[Rose G]

@PitLuv Thank you for the update on Darwin’s and a better source for raw. I will look at this further.

@anon101 Thank you for those links to Reddit. I saw some of that info yesterday and the red flags went up. That’s one of the reasons I came to this forum to discuss all of this further. And, the reason I will call some labs today to see how much it costs to test the food I feed my dogs. Hopefully it’s not a small fortune!

[pitlove]

Hi Rose-

I would look at Darwins facebook page before considering that company. A lot of complaints about orders being wrong, not shipped, no one from the company answering the phone or emails, quality of the meat going downhill. A lot of folks stopped using Darwins and moved on.

If you are interested in commercially prepared raw food, Natures Variety is just about the only trustworthy company.

[Susan]

Hi Nataya,
I don’t think you’ll get many raw feeders on DFA, a lot feed kibble, there might be the odd poster that may help……are you going to make your own raw diet or buy the pre-made raw diets? homemade is the best this way you know what they are eating where the meat is coming from….
Start doing research & follow people like “Rodney Habib, Dr Karen Becker & Steve Brown, Dr Karen Becker is bringing out another new book with simple easy to make raw meals, her old books have all sold out & people on Amazon are asking ridiculous prices for her old books…. look at Steve Brown book called “Unlocking The Canine Ancestral Diet” your local library can order in books, I borrow books from the library or they order in books I’m interested in then after I have read them & like them I buy the book…
Here’s Rodney Habib’s link, once you follow Rodney you’ll get in the loop…
https://www.facebook.com/rodneyhabib

Join some raw feeding groups on face book, just make sure these diets are balanced properly, vets are normally against raw feeding only because a lot of people don’t balance the diet properly & the vets see all the health problems that can occur from a dog or a cat not eating a proper balanced raw diet, I live Australia & a lot of Australian’s feed raw & dry kibble + raw meaty bones at lease twice a week…. a lot of our Australian made kibbles advise to add raw meat, raw meaty bones with their kibbles….
I went thru an Animal Nutritionist Jacqueline Rudan the maker of Natural Animal Solutions(NAS) products, this is her Maintenance Diet I followed minus any bone or organ meats cause my Staffy Patch has IBD, food intolerances & skin allergies…
http://naturalanimalsolutions.com.au/Shop/2016/03/15/maintenance-dog-diet/
I added her Digestavite plus powder to balance the diet, Patch was very hungry when we first started feeding the raw diet I was feeding 3 smaller raw home made meals a day, Jacqueline said, he has to get use too eating a raw diet after being feed a high carb process kibble, they stay fuller longer when they eat kibble..

Your making the best decision for your dogs health, with the Great Dane pup I would see what the breeder is feeding him & make sure you find an Great Dane breeder that raw feeds her dogs & pups, this breeder will be able to help you with preparing a raw diet
for a large breed pup…. sometimes its better to feed large breed pup a good quality large breed puppy kibble + raw until they’re 1-18mths then put them onto a full raw diet once they have finished growing, you have to be careful with large breed pups that their bones don’t grow too quickly the breeder will explain things a bit better then me….

There’s a lot of raw feeders on Lew Olsons F/B group called “K-9 Nutrition”
or Monica Segal F/B group called “K-9 Kitchen”
Make sure you take before & after photos of your Pit Bulls, you’ll see a big improvement with skin coat & all over health once they’re eating a raw diet…
Good-Luck

[Rose G]

I don’t think my vet is actually going to know about the toxins. I think this is the elephant in the room. No one is paying attention to this. I’ve been looking at a site that creates raw food, Darwins, and so far they seem to be very high quality; however, I’m on the fence about a raw diet based on other things I have read, including information on skeptvet. My husband suggested that I contact a local lab and have them test the food that we feed our dogs. I don’t know what this costs, but I’m going to research it. That way hopefully I find out the truth.

The thing about CLP is that we also need to know what their agenda is. I’ve seen some posts that they are funded by people/company that produces lower quality food so that these reports steer us back towards that food. I think the fish aspect of high toxins is probably valid since there is so much in our oceans/lakes that are easily absorbed by fish.

Thanks everyone for your input…I guess we will all be watching carefully for answers.

[Susan]

Hi Rose,
The best thing you can do for your pets is feed organic raw or organic cooked balanced diet, this way you know where the ingredients come from, but this can become expensive..

