreeze plugin i use the downy or clean linen aswell. N you only need 1 you dont need one in all rooms my pup hasnt responded bad at all to the changed ive done for him. He better with everything we switched up

I cannot stress this enough please get them there bordetella shot every 6 months. Kennel cough is no joke if they have tc.

I hope this helps you guys.
And i hope your pups are doing good and well as i hope mine does for a long while to come. And hopefully dnt need surgery just quite yet. Cause that freaks me out thinking about loosing him. But dnt get me wrong i will do it in a heart beat if the doctor tells me its time

Take it one step at a time guys dont give up. Dnt lose hope there new thing always coming out to help improve there condition a little. N also talk to your vet about a raw diet mine recommend it. You can make it at home or buy the prepackaged one already if you can. (Do research first)

[Nadia K]

Thank you for your suggestions ladies. Treats are definitely an issue and I need to monitor that closely for sure. And hubby feeding her from the table has definitely made the problem worse. Patricia I am sorry to hear of your dad’s passing. Taking in your mom and her dog must be a big job and I commend you for it.

I tried something different today just to see what would happen. My vet is not a fan of raw and recommended that I at least sear her patties before feeding her. So that is what I did this morning. I also mixed in some left over veggies from last nights dinner. Well the little stinker ate the entire bowl.

So now I really am not sure how to proceed forward. She may eat it like this for a while and then look her nose up at it. I am also considering trying something like the base mix by Honest Kitchen and adding fresh meat to it.

[Patricia A]

My elderly mom has recently moved into our home after my dad passed. I have two Chihuahuas’ and now three with her Chihuahua Sophie. We lived close by and I would be going over to walk her dog and with meals before moving in. Her dog came to use overweight, however refused to eat from bowl. She would stand at table and bark and scratch leg for our food. Then I would see my mom feeding her from her plate. Having the start of dementia she did not remember request to PLEASE do not feed from plate because she is not eating her dog food from bowl because so used to being fed all day .
My two get a little hard boiled egg in morning. Dinner is various brands of freeze dried in different proteins/flavors they got introduced to SLOWLY. This being primal, Stella Chewy’s and Bixbi Rawbble and Open Farm for a snack of one or two little round nugget. Also just introduced Small Batch Beef which they love. Always moistened with a little warm water and a little Stella Chewy’s Grain free Chicken kibble on top. In between they get boiled chicken , string beans, carrots. Boiled salmon or if they are lucky some lean steak when we have.
Well I made SURE to watch my mom carefully not to give dog her scrambled egg , toast, pizza etc. from her plate. If she didn’t want her very tasty and nutritional I give to my two then I would take away bowl. After doing this for a few days she now got out of the habit of thinking she rather eat my moms food and now eats her own and enjoys it. Her stools are better and she is losing weight from all constant feeding she was getting all day from her.
So please NO in-between from your husband. Stick to what you were giving her if her stools are good and no stomach upset. She will start to enjoy her meals if knows holding out for bits of husbands dinner. As I wrote, same exact scenario with Sophie and problem solved if you stick to it. Introduce slowly if you give other flavors of freeze dried also. They all LOVE Primal Turkey/Sardine by the way .
Hope this helps.

[jeanne e]

Honestly as hard as it is to do, try keeping the treats away from her completely. Those bully sticks, rawhide chews, ( < they swell up in tummy ) any goodies, are filling. If her health is fine, then when she gets hungry, she will eat. Being tiny the treats are yummier and might be why she is not eating completely.
I’ve had rescue dogs for 50 years and have learned quite a bit and still learning. I had to cut out dog treats because my dog was putting on weight and tore her cruciate. $4,000 for ACL surgery. Her weight was causing damage and she went from 60# to 42#s and felt a lot healthier.
Just a thought, but try filling a KONG up with low fat yogurt, oatmeal, some organic honey, organic peanut butter and mix in some kibble. Freeze overnight, put a towel on doggie bed and let her go at it. My dogs loved them. Having 3 dogs at once I used to make up about 5 days worth and freeze them. You can slowly add more and more kibble and less yogurt. Just work out the consistancy so the food stays in.

[Nadia K]

Hello everyone. I have a 15 pound bichon that will be 3 in September. From the time we got her at 11 weeks of age, she has been a picky eater. I used to feed her kibble but she never seemed all that interested in it. I tried many brands. She would eat them for a few days and then turn her nose up at them.

When she turned a year old I decided to try raw with her. Initially I gave her the Stella and Chewy freeze dried patties and she loved them. I then switched her over to the raw frozen patties as it was less expensive than the freeze dried. I also bought her patties made by other companies and rotated brands. For the most part she seemed to enjoy eating them.

Then in March we went to Florida for two months and my dog pretty much refused to eat. The only thing we could get her to eat was roast beef from the deli. I took her to the vet who told me she was perfectly healthy and if anything could stand to lose a pound. (I thank my hubby for that as he is always giving her bits of his dinner which she loves and too many treats.) The vet offered to give her something to induce her appetite but I was not crazy about that idea.

