[haleycookie]

Higher protein can help develop lean muscle tone when exercised properly. High protein foods also tends to be higher in fat so it’s important if you’re going with a higher protein foods that the pup is exercised daily. Also watch out for things like pea proteins, it’s in a lot of new high protein foods. You want a food that has meat as the protein. So a food that has the first three ingredients as meat then maybe peas as the carb but pea protein specifically should be much further down if it’s in the ingredients. I really like merrick grain free. Their foods are meat based and top out at 38% protein. I also really like natures variety Instinct raw boost and ultimate protein, those foods are also meat based and are around 35-42% protein. Both brands are excellent quality. Some dogs have protein sensitivities so watch out for that as well when you start feeding a high protein food. As far as merrick goes their lamb formula is wonderful. It’s only about 32% protein and lamb is easy to digest so it’s a good alternative to say 38% protein that might be a bit too rich for a dog. Just make sure you pick a puppy food for the next few months. Both companies I mentioned have a puppy formula that’s high in protein.

[Sue W]

Hi Everyone and thank you so much for your help. I have 7 dogs (4 rescues) each need a different food – 1. Chico(Rescue) (kidney disease) 2.Riley(Rescue) (allergic to Rice, Oats, Yeast, Peas, Fish and all fish oils) 3 & 4 Moosha and Rumer (Prone to putting weight on and need low calorie but quality food) currently on Metabolic, ugh. 5. Murphy has a GI disorder can only high quality wet food – was on I/D but now on Natural Balance Chicken Formula. 6. Bugsy(Rescue) is a senior who after 1 dental and 10 teeth pulled will have another 18 pulled next month – so needless to say a soft diet is in order – he is currently eating Natural Balance Lamb Formula. 7. Little Bixbi (Rescue) newly adopted – this little dude is messed up – about 80% blind, has the ‘wobbles’ falls down a lot and has a few ruptured discs in his neck so he can’t move his head up and down – has(had) a UTI was on C/D. So there it is – I would LOVE to feed all my dogs 1 food – not sure raw is the way to go however I do like the ‘benefits’ of it and I do, when I have it, give them raw goats milk as well. I want to be able to feed my dogs a high quality organic non-gmo food – but with all the dogs having different needs I am spending – 100.00 a month on K/D roughly 33.70 for 12 cans 1 can daily. 44.00 a month on Chicken canned food and 40.00 a month on Lamb formula canned and of course 65.00 for a 17 1/2 pound bag for the 2 who need a low calorie food and 53.00 on Riley’s Nutro Essentials small Bites non gmo – has NO peas- most foods are being supplemented with peas/pea fiber Riley cant eat peas or the fish that’s also in almost all foods now and of course he can’t any brown rice, white rice oats or brewers yeast – thats basically everything good in dog foods, right? It’s a nightmare!!! All I want to do is feed my dogs an organic diet without spending more than I already am (or less would be ideal – with all the medical bills headed this way). The ‘just for dogs’ food is great – but a 72 oz bag is 33.00 and I would need at least 3 bags a month just for Chico. I am at a lost as to what is best for them( the priority of course) but what also doesn’t cost us 300.00 monthly just in dog food. I have found all the people ‘Susan’ suggested – Rodney and Dr. Judy, joined the canine kidney support group but couldn’t find the ‘K-9 Kitchen’ on facebook too many weird sites popped up and nobody named Monica. Thank you ALL for your help. And before the haters – start hating- I love my rescue dogs – and I am not crying about money and no I didn’t know how ill some of them were when I rescued/adopted them (except for Chico) so I am trying to help all them the healthiest way I can.

[Susan]

Hi Sue,
Vet diets were once made to eat until the dog/cat became better then the owner looked for alternitive diets to feed, then Hills & realised vets were telling pet owners to just kept feeding their pets the vet diets, when owners didn’t know what else to feed their pets, so around 2014 Hills re formulated a few of their vet diets so the dog could eat the vet diet for the rest of it’s life & brought out a few more dry vet formula’s & more canned stew formula’s that were more palatable for sick dogs with kidney, weight management, skin health & intestinal health problems, my boy loves the I/d Digestive Care Chicken & Vegetable stew, I get it for him as a treat even though he gets his red paws from the chicken..
When the internet came along having a sick pet become very confusing epecially when there’s some poster that are anti healthy not into holistic natural ways to feed sick pets, you don’t need scientific proof to see how healthy your dog has become after being feed a balanced healthy home made diets, changing a pets diet can make a real big difference follow “Rodney Habib” on his face Book page & see the difference with dogs that were dying from cancer & now are cancer free after eating the Ketopet diets, after feeding either raw or home cooked especially when they’re sick or even healthy pets, you can tell by their coats, skin, their behaviour they are more switch on & act like they want to live all of a sudden they feel better also how they are getting around when they feel so good….
Chico would know he’s not eating the same food as his brother & sisters are eating, he’d smell & know his food is different…. I always feel sorry for my boy he has to eat his dry kibble & my cat Indy gets nice raw meat for breakfast & dinner, freeze dried for lunch, she gets everything healthy & he doesn’t he gets his dry boring kibble… he has IBD

Start looking for a Vet Nutrionist in your area, here’s a link it’s called “Just Food For Dogs”
https://www.justfoodfordogs.com/vet-support-diets
they also make Custom diets for dogs with multiple health problems.. you can still feed 1 meal the k/d wet tin food & the other meals feedthe new cooked meal, thats what I did with my IBD boy he ate his vet diet for 2 of his meals & the other 2 meals were home cooked lean beef or lean pork rissoles balls with broccolli, egg, parsley, kale, then add sweet potato.

Are you on Face Book? join this group “K-9 Kitchen” it’s run by Monica Segal a nutritionist you can contact her & she’ll make Chico a recipe for kidney disease, she also post recipes on her page or send them in an email if you subscribe join hersite its all free, then once you have joined her K-9 Kitchen group, post a post asking for a recipe for Kidney Disease, either Monica or a poster will post 1 of her Kidney disease recipes…
Have you joined the “Canine Kidney Disease” groups on Face Book there’s a few…then post in the groups where a good vet nutritionist is in your area near you & start from there…
Chico is only 5yrs old, he’s way to young to be just eating the k/d food
Do you have a crock pot? I also would start making cooked meals for all your dogs & freeze small meals or 1 big meal you can divide for all of them, still feed their food they are eating at the moment for 1 of their meals & feed the cooked healthy meal for their other meals….especially if you have small dogs that might be predisposed to stones/crystal, pancreatitis etc, there’s also Dr Judy Morgan find her face book page & follow her & she answers all post, here’s her link below, she has a few recipes on You Tube very easy to make, she has around 8 dogs, a few of them are sick, look at her Homemade Pup Loaf video very easy to make & can fed your other dogs… http://www.drjudymorgan.com/category/videos/

[Susan]

Hi Therese,
Glad you have finally found something Lucy likes, so she is a gravy lover like most dogs, this must be the type of food her original owner feed her gravy type stews, now when you give her her anitibiotics make sure she is taking them on a full stomach, this is why she’d be feeling nauseous, antibiotic’s must be taken with a meal & if she wasnt really eating much it would be hard to give her her meds…..