All we can do is just wait till next year when Clean Label Project re test the most popular pet foods & see which pet foods made the worse list & did the pet food companies that made the worse list this year fix the problem & see where they come on the list next year???

I think it’s excellent what CLP is doing, they’re shaking up these pet food companies
finally our pets that we love so much have a voice….. Just stick with the pet foods that have 4-5 star ratings & avoid any fish pet foods, they seem to be the worst…just buy & add human grade fish that you would eat yourself to your pets foods…..
another thing stick with the smaller pet food companies, they seem to source locally & have better quality ingredients…. I really like Canidae & they made the good list..

[Nataya W]

Hi, I am looking into feeding my dogs a raw diet. I have 2 pits, one is 50lbs and the other is 55lbs. I also will be picking up my new puppy which will be a Great Dane in the middle of July. I need help with a meal plan for my dogs. A simple one. The pits I feed them 2x a day, I am very over whelmed from looking on line. Someone help. (Could my vet help with a meal plan)

[a c]

I have a 10 years old miniature Schnauzer with pancreatitis history. I tried to switched her to raw diet. I went to an independent pet shop. The employees there told me raw diet is the best. So I tried Stella and Chewy’s duck frozen patties, Primal’s lamb frozen chucks, and Honest Kitchen Love. Since I switched her to raw diet, her poops have always been greasy with some yellow. I have my vet ran a blood work on her. Her level was above the normal range, and my vet was also really against the idea of raw diet. They put her on Science Diet ID wet food. Now, her poops are back to normal. Thank goodness. I think the fat content on those raw diet is too high for dogs with pancreatitis.

[Susan]

Hi Tammy, Sweetie is nilly the same age my boy, he’s turning 9 in November they both will be turning 63yrs old….I’m going thru something similar at the moment with my boy who has IBD, skin allergies & food intolerances…The Hills & Royal Canine vet diets for Kidney Care & dissolving crystals are too high in fat for my boy & have ingredients that Patch can’t eat, he gets yeasty smelly skin, paws & ears when he eats, chicken, corn starch, wheat, corn gluten meal, barley & carrots…
Are you feeding the wet tin c/d or the dry c/d kibble? I’ve noticed the Wet tin vet diets have better ingredients & may not have the ingredients Sweetie is sensitive too, go on face book there’s 2 groups “Canine Kidney Disease” & Canine Kidney Disease Support group” a few people are feeding “Dave’s” pet food, Restricted diet protein low Phosphorus farmland blend in sauce wet tin, Honest Kitchen Keen, some are feeding raw or cooked diets &
a few people have been recommending Dr Harvey, he’s a Nutritionist that must do special diets for dogs with a few health problems, I haven’t had time to check out his site yet, join the f/b groups & read thru the post, you’ll probably get more info from people going thru the same health problems with their dogs…a lot are feeding the Hills K/D or C/d Multicare wet tin food..
I’m still waiting on test results from sterile urine that was taken the other day, I feel so sorry for my boy, he never seems to get a break, he starts doing really well then we have another health problem…. Good-Luck working out the best diet….. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1422252261408967/

[suztzu]

Hello I have two dogs an elderly shih tzu 13yrs with cushings on trylostane and very stable and an 9 yr pom I just adopted a year ago, the senior tzu is ok with weight my pom has gotten a pound and a half overweight. They both have been on Natures Variety raw boost kibble for about a year the small breed variety which was 13 % fat and 33 % protein, but they are now changing the formula and pushing the fat up to 16 % fat same protein content. I would really like to get them off kibble altogether. They both get freeze dried raw a couple times a week ( northwest naturals or primal sometimes stellas ) But usually I give them Weruva canned food with the kibble. I am thinking of going just straight pre made raw maybe freeze dried I think this will help my pom shed some weight with the higher protein levels and moisture low carb. I am hesitant on my shih tzu because of his age and the possibility of pancreatitis. So I am thinking maybe a lower fat raw and good fiber content might be ok since he’s done well on freeze dried raw, which I know is the same as reg raw but it is mixed with kibble so it hasnt been exclusively fed as raw. Should I be worried about pancreatitis with raw diet ? They are not used to such a high level of fat, I have combed through the reviews and cannot find one under 30% fat. SO MANY QUESTIONS UGH !! Which brands should I go with Stella and Chewys or Primal or Natures Variety we sell all those at my work I am a dog groomer. I get a 20% discount so I would like to got with one of those brands, but I did pick up a bag of Northwest Naturals freeze dried which they really like. Thanks in advance for any help it is much appreciated.