Well we have now been back home for 2 weeks and the problem continues. On some days she may eat a little of the beef patty but will not touch the turkey patty. My hubby keeps adding pieces of human food just to get her to eat and even then she might eat the human food and leave the raw.

Otherwise she seems totally healthy. Full of energy running around the house and barking at every person that goes by. She sleeps through the night with no issues as well. She loves her treats and bully sticks but getting her to eat her dog food is so frustrating. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks so much.

[Kourtney H]

While attending Veterinary Assisting school I had the opportunity of externing at a local clinic. About three weeks in, on the saturday after unfortunately having to say good bye to my husbands cat of 23 years, a lady came in with a gorgeous Blue Fawn Pitbull. She had said that he was wandering the highway with nothing but a bare red collar, he was friendly enough to get in her car and we were the closest animal care center she could find. We immediatly checked for a chip and upon doing so found two phone numbers attached to his. The first call we got an answer but just as soon as they picked up and we identified who we were the call was disconnected. With no information about this dog besides two phone numbers that no one was answering and the Saturday coming to a close, with noone to be coming in on Sunday because we were always closed that day…. Someone had to take this dog home and since everyone else had cats or a no pets allowed policy where they were living it was either me or animal control. I couldnt bare to see this beautiful boy whose demeanor was so relaxed and happy just waiting for what ever was coming next be sent to where they possibly were just going to euthanize him because of his breed. So when we were all cleaned up and ready to go, I grabbed a couple of blankets a bag of food and a leash and the newly nick named ” Doo Doo” and I were off. For two weeks we attempted to call the numbers associated with his chip to no avail. And the more time that passed the closer Doo Doo and Jacob got. We ended up discussing a more permanent name for him and decided that Uthred was a good fit. So as a dog named after a Northumbrian Elderman with a similar past as his, Uthred became JAcobs emotional support dog and best friend who helped combat his anxiety. As soon as He felt Jake begin to feel overwhlemed and worked up he would quite literally force himself into Jake’s lap and would just stare into his soul and like the flip of a switch Jake was calm, and anxiety free. It was a beautiful thing to see this relationship grow and see both of them benefit in such giant ways from one another. Now that you know the back story to our unique situation I would like to bring you up to speed on our unfortunate happenings as of the last four or five months.

Things have been pretty much the complete opposite of our first 4 months with him. One day after bathing Uthred I was drying him off with a towel and he was VERY anxious and obviously uncomfortable. Later that day he was laying down in his bed and I was cleaning the room when I came across his favorite blanket, as I went to hand it to him he quickly growled and lunged at me. Completely shocked and taken a back I stood there as his growl continued until my mind gathered everything that just occurred and took a step back. I was so confused and when Jake got home from from work he was in disbelief. We were thinking he possibly was abused in his last living situation and maybe my simple actions caused him an episode of PTSD. Well once this happened it only got worse. Soon enough I was no longer able to touch him, walk by him, or even look at him without him fiercely growling at me. This drastic turn in events not only took a toll on me but my marriage as well. As Jacob was still able to continue his relationship with Uthred. Soon I wasn’t even able to touch Jacob without this very powerful dog snapping at me. Which led me to believe maybe he is displaying possessive or territorial aggression. That was until he started displaying this behavior toward Jacob as well! To this date I have been bitten/ nipped at twice and while sitting on the ground he has out of nowhere lunged at my face, luckily Jacob’s quick actions caught him just before he would have got me. As for Jake, on three separate occasions he has been bitten three times with two out of the three drawing blood. Confused and distraught, we were unsure what to do next. We tried everything we could think of until we finally decided to take him to the Vet on May 27th 2021 for the aggression he was continuously displaying. They prescribed him with gabapentin and gave him his vaccinations and sent us on our way. While it seemed to ease his anxiety the side effects started to worry us as he just became more and more lethargic. Then we started noticing that he was losing weight. A lot of weight. His appetite was there but very little. The place we started noticing it most was in his head more specifically his chewing muscles. We looked up the symptoms of what we had been noticing like how he was no longer wanting to go for walks, play ball, or chew on any toys along with when he would try he would cry and spit what ever it was that he had out of his mouth.. that and many other things are what brought us to the conclusion that it was masticatory muscle myositis. I took him to the vet and they were shocked to see the rate at which his condition was declining. It was only two weeks from the vet visit where we got the Gaba and his vaccinations to the next appointment where he was just a completely different dog. The vet agreed with us as to what the diagnosis was and she prescribed prednisone. Day one he was great almost like he was going back to normal same with day two then day three he started declining again at a quicker rate… now we are to tonight June 16th he looks horrible is beginning to have a difficult time drinking water. I am at a loss and have no idea what to do. I am so overwhelmed by my own emotions not to mention the flood wall that I am absorbing from Jacob. I read a few things in a forum where people had the same thing occur a week after the rabies shot was administered. Im wondering if that has anything to do with this . also anyone know what kind of diet might help?