With Pancreatitis just make sure the fat in a wet tin food is 4% & below when feeding some wet tin foods, some are 5,6,7,8,9% min in fat, eating high fat foods 24/7 can cause Pancreatitis.. even with this Mighty Dog 1 food might be 3%min fat then another formula might be 6%min fat, just make sure you read the can first, if you see 5%min fat min when you convert 5%min fat it will be around 20-25% max fat, depending on the brand when it’s converted to dry matter, so it’s best to stay around the 2-4%fat in wet tin foods, for now just stick with the mighty dog wet tin food, then once she is off all her meds & she is feeling heaps better you can venture out & try better quality foods…

Hills Science Diet has their new Youthful Vitality 7+ Chicken & Vegetable Stew, the can is lime/green back round with a border collie dog running on the side, the Youthful Vitility food has everything a dog needs, even thought Lucy is only 3 she could be in poor condition on the inside, the Youthful Vitility Stew has antioxidants for brain support, L-carnitine helps with stomach & diarrhea, Vitamins C & E help bolster a strong immune system, Omega 3 & 6 for skin & coat & has high quality ingredients, the fat is 15%max, Hills converts all their wet tin foods fat, protein, fiber etc it’s on their Hills site, even if you just buy 3-4 tins a week & she gets 1 tin every second night for dinner or breakfast, if she does not eat this food then wash out the Hills tin & take it back to Pet Shop, Hills is guaranteed money back for palability….it’s a bit embarassing but the workers get to know you & your dog…
also instead of the boiled pumkin, try boiled sweet potato, the orange sweet potato, maybe its called Yams in America, it’s healthy like pumkin & taste like pumkin but it’s sweeter, just add 1spoon mixed thru wet tin food, I boil cut up squares about the size of 1 spoon & freeze then I take out when I need 1-2 spoons to add to a meal, it thaws very quickly & then heat in micro wave so its not cold, that’s another reason dogs & cats won’t eat their food if its cold from the fridge, I warm my cats wet & raw food for just 7-8 second to take off the chill..

[Kathyrn G]

I rescued a bloodhound from a puppy mill who was used for breeding for 5 years, she was near death, only weighed 60lbs. It has taken 2 years to get her well. The ongoing problem she has is a very senative GI tract. Our vet insists she stay on the RX Purina EN wet food , which when you read the ingredients, I do not want her on it! She tolerates it well but cannot tolerate any kibble that I try to mix with it & I have tried many top rated brands. I have also tried a raw diet, & she throws that up too. Her kibble will be undigested 6-8 hours after she eats. She has no blockage, but has been in the vet hospital several times due to her GI distress, to the tune of many thousands if $.
Any suggestions?

[Jill T]

Hi! Just wondering if they have checked the dog for pancreatitis and have done any bloodwork? Also has anyone checked the dog for intestinal parasites? Since we are positive for heartworm, which is a very expensive, and long, drawn out treatment, it would not surprise me if we are positive for giardia, roundworms, hookworms, tapeworm, or any other intestinal parasite. Bland diet is the best choice for her right now, such as boiled, skinless, boneless chicken and white rice. If she has pancreatitis it my take a couple days for her to want to eat. The pancreas needs to rest, and if she does have it Caesar’s and Mighty dog are high in fat, which is the worst thing you can give your dog with pancreatitis. I’ve worked with animals for 15 years and have a dog prone to pancreatitis. She will always have to be on a low fat diet for the rest of her life. Her only treats she is able to have with no issues is pieces of her regular diet or it sends her into a bout of pancreatitis. Good luck with your dog and I really hope she recovers from this. If she is this nauseous from the antibiotics, I would sincerely hope the veterinarian would recommend changing it to something else. Hope this helps a little.

[Susan]

Hi Therese,
sounds like she has stomach or panreatitis problems & the cesars food probably doesn’t upset her stomach any cause any pain or whatever she is having, I would NOT start any treatment for her heartworm yet, it will kill her, vet needs to work out what’s wrong with her stomach first & why she is hesitant to eat, something is wrong, Golden Labradors LOVE their food….
I got a rescue 5yrs ago & he was the same in very bad condition, but he was the opposite & ate everything in site, even cat poo, after vomiting weekly, doing bloody diarrhea, sloppy poo’s, acid reflux, up thru the night with rumbling, grumbling bowel noises, in the end I asked the vet can we do Endoscope + Biopsies, vet put camera down his throat into the stomach & did 2 Biopsies, you need the biopsies cause when the vet looked into Patches stomach everything looked excellent, there was no stomach ulcers like we thought, but what I thought he had, he had, waiting & waiting for biopsy results Patch had the Helicobacter-Pylori & IBD, he was put on triple therapy meds for 21 days, Metronidazole, Amoxiccilin to kill the bad bacteria that lives in the stomach walls & Prilosec for the acid reflux the Helicobacter causes, Patch did real well while taken the triple therapy meds then once the 21 day course finished it all came back again within 1 week of stopping the meds, it was a nightmare in the end now Patch takes 20mg Prilosec every morning & only takes the Metronidazole 200mg for 10-14 days when needed, if he’s doing sloppy poos or diarrhea, starts feeling sick everyday & whinging for me to rub his stomach/pancreas area & is eating & eating grass…

Can you ask the rescue group do they have some money in their budget for her to see a Gastro specialist or a vet that knows about stomach/bowel problems, in Australia the rescue groups post picture of the very sick dog & asks for help on their face book page & raise some money so dog can be treated by vet & do the Endoscope + Biopsies need to shop around cause there’s cheaper vets around that do Endoscope & Biopsies, people will help with donations…..
I wanted to do the same give Patch back to rescue group so he got another foster carer, he broke my heart, I couldn’t give him back cause I thought will the new foster carer care for him like I do or will he just be thrown out the back yard again & suffer & the rescue group puts dog up for adoption & someone else gets stuck with the problem hoping they will pay all the vet bills, Patch was weeing blood the day I got him from teh pound, the rescue group had to paid $1,500 for 2x ultrascan, desexing, vacination, vet diet wet & dry food the dissolve his crystals, medications, at that stage he just had Urinary crystal, the rescue vet said he must of gotten infection from being used to breed, I thought everything was done all fixed, he’s all healthy now & I adopted him but it was just the beginning of my sleepless nights the vet office I ended up staying with felt sorry for Patch & me for adopting a sick 4yr old Staffy + all the vet nurses were Staffy lovers & my bet did alot of discount rates & now my vet writes out repeats for his prescriptions so I can get his meds from a chemist it was costing $120 for 1 month of Prilosec, now all I pay is $8 & the Metronidazole only cost $7 when I need it I keep spare in cupboard….