[Gail R]

I’d like to nominate Wellness Core RawRev, a new food product line from Wellness that may compete with Stella and Chewy’s Raw Coated Baked Kibble and Raw Blend Kibble. Is much more affordable than Stella and Chewy’s.

[Tammy J]

Hi All,
I think this is a great forum. I’m hoping some folks can help me find the best food for my Sweetie. She is turning 9 in September. She is a shorkie (shih tzu/yorkie) She weighs about 15 pounds. She developed bladder stones about a year ago. The vet treated her with medicine and switched her food to urinary SO. The stones actually dissolved, no surgery needed. However, I was told she would need prescription food for the rest of her life. I was previously feeding her primal freeze dried nuggets. They said raw diets are the worst choice. Sweetie has always had allergies, and she did great on raw. She’s been super itchy and eating her feet since changing food. She’s developed a bladder infection and we are now on Hills urinary c/d. She’s licked her paws raw and developed a yeast infection (didn’t know that was possible on a paw) and is on medication for that. I understand that the prescription food has a reduced amount of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. I’ve read some not great things about Hills food. Sweetie has never been a big drinker, the other thing to prevent the crystals from coming back. She also benefits from glucosamine for her stiff joints. While researching senior foods, they seem so high in the minerals. Any ideas on the best food for keeping Sweetie healthy and happy? I wouldn’t mind making homemade, since we only have one dog. Thanks for your help!

[Rebeca J]

I adopted my dog (4 year old 40lb beagle mix) from a shelter in January. Initially we fed him Newman’s Own Adult Dog Formula (chicken and rice), but his poops were pretty runny and yellow and we decided to switch to IAMS Healthy Naturals (chicken and barley). At first it seemed to be working great and his poops were firm and darker for a few weeks, but then all of a sudden he would not eat the food at all, and started having upset stomach symptoms and vomiting undigested kibble. We went to the vet a couple of times and after a week of bland diet (chicken and rice), a dewormer, digestive supplements and antibiotics he seemed to be doing better, but would not touch the IAMS kibble still. We switched him to Merrick Backcountry Big Game Recipe because of the great reviews, but it clearly did not agree with him AT ALL, his poops were as runny and painful-looking as ever. We decided to switch again to Zignature Grain Free Turkey Formula (it was recommended to us) and now his poops are worse than they have ever been. I just don’t know what to do at this point, I’m really worried about my dog he’s otherwise acting completely normal, coat looks great , very active, but having diarrhea for months on end can’t be pleasant and I’m worried about the long term effects. I’ve spent over $300 on vet fees, just for my (honestly just horrible) vet to dismiss my concerns and refer me to a nutritionist that charges abt $400 per consultation. None of the other vets in my area are taking new patients. I don’t have the means to exclusively feed wet/raw food, but want to supplement his diet with it once we find a kibble that works for him. I have spent so much money, I really have no idea what else to do. Any and all suggestions/advice welcome.

[Susan]

Hi Ann c,
sounds like she is getting TOO much fiber that may be in the Purina One weight management formula, I posted in my posts above don’t feed a weight management kibble to a dog with Pancreatitis or has had Pancreatitis, weight management formula’s have more fiber, it may not say it on the Guaranteed Analysis section but they will have either more soluble fiber or more of the in soluble fiber to keep the dog feeling fuller for longer…Higher fiber diets are not recommended for dog with Pancreas, it’s more work on the Pancreas…..
What happened when you where adding the boiled pumkin?? Pumkin softens my boys poo, pumkin actually makes his poos very soft when I add 2 tablespoons with a meal or a treat, the vet recommended adding 1 tablespoon of boiled pumkin with my boy meals, pumkin is very easy to digest & soothes the stomach & intestinal tract…. also a wet diet is better then a dry proceed kibble….
Join the “Canine Pancreatitis Support group” look in the “Files” there’s 2 different links with low fat wet & dry formula’s you can feed, just avoid any of the weight management dry kibbles….
You’ll get heaps of support from other people in the group that have a dog with Pancreatitis & are going thru similar problems…Lisa who runs the group feeds a raw diet to her Pancreatitis dog, a few people feed raw, some feed a cooked meals & some feed both cooked for some meals & kibble for other meals this may help prevent any constipation that may happen when you fully introduce the Purina One formula….

[aimee]

Hi KodaHappyTails,

So sorry to learn of your dogs illness. I lost one of my dog at the age of 14 possible from her Mast Cell disease. She was diagnosed ~ 7 years prior and treated twice with Chemo therapy. Her oncologist said she’d never had a dog with such extensive Mast Cell cancer do so well for so long. I didn’t change her diet, she ate a therapeutic low fat diet made by Eukaneuba probably about 50%-60% carb calories with fresh fruits and vegetables.

My sister’s dog survived Lymphoma, the only dog I’ve ever known that survived that disease. She was feeding Iams Mini chunk before the diagnosis and continued to feed that through Chemo and recovery.

Cancer cells do preferentially utilize glucose but I don’t think a low carb diet or a ketogenic diet influences growth to any appreciable degree as the glucose levels in the blood will remain within a narrow range. There are some weak published studies in mouse model brain cancer and a ketogenic diet but it is a large leap from that to application of cancers of other types in other species.

Personally I think the KetoPet group is after a money grab. They haven’t published anything in a peer reviewed journal. I think ultimately they are going to try and generate a lot of hype through their unsubstantiated reporting and then market a diet to pet owners and this is why you won’t find any information on the diet on their site. If you want to feed a ketogenic diet Purina makes Brightmind and Neurocare.

I see no advantage to feeding a raw diet. The safest way to do this if you elect to do so is to use a commercial HPP product The only one I’d consider is Nature’s Variety

[crazy4cats]

Hi KodaHappyTails-

I’m very sorry to hear about your dog’s diagnosis. If it were my dog, I would not feed raw. I do like Susan’s idea of checking out balanceit.com. They will help you formulate homemade cooked recipes appropriate for your dog. I make my dogs a meal once or twice a month using a recipe I made on their site along with a supplement that they sell to make it complete and balanced. Best wishes to you and your dog.

[HoundMusic]

NO. Raw is about the worst thing you could do, as dogs with cancer have a compromised immune system and cannot handle the bacteria in raw meat. There is also a risk of high fat and protein accelerating tumor growth. Certain carbs DO feed off simple sugars, but then again, so do all healthy cells. Furthermore, I have personally seen raw fed dogs with cancer develop secondary issues, namely, hypothyroidism, related to the long-term suppression of immune system function. Lightly cooked, lean meats heavy on veg and with small amounts of complex carbohydrates, supplemented with Omega 3, is probably your best bet for a cancer management diet.

[Susan]

Hi,
can you afford to see a diet nutritionist they will make a special diet for your dogs needs…
Dr Karen Becker is releasing her new book soon, which is going to have special diets for health problems like cancer etc but you need a diet now… I went thru a animal Naturopath for my boy when he was put on a raw diet for his IDB & skin allergies…. You need high fat moderate protein & low carbs, I think turkey is the best meat to use or Kangaroo…
Have you email Ketopets & ask questions & ask do they do special raw diet for dogs with Mast Cell cancer? Kibble is very high in carbs & cancer loves a sugar carb diet that’s how it thrives, with Mast Cell cancer it can put pressure on the stomach & can trigger increased intestinal mobility, my boxer had acid reflux & pooing black poo’s & vomiting blood, the first vet told me to put her on a cooked lean diet Chicken diet but then I had to see another vet cause the first vet didn’t have the Endoscope camera 1st vet thought she was vomiting, the vomit had streaks of blood she had an ulcer, this was the worse thing I ever did seeing the second vet, all he believed in was his science, he put my dog on the Hills Z/d vet diet & poor Angie got worse up all night crying in bad pain after eating the Z/d kibble, I told the new vet, the Z/d has made things worse, he said oh she’s probably spoilt & crying for attention, when you feel the vet isn’t any good RUN away…. now I know not to feed high carb diet, I read the carbs % in the Hills Z/d & it’s 60% carbs, she probably couldn’t digested the hard kibble it was causing pain….

Have you looked at “Wysong” formula’s they do a freeze dried raw or Epigen high protein & starch free wet tin food… here’s their site to have a look around.. http://www.wysong.net/epigen-canned

also “Ziwi Peak” raw wet tin food it smells beautiful, I feed my cat the Ziwi Peak air dried & raw wet tin food sometimes…

Also look at “Balance It” https://secure.balanceit.com/
Balance it do special diets & make the Balance It powder to balance a cooked diet, I don’t know if balance can be used in raw diet?? you’d have to contact them, even Dr Karen Becker does consults, I did Patches consult first thru email & told the Naturopath all his health problems, then when I thought she knows what she is taking about I made appointment for a phone call or I could of done a Skype consult, she rung me & spoke for 1 hr, it cost me $60, it was cheaper then a vet visit & she made an easy to follow special home made raw diet with fresh ingredients from supermarket, for Patches IBD & I just emailed for any help afterwards… she said NO to all the premade raw diets, they’re a bit like kibble you don’t know what your getting & where the ingredients came from…with a home made raw or cooked diet you have better control & you know where the meat comes from best to use organic raw meat….