I would be only feeding low fat wet food, nothing over 3% in fat, the fat & protein & isnt like it is in a dry kibble, wet raw & cooked hasnt been converted to dry matter (Kibble) yet, Do NOT feed any more dry kibble, it must make whatever she has, worse, like my boy the kibble made him worse with his IBD (Stomach) in the beginning till we worked out what was wrong & I found a kibble that works for him.
Read what is the fat % in the Cesars wet food??? also start boiling potato or boil sweet potato whatever firms her poos up best & start adding say 2-3 cesars foil tin & the same amount boiled mash potato do not add any butter or mil to the mashed potato & mix potato all thru with the Cesars food, maybe start off with only 1/2 mashed potato with her food cause she may not trust the potato yet, whatever she has got, has cause her alot of pain & she doesn’t trust food no more… I have to go the Pet Shop it’s closing, I have to pick up something, look what are the ingredients & fat % in these Cesars foods she etas & post, stop trying all type of foods for now, I’ll try & find a similair food to the Cesars same ingredients once you post, that is in a bigger tin size & low in fat, maybe someone else knows of a lower fat wet tin food similair to Cesars food….
Do you shop at “Costco” ?? Costco has their “Kirklands Signature” Nature Domain wet tin & its cheap & looks pretty good, click on “Reviews” look for Kirkland, Signature Nature Domain canned foods & click on link & scroll down a bit & there’s a photo of Turkey & Pea stew looks good & you can mash with boiled Potato this will work out cheaper till vet works out whats wrong, also ask the vet can you try a 21 day course of Metronidazole?? take back the vet diet food she won’t eat for refund & ask can you try 2 tins of the Hills I/d Canine Chicken & Vegetables Stew, Digestive Care wet tin food, do not get the Hills I/d Low Fat, Rice, Vegetables Chicken stew Restore, they look similair, the I/d Low fat Restore wet tin is full of rice & fish oil, the I/d canine Chicken & vegetable Stew Digestive Care has less ingredients & has more chucks of meat no fish oil, fish oil can make them feel sick, see if after being taking the 21 day course of Metronidazole if she starts to get better after 4-5th day, it has to be taken with a meal every 12 hours…
What is her name??

[PATTI L]

anon101 why do you consider raw would not help in this instance ,
dog food is to complicated these days stick to plain grocery store dog food and leftovers
maybe some raw & bones for good health.

[Therese M]

We got our 3 yo golden mix from a rescue 3 weeks ago. They got her from shelter a week before we got her so no real history. She’s heartworm positive and almost done with her 30 days of antibiotics. She was 5 lbs underweight when we got her and has lost another 1 lb since then. She’ll start heartworm treatment soon and I understand she’ll likely be very ill and lose weight from that so we’re very concerned.

Pretty much from the beginning she refused food. We fed her what they gave her (Muenster dry, pro plan chicken and rice wet). Wouldn’t touch it. Tried each separately, no go. Tried tuna, chicken toppers, nothing. We’ve rotated through at least 10 dry foods and 20 canned foods. We took her back to the rescue and they tried a bunch of stuff on her. Of 7 dry and 6 wet, the only thing she ate for them, and has consistently eaten for us is Cesars trays. I’ve been trying desperately to get her to eat anything better than that but nothing else will work. I’ve tried everything form Fromms to Weruva to Bil Jac picky eater. Nothing works. I’ve mixed in pumpkin (plain and fruitables), raw goats milk, broth, nothing works. Homemade chicken and rice, ground beef, oats, green beans, eggs, cottage cheese. We took her to the vet earlier this week for vomiting and diarrhea. The vet gave us some prescription food, which she refused to eat, and some antinausea pills which stopped the puking but hasn’t helped her appetite. Said otherwise shes great. My husband is starting to wonder if we’re capable of dealing with her, and I’m not far behind him. We throw out $6-8 of food every day bc she just wont touch it. Is there anything left to try? We’re trying to stay on the high quality foods but at this point I could care less what it is if itll get her to eat. For her weight she should be eating 16 trays of Cesars a day- she eats at most 2. She eats less than 1/3 what she should every single day, on the days she eats at all. We will do literally anything at this point, so all suggestions are welcome. We live in Dallas so we have access to pretty much everything, we just need to track it down. Thanks for any help you can provide. If you need any more details please be specific- this is our first dog and we’re doing our best but I’m not up on lingo just yet, or what might be important that I’m leaving out.

[PATTI L]

GSD are not allergic dogs , start making your own food for him, my brother has 5 GSD

makes all their food raw & cooked , mixed with veges & they are very healthy.

[Nata T]

Thank you, Caroline C.
I am very sorry, everyone, whose fur kids are having issues with the commercial dog food (Acana in particular) and hope your babies recover and get better soon.
I am also sorry for those of you, who lost precious pups. 🙁

Personally, I am fully transferred mine to raw diet and love it. Before I fed Millies Wolfheart from Austin, TX. It was the best kibble for us.

[Susan]

Hi Leslie,
are you 100% sure your dog can’t have these ingredients? have you done an elimination food diet to make sure…cause your ellimation alot of brands as most grain free foods have peas & most grain foods have barley….
My boy has IBD, environment allergies & food intolerances/sensitivities, he can not eat chicken, oats, wheat, barley, chickpeas & carrots & I’m pretty sure corn, corn gluten meal & tapioca as well but I never had any tapioca or corn meal to try in the food elimination trial cause when tapioca or corn/maize has been in the vet diets he has tried for his IBD his skin became very smelly of yeast & itchy, for 1-2 yrs I thought he couldn’t eat potatoes, turkey & peas, then finally vet said do an elimination diet & worked out the foods he can’t eat, we were going around & around in circle, I couldn’t feed any grain free formula’s cause they either have potatoes, peas & chickpeas, he does sloppy poos, diarrhea from barley & chickpeas are the worst for gas/farts, wind pain, carrot causes itchy ears & he shakes his head & ears after he eats any foods with carrots, when he eatas chicken he gets red hot paws 15-20mins after eating raw or cooked chicken, with barley, oats & wheat he gets his yeasty itchy smelly skin, sometimes if the ingredient is further down the ingredient list he’s OK….
Food allergies are very rare to have, they normaly have food intolerances/sensitivities they are more common….

“California Natural” has their Lamb Meal & Rice adult large bites only has 3 ingredients & Chicken Meal & Rice has 4 ingredinets http://www.californianaturalpets.com/

or there’s vet diets “Hills” D/D Potato & Venison grain free, gluten free, soy free, there’s no cross contamination, it’s a bit expensive but Patch loves it, he can’t eat that many kibbles so I rotate with his “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb, & keep looking so we can find another new food to try… but if your dog can eat raw, raw diet is the best or home cooked meals, or raw or cooked for 1 meal & kible for the other meal or those Rolls in teh fridge section, we have really good limited ingredient rolls in Australia called “Prime SKD”rolls cooked Crocodile, Kangaroo, Lamb, you must have the same in America some type of cooked roll meat for dogs…. Good – Luck I’ll keep my eye out

[haleycookie]

Raw is a good way to avoid those ingredients, most commercial raws will be good and if you do it yourself just make sure you’re researching and making it balanced. But I’ve heard of a lot of Germans doing excellent on a raw diet. Natures logic is probably the best quality kibble I mentioned. The rest are rated 3-4 stars here.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 7 months ago by haleycookie.

[leslie s]

Thank you for replying. I have tried searching. I will look into the ones you have listed. I have found a few but they are the trash dog foods. 🙁 I have thought about raw also.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 7 months ago by leslie s.

[anonymous]

Don’t believe all that propaganda junk. It’s from the homeopathic vets and raw feeders (biased)

If you want science based veterinary medicine go here: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/nutrition/
Nothing is being sold there and veterinarians tend to participate. I have found the site to be very helpful. If you ask a question it may take a bit for it to show up, they don’t allow haters to rant so I suspect they check comments before posting.

Zignature is an excellent dog food, my 2 dogs are thriving on it. If you go to Zignature’s website and ask a question, they will respond.