[a c]

My 10 years old miniature schnauzer passed away 3 months ago to Lymphoma. He was getting chemotherapy but passed away less than 2 months. He didn’t have much appetite when he was on chemo even with appetite stimulants. I have tried to feed him some organic raw meat and that’s pretty much all he ate other than some of his favorite treats and Caesar wet dog food. Unfortunately, the vet oncologist was really against the idea of feeding him raw meat, so we stop it.

You probably need to talk to your vet oncologist and see they are for the idea of raw diet.

[Susan]

Hi,
I bet your dog is feeling heaps healthier & probably is looking healthier from eating a raw diet…..Yes feed 2 meals a day even 3 meals a day if she seems real hungry, just take a bit from the morning meal & dinner & feed as another small meal, space the feed times out, say 7am 1pm 6pm, so her body gets into a routine & feed the same time everyday, the brain learns, hey she’s going to eat same time & the body does not store any fat when we eat the same time daily, this is why people gain weight so easily, they don’t eat the same time everyday & their body stores fat… also eating more smaller meals thru the day is better then eating 2 larger meals….

When I put my boy on a raw diet he was also very hungry & wanted more, after eating a dry kibble diet all his life that is full of fillers & carbs makes them feel fuller for longer, a raw diet digests easier & quicker & doesn’t sit in the stomach like a kibble does…….
It’s sounds like your girl loves her new diet & she wants more…lol her body will get use to eating a raw diet, you could add some blended pulped veggies to her meals to make her feel fuller ….
I made my own raw balanced diet & blended, peeled carrot, broccoli, celery & apple, I added 2 spoons of the blended veggie mix to 1 cup of grounded kangaroo mince, (my boy has food sensitivities) you can freeze the blended veggie mix in an ice cube tray cover with cling wrap & freeze, just take out of freezer 15mins before feeding time, it thaws very quickly also sweet potatoes you peel then thinly slice the sweet potatoes & bake in the oven…. google natural healthy dog treats, you might find another recipe to make natural healthy treats a lot of people buy a dehydrator & dehydrates their own meat, veggies & make fresh jerky treats for their dogs…. you can do in the oven but oven needs to on very low heat & takes a while….

When a dog is doing smelly farts this can be a food sensitivities/food intolerances, when a dog is sensitive to an ingredient it causes toxic gasses in the bowel, a dog should fart but it shouldn’t smell bad & clear a room. You’ll need to stop all the different proteins & start again, just feed 1 protein for 4-6weeks & see if she’s still doing smelly farts, it can take from 1 day up to 6 weeks to react to certain ingredients, my boy reacts pretty much straight away, he gets red paws, itchy ears, itchy smelly yeasty skin & farts real bad, when he eats something he’s sensitive too… once I worked out what he can’t eat (chicken, barley, wheat, corn & carrots, carrots made his ear smell & itch 20mins after eating a meal with carrots) & removed these ingredients he was good, no smelly farts no more, just watch your girl after she eats what she ate when the farts start, start feeding 1 novel protein if you can get kangaroo that’s a lean novel protein & just feed the Kangaroo & 2-4 blended fruit & veggies & add meaty raw kangaroo bone 3 times a week….
Are you feeding pre-made raw? look for a pre-made raw diet with limited ingredients that have novel proteins, like kangaroo, rabbit, venison, goat proteins she hasn’t really eaten before, also start reading the ingredient list & see is there a common ingredient when she doing bad smelly farts, her gut would of had time to a just to the raw diet she’s been eating a raw diet 3 months now, she’s probably eating ingredient she’s sensitive too….

[Susan]

Hi,
Believe & have faith in your dog & go natural, 2017 dog’s are more sick now then they were back in 1970’s to 1990’s back then we feed table scrapes leftovers home cooked meals what ever you want to call it & our dogs lived longer & didn’t have all these health problems like they have today, allergies, cancer, skin problems the list goes on & on…
My boxer had Mast Cell Tumors high grade 2 cancer & back in 2008 the internet wasn’t like it is today we have so MUCH help & info now….. I listen to my vet & my Angie suffered more then she should have, I wish I knew what I know now..