Also, from the review section regarding that rumor about the sodium that isn’t true
https://disqus.com/home/discussion/dogfoodadvisor/zignature_dog_food_dry/#comment-3387123965

[holly h]

So i am crazy about my what my dog gets for food. After watching pet fooled on netflix it set me off into a full on a pet health thing. Anyway, I have a 2 year old aussie who i have changed foods on so many times. Here is what I have done with her.

Taste of the wild for years, never had a issues, did great then on the last batch around a year ago. She got super sick, throwing up, outside all day, she was a mess. Had to take her to the vet many times, She would get better and then after eating the food she would go into a total brake down again.

Changed her over to a few other brands that I cant think of, and then went to canidea. She has done great on that and I was hoping to keep her on that. Then i heard about Origen, which is top, top, top, dog food from what i lot of people have told me. However now, everyone is saying they are having issues with the food along with Acana. I have my aussie on the six fish now, as they had a bag on sale. So I picked it up and thought it would be a good change. Well now I am worried about the food, from what every one is saying. Along with clean label thing that I has started I have no idea what to do. If I could go raw I would, but I have person in the house hold that can have raw meat around due to health issues. So what do you guys think? What about Zignatures and there high salt levels I have heard about.

[amy r]

Keep in mind that a Newfoundland primary diet is normally fish based they need the oils to have healthy coats and skin. Make sure you not only use a fish oil everyday but add in fish as well to the kibble I use salmon or sardines only In water also several times a week I add in 1200mg of fish oil daily. We had crappy skin with litte sores for awhile tried several different foods finally ended up on fromm gold lb and the above plus I use raw veggies as snacks no dog cookies at all and her skin is great and her coat is soft and shiney. Becareful not to over bath her newfs are waterdogs who have a natural oil in their coat which will dry out if over bathed with shampoos

[Brianna C]

-Amy R
I give Albert gets two capsules of fish oil a day and I supplement his meals with a couple Primal nuggets as well. His fur and skin are so silky since I started with the fish oil. He gets raw pumpkin and all sorts of other fruits and veggies. He is pretty spoiled!

[amy r]

Hi my newf also eats fromm lb gold I add in 1200 mg of fish oil everyday and she also gets either sardines or salmon as an add In 2 or 3 times a week the rest of the time I rotate her add ins and usually add in raw green beans carrot or sweet potato and her coat and skin couldn’t look better.

[Susan]

Hi Dave,
do your researched pick a few brands you like, then start introducing 1 of those brands see how our dog does in a 2-4 week period, then start rotating between a few of the brands you like but make sure they have a different meat protein, don’t ever just feed a kibble that is fish based, dogs need to eat different meat sources, fish is the highest meat to have toxins. Pet food companies would be buying the cheapest fish off cuts, they wouldn’t be buying premium quality salmon, tuna, sardines etc, these fish kibble formula’s wouldn’t be the best & higher in toxins, your better off buying human grade tin salmon & sardines in spring water & add some as a topper to your dogs kibble, I stay away from any fish kibbles now & chickpeas & lentils, chickpeas lentils can cause gas, wind pain, intestinal problems & are hard to digest they also up the protein %, we need to start asking these pet food companies to write how much is the meat protein % & the plant protein % on their pet foods, I bet there’s alot of kibbles out there that are very high in plant proteins…
Do you follow “Rodney Habib” on his face book page? he’s been exposing pet food companies & telling the public about all their little tricks these Pet food companies use to see their pet foods, how they up the protein %, false advertising on their kibble bags, he has really good videos on all this…..Rodney is a raw feeder now after his 14 yr old Golden Retriver Sammy was diagnosed with cancer 2014, he makes his own raw for his dogs & Sammy is cancer free now, he has a video that shows just adding 1-2 spoons of fresh whole healthy food as a topper to your dogs kibble meal can prevent them from getting cancer, even after you have cooked dinner if you have some left overs keep in fridge & give to your dog instead feeding 1 of her/his kibble meal or add as a topper….this is what our parents did & the dogs were living longer back them then the dogs are living now, dogs are dying much younger now & most are feed dry processed kibble…

[Mark M]

A couple of months ago the Nature Valley Raw Instinct dog food line. I’m on my 3rd bag since the transition and probably on my 3rd week of my dog having regular diarrhea. This has started about 3 weeks ago with inconsistency. He would have just softer than normal bowel movements when he was at home but daycare was telling me that he would have regular explosive diarrhea when he was there. I figured that it may have been other treats or the excitement of daycare, but now after several weeks and removal of the other treats until only the kibble is all that he is regularly eating for several days now, he has been having liquid diarrhea for the last few days. Is anyone else that uses this brand experiencing this?

I have put him on a bland diet to see if he normalizes, but I am concerned about resuming this brand of food if others may be having the same issue.

[Bryan S]

I asked this question in the past about canned pet food as well as raw. I was told at the time that it was the iron sulfate and magnesium sulfate in the product thats having this reaction, and that its safe for the pet to consume. Although i was and still am skeptical of that answer.

[Anne B]

All right, at first this CleanLabelProject report threw me for a loop. I started looking for another brand of kibble based on CLP’s findings. What they deemed to be healthier for our dogs have corn meal as the first ingredient for starters. They included primarily plant based proteins and other carbs that I do not eat let alone our dogs.
As we are transitioning our two dogs from kibble based diets to primarily raw diet and the occasional kibble included meal we are not changing from Orijen. I think about how unhealthy it was for my husband and I on a high carb diet so why should we subject our dogs to the same high carb, high fat stuff?
We give our dogs Organic Bragg’s ACV, prebiotics and probiotics, Organic Coconut Oil and minimal kibble that has a low carbohydrate percentage ratio. I believe in the “everything in moderation” along with a nice piece of beef rather than this report as gospel and a grain of any kind.

[Dave R]

So, my three dry options are;

Orijen – Seens great, filler free, high protein

Acana – Looks great ingredient wise, high protein; however, there’s some horrid negative reviews on kidney failure, not sure if theyre recent or due to the new kentucky plant. And they contain catfish meal, are they not bottom dwellers?

Nulo – Not many reviews, USA Made, looks great, no negative reviews

Honest Kitchen – Already Have it. I’ll probably just add this to his dry and wet foods on occasion.
________

Wet foods;

Nulo
Koha
Natures Logic – Possible raw frozen as well
________

So man to choose from it can be overwhelming.

[pugmomsandy]

I don’t have picky eaters but my boys are loving Rawz Meal Free. They also have sample sizes.

To make kibble more tempting, try adding a teaspoon or so of coconut oil.

[Tyla M]

Hey Tabitha,

Welcome to my life about 2-3 weeks ago. My puppy just turned 4 months and has been scratching and biting since I got her at 9 weeks. It definitely isn’t fleas so vet gave me fish oil incase it’s dry skin. Hasn’t helped, so I also felt like it was a chicken or dairy issue. I was using Fromm’s large breed puppy food but it has eggs and chicken so I did tons of research to find a food low in calcium with no chicken. My vet also wanted me to try grain free, so that made this process even more difficult. I personally would stay away from corn… I’m trying zignature zssentials… it has no chicken or dairy and calcium isn’t horrible. When I looked it up online it had said minimum 1.0% so I figured the max couldn’t be too high (Don’t want over 1.5%). However, the bag says the min. Is 1.2% so I’m assuming the max. Is 1.5%. I’m waiting to hear back the exact max. Or average because I emailed the company. I couldn’t wait longer though so I am currently weaning her off fromm’s to the Zignature. I also bought Weruva’s Hot Dayum canned food which has no chicken, and I use it as a topper. There is just so much info. Out there though and it’s hard to find a food that hits everything you want, especially for a large breed pup. I’ve spent way too many hours trying to research it all and now I’ll keep my fingers crossed that this food works. Fortunately, my pup, Luna, hasn’t scratched or bit until she was raw or losing hair…not yet anyway. Best of luck!!

[anonymous]

Hope this helps:
By Klaus Loft, DVM
Angell Dermatology Service
Anyone who suffers debilitating environmental allergies tied to changing seasons, pet dander or household dust mites knows first-hand the misery of a scratchy throat, itchy eyes or painful rashes.
Not everyone knows, however, that our pets can experience similar allergic reactions — and other very bothersome dermatological issues. But our pets need not suffer in silence. Modern veterinary science has evolved such that advanced, comprehensive treatments are now available to treat a range of skin conditions.
Top pet dermatological issues
Our four-legged friends suffer from some of the same skin issues as we do — and several that we do not. The most common conditions we see at Angell include:
•Parasites, such as mites, fleas and mange (scabies)
•Infectious diseases, such as Staphylococcal pyoderma (“Staph”) skin infections, yeast and fungal infections and skin fold infections
•Systemic diseases, such as autoimmune diseases
•Skin cancer, such as Squamous cell carcinoma, cutaneous lymphoma, Mast cell tumors
•Allergies, such as flea allergy dermatitis, adverse food reactions, environmental allergies, etc.
All of these conditions can become serious and, if untreated, dramatically reduce quality of life. But the tremendous strides made in veterinary innovation, however, is very good news for our pets. Specifically, the testing and treatments for allergies now rivals human healthcare in its sophistication, quality of care and long-term health outcomes.
Unlike humans, dogs and cats cannot tell us about their dermatological health issues. So we as pet owners must look for the signs. The most common indicators that a pet is suffering from some kind of allergy involve frequent episodes of ear infections, red raised or open sores on the skin, constant licking or biting of paws or groin — sometimes causing wounds that will not go away.
Allergies present a particular challenge because there can be hundreds (even thousands) of potential allergens that impact pet health, from foods to pollen from grasses, weeds, trees, dust mites and more. Today’s specialty veterinary hospitals have access to the very latest diagnostic tests to get to the bottom of what’s ailing our pet. Among these tests is the Intra Dermal Test (IDT).
IDT is generally considered the gold standard of testing for identifying allergens that cause pets to suffer from chronic skin and/or ear diseases. IDT involves injections of a series of concentrated allergens into the skin to determine which of them generate allergic reactions in a given animal. The use of fluorescein — a chemical that illuminates the inflammation caused by the injected allergens in order to visualize the strength of individual reactions — is key to accurately diagnosing pet allergies, and is just one of the many ways veterinarians use new technologies to improve care and diagnostics.
The results of IDT (as well as a review of the pet’s medical history) can then inform comprehensive immunotherapy treatments to relieve suffering. Veterinary dermatologists rely on IDT to build customized treatment plans for patients called Allergen Specific Immuno Therapy or “ASIT” for short.
ASIT involves a series of injections specifically created for the allergic animal’s skin. These injections, of diluted allergens, are designed to make a pet less sensitive to their allergens over time. In most cases these injections must be continued for life to reduce symptoms, but they are highly effective. Seventy to 90 percent of pets experience a reduction in symptoms as a result of ASIT treatment. These treatments can be delivered even more easily via droplets under the tongue, perfect for pet owners who are squeamish about giving injections to their pet.
This treatment is very new to the North American field of medicine (both human and veterinary) and underscores just how far innovation in veterinary medicine has come.
When it’s time to see the vet
Many pet owners are understandably concerned about taking their animals to the veterinarian because the cost (to say nothing of the fear some animals experience when going do the doctor) may outweigh any perceived reduction in suffering. To help pet owners know when it’s time to bring Fido to the doctor I’ve compiled my “Top Ten” list of dermatological symptoms that should never be ignored:
•Intense itching of the skin (head shaking, running the face into the carpet, furniture, etc.)
•Biting at the skin that creates red, raw crusting areas of the skin
•Multiple ear infections (head shaking, odor from ears, scratching at the ears with hind legs)
•Paw licking or chewing and frequent infections of the skin in the webbed skin of the paws
•Staining of the fur of the paws and nails on multiple feet
•Reoccurring skin infections in the groin, under the shoulders, perianal areas (on or under the tail)
•Greasy scaling skin and/or fur with odorous skin
•Hair loss, or thinning of the fur
•Dark pigmentation of the skin that is chronically infected
•Sudden depigmentation of skin
Allergies and other dermatological issues can be as frustrating for pet owners and their veterinarians as they can be for pets. I encourage any pet owner whose animal is experiencing any of these symptoms to consult with their veterinarian.

Dermatology – Common Issues

[PATTI L]

We had 2 dogs when i was a kid, they ate raw bones & cheap supermarket kibble
Both dogs lived into their middle teen years, no health problems , mixed breed dogs.
High protein freeze dried raw, is all the rage these days ,
I don’t know if it is any better health wise for dogs, i would like to know the answers
Does anyone have a clue on what’s best.

[Susan]

Hi Alisha,
all the advice I have given has been Patches treatment thru Patches vet who specializes in Skin, Stomach & Bowel health….
Keep a diary & as the months & years pass you will start to see a pattern when his skin allergies are worse, it probably be in the Spring & Summer months or after eating certain ingredients the scratching, itching, gas will be worse … Best to do an elimination food trial in the colder months Winter when plants aren’t flowering & pollens arent as bad as they are in the Spring months, plants, trees, grasses all can make the dog itchy & you’ll think it might be the food he’s trialing/eating….Allergies are VERY confusing, my vet & I thought my boy couldn’t eat turkey & potatoes for 2 yrs, later I realised he can eat potatoes & turkey it was something else causing sloppy poos & itchy smelly skin barley, chicken & oats.. also after he haas had a bath keep your boy off all grass areas for a few days no walking, lying on any grass & see how he goes, does his stomach improve??? We thought grass was making Patches paws red, every morning I feed him breakfast then we go for a walk thru the park when we’d come home Patch would start licking his paws, I’d have a look & his paws would be RED & sometimes hot, 1 back paw would be swollen red & hot, so I made sure he just walked on the pathway cerment etc it turned out to be the chicken & corn in the vet diet he was eating at the time for his IBD, I did a raw elimination diet, while he was eating raw Kangaroo with blended green veggies he was fine, his itchy yeasty skin & paws all went away within 2-5 days, then I tried raw chicken breast for dinner within 15 mins after eating raw chicken breast he reacted with red hot paws, rubbing his bum on carpet, I soak paws in cold water with the Malaseb medicated shampoo, then before bed applied some Hydrocortisone cream on bum & paws cream had fixed his paws all back to normal…

You’ll get there, Winter will be coming soon in America & hopefully he’ll get a break & you can start working out the food side, what foods he’s sensitive too… vet diets are the easiest way to do elimination diets & the diet is balanced, then after eating teh vet diet you might have to trial a few but once dog is itch & smell free you start adding 1 new ingredient to his diet for 6 weeks, it can take from 1 day for a dog to react to an ingredient up to 6 weeks, with Patch I know with that day or night with sloppy poo or diarrhea skin can take up to 4 days to start to smell yeasy, carrots make his ears itchy within 20mins of eating them, then they start to smellyeasty in 3-5 days, he starts shaking his head/ear after eating something with carrot in it, the only way I knew this was elimination diet adding the carrot to home made rissoles, you start with a lean mince, I started with Pork mince made small rissole 1/2 size balls & baked in oven & added boiled sweet potato, he was fine then next batch of rissoles I added 1 whisked egg made 1/2 cup size rissole balles baked in oven, boiled more sweet potatoes that I freeze in freezer & take out as I need same as teh rissole they freeze well, he was fine with egg, just keep adding 1 new food to your rissoles & you will see what ingredients are causing any skin, stomach/bowel problems…. Good Luck..

[Alice M]

The slow feeder is a great idea. I have a German shepherd also and I feed her the Now fresh for large breed. the kibble is a larger size. Hope this helps. I also mix a little canned or raw in with it for more flavor.
I will also check for the orange feeder.

[Ashley K]

Hey all! New puppy mom here – I’ve had my 9week old lab for a week now – and I’m super struggling.

The breeder was feeding our pup Puppy Chow, which as soon as we got her on the 31st we started mixing with our choice of Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Puppy. She loves the taste! She was fully switched over in about 2 days, as we ran out of the puppy chow. On Wednesday, she started having pudding-like stools. That evening they switched to straight liquid. For about 30hrs, she bounced between straight liquid and pudding like texture. We went to the vet, and they recommended using Hill’s Science Digestive Care wet food for a few days, then mixing her kibble back in slowly once we reached the third can they gave us. For timeline: weds the diarrhea started, Thursday afternoon we started on the Digestive Care food. Saturday Evening/ Sunday we started mixing kibble back in, and now on Monday the diarrhea has returned (pudding, now liquid.) We’ve been using her Pro Plan kibble as training treats, a training treat for potty. Sometimes she gets puppy teething rings and such but we held off on that during the upset tummy, but started them back once her poops were fine on the new Digestive Care food- she had instant improvement. Now, to be clear, the breeder never mentioned any stomach problems, and when we first got her her poop was fine. All fecal tests were normal. The vet started her on an antibiotic just in case. I believe the kibble is to blame however. Once she starts getting a fair bit, the poop gets bad again. I sent my SO to the vet to pick up some more of the Digestive Care food and we’ll just give her that til her tummy is better.

Now however, I’m trying to figure out what different food to give her!! I don’t mind spending a fair amount on this food, but I don’t want to do anything TOO crazy. I also really want to stick with kibble, not wet or raw or anything. I’ve heard a little about grain-free foods – but I’ve also heard plenty of mixed reviews about their poops on this as well as added cost, etc. I just have no idea! I was under the belief that I should try and stick with a large breed formula, but my puppy is a female…she’s 9 weeks and she’s only 8 1/2 lbs. Her mom weighs 60-70lbs and her dad is over 90+ – the breeder is expecting her to be about her mom’s size. But could it maybe be the protein amount that is upsetting her, since she was seemingly fine on cheap puppy chow?

I was going to head to my local Hollywood Feed tomorrow and see what they recommend, but I wanted to also poll a larger audience. A friend of mine recommended Fromm Large Breed Puppy so I was thinking about going that route?

Also to note- no vomit, she’s very excitable and seems to feel/act well…except for when she’s having a lot of the diarrhea, then she seems dehydrated and pees a lot less.

Please help. <3

[Molly M]

I have a 1 and half year old German Shepherd Labrador hybrid. We got her at 6 months old and she threw up every morning and had diarrhea constantly. When it wasn’t diahrrea, the poops were still yellow. We had assumed she was getting pesticides in her when our apartment complex sprayed the grass, and tried walking her on the road. It worked for a while but then continued to happen. Finally we decided it was food. We put her on a “Bland Diet” of boiled rice and ground turkey to detox her system and began researching new dog foods. We were struggling with how expensive they were being a newly wed couple just starting new jobs. We were contemplating a raw diet because it was the cheapest natural option, but then we found Abound at Kroger and got very excited, because it wasn’t much more than a raw diet, and dry food is much less hassle. She has been on Abound for 2 months now and has not thrown up once, and her poops are finally more solid, and brown in color. We are stoked! We will continue to use Abound! She has gained back her weight after losing 12 pounds, and looks and plays like she’s very healthy again.

[elaine c]

I use Answers Pet food. It is raw and even better that raw because it is fermented Check it out you will never look back and your dog will LOVE IT

[Cindy P]

I tried several dry foods and my dog would not eat well. I found zukes crunchy dry food and he loves it. They are discontinuing so back to the drawing board. Anyone with picky eaters? What worked for you?

[Susan]

Hi Mirjana,
your not in Australia by any chance??
this happened with my Patch after I rescued him, the vet said he has Colitis, now he’s been diagnosed with IBD, he does the best on “Taste Of the Wild” Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb grain free dry kibble & Canidae Pure dry kibble, I tried the Ziwi Peak venison formula before they changed their ingredeints but it didn’t agree with Patch, the Ziwi Peak new improved formula’s seem better then their old, there’s less ingredients, my cat does real well on Ziwi Peak cat formula’s, why I ask are you in Australia there’s a new organic ethically farmed freeze dried pet food that has just come out, you add water & it swells up, Frontier Pets has a lower fat formula their chicken formula…….
If you live America then join the “Canine Pancreatitis Support Group” look in the “Files” click on the first link, “Low Fat Dog Foods” scroll down a bit & you’ll see low fat wet tin foods the fat% has been converted to dry (Kibble fat) matter on your right…. you might be better feeding a low fat wet tin food now she’s 10yrs old, wet tin or homemade cooked food is easier to digest, just make sure you get a limited ingredient formula, so there’s less chance your dog won’t react to an ingredient…. has the vet given you Metronidazole script that you can get from chemist on hand so if you see her poo’s starting to go sloppy again, you can quickly put her back on antibitiics (Metronidazole), maybe she couldn’t cope with the raw Ziwi Peak….need a strong healthy gut to eat raw food, my boy can’t cope with raw, he needs his food cooked so all the bacteria is killed off…

[InkedMarie]

Raw feeding means meat, bone, organs….it means a variety of proteins and MORE red meats than white. Go to Hare-Today dotcom, look for the raw food education link. Tracy, the owner, is very helpful.

[crazy4cats]

You’re welcome! Just remember to keep the unbalanced add ins less than 20% of the diet to make sure they are getting all their necessary nutrients. The canned and commercial raw that I add in is complete and balanced, but not the fresh foods. Good luck to you!

[Kathleen C]

We will be picking up our Bernese Mountain puppy next week and I am so confused about which brand of food to feed him. We are concerned about the potential health issues (inherent to this breed) that could occur and want to provide the best to hopefully avoid some of those complications. I have read thru this thread and it has created more confusion.

Also, the breeder AND a reputable BMD website has stated a low protein diet is better for this breed but according to the information that I am getting from this thread, that is not a concern. What we should be concerned about is the calcium levels.

Any advise/help/suggestions is very much appreciated. Due to our lifestyle a raw diet will not happen except for an occasional meal.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 8 months ago by Kathleen C.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Dewper-

I add meal mixers to all of my dogs’ meals. In the morning, they always get canned food mixed in. For their afternoon meals, I usually add some fresh ingredients such as an egg, tripe, commercial raw, lean meat and veggie leftovers, or sardines.

Here is a link to a site that has some good recommendations as well:
http://www.dogaware.com/diet/freshfoods.html

Here is another one to a down load that has great ideas as well as a chart on how much to add: https://www.dogwise.com/ItemDetails.cfm?ID=DN330EBK

I think it’s a great idea to add a little something to their dry boring kibble! A word of warning, however, is that he/she will start to expect it and you will get the stink eye if you don’t add anything! 🙂

[Susan]

Hi dewper,
have you tried giving baths twice a week in “Malaseb” medicated shampoo?? baths wash off any allergens that are on the paws, skin & fur, when I first rescued my boy he was a paw licker, now he’s been diagnosed with IBD, Environment allergies & food sensitivities/intolerances, he was put on a high omega 3 skin vet diet but it didn’t help with his red itchy paws or sloppy poo’s, it helped his skin, so I did a food elimination diet & worked out what foods he was sensitive too that were causing his red itchy paws, itchy ears where he’d shake his head, bum surfing on the carpet, & itchy skin… but when they have both environment allergies & food sensitivities it’s very hard to work out what’s causing what…so its best to do food elimination diet in the winter the colder months when all the pollens flowers etc aren’t out..
Have you joined face book group called “Dog, issues, allergies and other information support” group a Dermatologist is in the group, Dr Karen Helton Rhodes DMV, DACVD she has a F/B group called “Canine Skin Solutions”
I use Hydrocortisone 1% cream on his paws & in between toes at night then during the day before our walk I use “Sudocrem” on his paws & white sections of fur & pink skin the Sudocrem is for nappy rash, eczema & dermatitis & acts as a barrier & protects the skin it’s excellent if your dog has grass allergies, itchy bum & skin, when my boy walks on wet grass he gets his red paws also, chicken, barley, oats, corn & wheat causes itchy skin & itchy paws within 20 mins of eating these foods, carrots make his ears itch & the head tilting & shaking start… start keeping a diary..
It’s best to give baths, use creams & socks to stop the paw licking & have you looked into a raw diet?? all Patches skin problems disappeared within 1 week when he started a raw diet high in omega 3 & probiotic to strengthen his immune system also high potency vitamin C is excellent..
If I see Patch licking his paws I say NO lick & I stop him licking his paws & go & get the Sudocrem & apply if it’s in the day & before bed I apply the Hydrocortisone 1% cream you’ll get into a routine & work out what works best for your boy….baths in Malaseb shampoo twice a week will stop & relieve any itchy skin & paws. also when he looks bored & starts to lick paws give him something natural & healthy to chew on, a healthy raw meaty bone will stop any paw licking, chicken & turkey bone is the softest bone to chew & digest… read all ingredients to any treats you buy..
can I ask 1 question after he licks & licks his paws does he burp, do you hear him burp??

[anonymous]

What do you mean by “whole foods” ?

I mix a bit of cooked ground turkey, scrambled egg, stir fried shaved steak, broiled chicken liver, chopped cooked chicken breast to a quality kibble (2/3 of meal) with about 1/4 cup of water, measured amounts twice a day, a raw 1/2 carrot for a snack.
Whatever is in the reduced price section of my local supermarket.
As a pescatarian I don’t eat much animal products (fish only), but this regimen is working for my dogs.
Zignature whitefish or catfish are my current favorite kibbles.

Ps: I lean toward a fish based kibble due to my dog with allergies, seems to work best.
But without the treatment by a veterinary dermatologist, the food changes made NO difference at all. But, the right diet in conjunction with other treatments helps, in my experience.
Same thing with shampoos, the right ones work in conjunction with other treatments prescribed by a specialist.
Alone, pffft, a waste of money.

[pitlove]

Hi Matt C-

No, raw is not simple. The diet you are proposing for your dog is very nutritionally deficient. Simply feeding him chicken thighs with nothing else is not providing a complete nutrient profile for him and can end in diseases such as Ricketts. More and more raw fed dogs whos owners believe they are feeding them “complete and balanced” homemade raw meals are finding their dogs are Vit D deficient.

Also the idea that your dog needs to detox itself from the processed food and that is why they are having diarrhea is insane to say the least. Expecting your dog to have diarrhea and allowing it to happen for 1 to 2 weeks will only result in you having to rush your dog to the ER vet for SubQ fluids for dehydration.

Please consider using the consulation services of websites like BalanceIt.com or petdiets.com to pay a veterinary nutritionist to help you formulate a diet that will be complete and balanced and not taking any more advice from blogs on the internet. It is nothing short of disturbing that this kind of information is floating around the internet.

[LovelyBear]

I love animals so much! I excelled in biology and animal science classes growing up. Plus everyone in my family defines me as having a special bond with animals. I am considering becoming a Vet! But the majority of them focus on medicines, processed foods, shots, etc. I am all about holistic care, raw diets, preventative care, etc. I understand each has a place in the world and If an animal needs medicine/shots I am all for it. So my dilemma is paying THOUSANDS for vet school and them teaching how we are over vaccinating our pets, them recommending crappy foods, etc.

What are some other jobs that involve animals? If I don’t become a Vet, I definitely want to do something with animals!

[MATT C]

I’m guilty of over-researching some things. Going to a raw food diet is one of them apparently… To start out is there any reason I can’t get a supply of good quality chicken thighs, freeze them, and thaw out a couple to give my pup each day?

Is it really this simple?!?!

We have a 2-year-old small dog (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel + Poodle mix) who has been on so many types of hypoallergenic dog food that I’ve lost count of all of what we’ve tried. He’s about 17 pounds now and has been eating Hills Science Diet z/d which is all that he has been able to tolerate so far. He still goes through periods of loose stool and what we call “flare-ups” when he’s clearly not himself. We’ve gone through the allergy testing but even the “safe” proteins have given him problems. This is why I want to go raw…

This is what I think I will do. Any comments, thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated!

1) Pick a weekend when I will be home to start this (my wife is not exactly on board with this idea…)

2) Fast Jasper on Friday (he normally eats 2x per day)

3) Not do a transition period, but start him with 1/4 pound of raw chicken 2x per day. His feeding times have been between 7-8am and then again between 5-6pm.

4) Assuming he eats this I will be prepared to get up at nights for the aftermath. From the reading I’ve done I would expect this to last a week or two as he adjusts.

5) After 1 to 2 months I can start adding in other sources of protein.

Again, any comments or suggestions would be great! Oh, here’s Jasper:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BWiaZkWFWj7/?taken-by=mbcoulter

[Teagsmom]

I was feeding my dog Acana for years and Chewy will no longer be selling it. Perfect timing bc I was in the process of looking for a new food with smaller pieces of kibble. We went with Natures Variety Instinct Raw Boost (kibble w pieces of freeze dried raw). If Fromm works for your dog, I wouldn’t change just to get a discount. Buy some Primal raw dehydrated to use as a topper or try another topper.
The prices at my local dog store are the same as Chewy and they solely carry high end foods. I’ll be supporting them once I use my 3 purchases from Chewy. I had 2 foods in my cart and it gave me 50% off of both. Nice surprise.

[a c]

Thank you for the replies. I guess it must be the different mixture of ingredients in the kibbles that make it harder to transition.

Susan, When you rotate the kibbles, do you give one kibble at a time for a month or so and then move to the next kibble or do you mix the kibbles together?

I have tried the raw diet – Stella & Chewy’s, Primal, and The Honest Kitchen. It triggered pancreatitis on one of my dogs. The fat content is too high. I now use homemade cook of ground turkey and fresh vegetables as a topper.

When I tried to transition a new kibble, the stool is always sloppy and frequency almost double. Is this normal? It’s especially hard since I am trying to toilet train my 14 weeks old puppy. He is like a stool manufacturer. 🙂 Organic pumpkin is great. I also see pumpkin for dogs and cats at the pet store. Are those have the same ingredients?

Anne, What is the steel ball that you put it in his food? Two of my dogs also inhaled their food.

[Anne B]

Hello Susan,
Like Tyla, I am new to the forums although I have referred to dogfood advisor numerous times. I am also a newbie when it comes to any diet for our dogs other than processed kibble and canned food.

As for our two adult dogs, I have started incorporating some freeze-dried raw with their kibble and plan to go to raw frozen when freezer space allows. I follow Dr. Karen Becker as well as Dana Scott and Dog Naturally Magazine. I would like to rotate them with 2 or 3 totally raw food and be able to back off so much kibble, even if it is the “premium” kind.

Thank you for the link for calculating actual % of carbs.

[anonymous]

Please do not apply anything to the skin or give over the counter meds intended for humans or give supplements unless instructed to do so by a veterinarian that has examined the dog.
You could make things much worse and increase the risk of infection.
Hope this helps:
By Klaus Loft, DVM
Angell Dermatology Service
Anyone who suffers debilitating environmental allergies tied to changing seasons, pet dander or household dust mites knows first-hand the misery of a scratchy throat, itchy eyes or painful rashes.
Not everyone knows, however, that our pets can experience similar allergic reactions — and other very bothersome dermatological issues. But our pets need not suffer in silence. Modern veterinary science has evolved such that advanced, comprehensive treatments are now available to treat a range of skin conditions.
Top pet dermatological issues
Our four-legged friends suffer from some of the same skin issues as we do — and several that we do not. The most common conditions we see at Angell include:
•Parasites, such as mites, fleas and mange (scabies)
•Infectious diseases, such as Staphylococcal pyoderma (“Staph”) skin infections, yeast and fungal infections and skin fold infections
•Systemic diseases, such as autoimmune diseases
•Skin cancer, such as Squamous cell carcinoma, cutaneous lymphoma, Mast cell tumors
•Allergies, such as flea allergy dermatitis, adverse food reactions, environmental allergies, etc.
All of these conditions can become serious and, if untreated, dramatically reduce quality of life. But the tremendous strides made in veterinary innovation, however, is very good news for our pets. Specifically, the testing and treatments for allergies now rivals human healthcare in its sophistication, quality of care and long-term health outcomes.
Unlike humans, dogs and cats cannot tell us about their dermatological health issues. So we as pet owners must look for the signs. The most common indicators that a pet is suffering from some kind of allergy involve frequent episodes of ear infections, red raised or open sores on the skin, constant licking or biting of paws or groin — sometimes causing wounds that will not go away.
Allergies present a particular challenge because there can be hundreds (even thousands) of potential allergens that impact pet health, from foods to pollen from grasses, weeds, trees, dust mites and more. Today’s specialty veterinary hospitals have access to the very latest diagnostic tests to get to the bottom of what’s ailing our pet. Among these tests is the Intra Dermal Test (IDT).
IDT is generally considered the gold standard of testing for identifying allergens that cause pets to suffer from chronic skin and/or ear diseases. IDT involves injections of a series of concentrated allergens into the skin to determine which of them generate allergic reactions in a given animal. The use of fluorescein — a chemical that illuminates the inflammation caused by the injected allergens in order to visualize the strength of individual reactions — is key to accurately diagnosing pet allergies, and is just one of the many ways veterinarians use new technologies to improve care and diagnostics.
The results of IDT (as well as a review of the pet’s medical history) can then inform comprehensive immunotherapy treatments to relieve suffering. Veterinary dermatologists rely on IDT to build customized treatment plans for patients called Allergen Specific Immuno Therapy or “ASIT” for short.
ASIT involves a series of injections specifically created for the allergic animal’s skin. These injections, of diluted allergens, are designed to make a pet less sensitive to their allergens over time. In most cases these injections must be continued for life to reduce symptoms, but they are highly effective. Seventy to 90 percent of pets experience a reduction in symptoms as a result of ASIT treatment. These treatments can be delivered even more easily via droplets under the tongue, perfect for pet owners who are squeamish about giving injections to their pet.
This treatment is very new to the North American field of medicine (both human and veterinary) and underscores just how far innovation in veterinary medicine has come.
When it’s time to see the vet
Many pet owners are understandably concerned about taking their animals to the veterinarian because the cost (to say nothing of the fear some animals experience when going do the doctor) may outweigh any perceived reduction in suffering. To help pet owners know when it’s time to bring Fido to the doctor I’ve compiled my “Top Ten” list of dermatological symptoms that should never be ignored:
•Intense itching of the skin (head shaking, running the face into the carpet, furniture, etc.)
•Biting at the skin that creates red, raw crusting areas of the skin
•Multiple ear infections (head shaking, odor from ears, scratching at the ears with hind legs)
•Paw licking or chewing and frequent infections of the skin in the webbed skin of the paws
•Staining of the fur of the paws and nails on multiple feet
•Reoccurring skin infections in the groin, under the shoulders, perianal areas (on or under the tail)
•Greasy scaling skin and/or fur with odorous skin
•Hair loss, or thinning of the fur
•Dark pigmentation of the skin that is chronically infected
•Sudden depigmentation of skin
Allergies and other dermatological issues can be as frustrating for pet owners and their veterinarians as they can be for pets. I encourage any pet owner whose animal is experiencing any of these symptoms to consult with their veterinarian.

Dermatology – Common Issues

[Teagsmom]

I tried a few different kibble and the winner is Natures Variety Instinct Raw Boost for small breed. The kibble is the size of Fromm (tiny). She absolutely LOVES IT. I used it as a treat (testing to see if she would insist on something better) and she gobbled it up. So I’m using the Instinct raw boost (it has pieces of freeze dried in it) with a Primal topper. I toss in a few pieces of Acana to make sure she doesn’t get sick from transitioning but she’s absolutely fine. Stools are perfect and she gets so excited for her meals. Fingers crossed this lasts!! 🙂

[Anne B]

Hi FrankiesDoggie,

Since I have just begun to explore the world of raw food diets for our two dogs I really appreciate your recommendations on frozen and freeze-dried raw patties for dogs. Stella & Chewy’s was the first brand that I tried but I do have concerns about the additional additives in particular. Just got some Vital Essentials Beef to try as it does not contain additives although I see some will fault the company for not including any additional vitamins other than Vitamin E.

I will give Nature’s Variety (our Vizsla is on their Rabbit kibble), Primal and OC Raw a try as well. Thanks for your suggestions!