Have you looked into the “Ketopet” diet?? Ketopet started to rescued pound dogs that had cancer these dog were rescued from pounds all over America, the results were astounding, these dogs had terminal cancer now had a new lease on life & they had to find them all new homes, their video made me cry, 1, how their owners just gave up on them & threw them away, dumped them in a pound to die & 2, the smiles on these once very sick dogs now running around acting puppies, it’s unbelievable how changing a dogs diet can be the difference between life & death… are you following “Rodney Habib” on his face book page?? https://www.facebook.com/rodneyhabib

here’s a link on about dog called Cali she had Hemangiosarcoma an aggressive cancer..
here’s the proof that raw diet works… have faith…
https://www.facebook.com/dogcancerseries/videos/778226332345785/?fref=mentions&pnegf=story

[anonymous]

Consult a specialist if you think there is any chance that aggressive treatment may increase her chances for survival for more than a few months.
Otherwise, I would work closely with your vet to do everything possible to keep the dog comfortable.
You did not mention the dog’s age, overall condition, etc.
Only a vet that examines your dog and knows her history can advise you accordingly.
Please don’t be fooled by homeopathic scams.
Often dogs that have cancer are nauseous, raw food is disgusting, the last thing I would want to eat if I was sick. Not to mention the risk of salmonella.
If you are receptive to science based veterinary medicine go here http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=cancer
Hope this helps. Best of luck.
Ps: This is not veterinary advice; consult your veterinarian.

[KodaHappyTails]

I apologize in advance if this post gets long winded or it seems as though I’m rambling,my head is literally spinning with info and details and I need some one to hopefully point me in the right direction. I found out today that my dogs mast cell cancer has come back and has metastasized,I have to wait a few days for the aspirate results to come back but the vet is certain that’s what is going on,prognosis is poor,with our only options being chemo or nonconventional treatments, I’m leaning more towards the nonconventional treatment,however. On to my question,I’m doing a ton of research and am very interested in switching her diet,so far I’ve looked into raw and ketogenic. Every site seems to have their own idea as to what is acceptable to feed a dog with cancer and what isn’t,the biggest debate being whether a dog with cancer should eat a raw meat diet,some say yes some say absolutely not due to their weakened immune system. I’m so confused where to even start,does anyone have any experience with either diets in their own dogs with cancer? I want the best for my baby and I want to give her the best fighting chance I can even though the odds are stacked against her,please someone point me in the right direction?! Thank you in advance for taking the time to answer.

[pugmomsandy]

I just finished up a bag of RAWZ Meal Free and Core Wild Game for my senior pugs and their output has been solid. 2/3 cup a day with some other foods I give as treats.

[LovelyBear]

My dog has been on a raw diet for 3 months now and she loves it! I am experimenting with new meats slowly and providing variety. I’ve realized she does not do good with Thread Herrings, because I have tried to feed them to her twice and she always throws up.

My main question though is whether or not I should switch to feeding her once a day?

I currently feed twice a day; morning and night. But my dog is always searching for more food after every meal! She gets 2-2.5 lbs total a day. Her weight is 100 lbs and she has lost some weight since eating raw (which is good as she was over weight and the vet told me she needed to loose weight)

and also when I began researching the raw diet people claimed their dogs stopped having stinky fart, but my girls farts smell like rotting meat.

Thanks 🙂

• This topic was modified 8 years, 9 months ago by LovelyBear.

[anonymous]

Zignature Whitefish kibble. I add a tablespoon of cooked ground turkey or something, a splash of water (1/4 cup) 2 meals per day. A raw 1/2 carrot for a snack once a day.
All is well 🙂

Available at Chewy dot com, for now. Chewy has been bought by PetSmart so that may change. Some pet supply stores carry it, also available at Amazon.

This is not veterinary advice; consult your veterinarian.

[Susan]

Hi
Gee sooo SORRY for your boy, I’m so glad you listen to your gut…he had a blockage & no food was able to digest into a poo…. I never give my Staffy any of these new air dried cooked animal body parts, he has IBD & this breed are aggressive chewers & can demolish a full cow’s carcas if we let them, I’m soo glad your vet listen to you & did the Ultra Scan, I hope she learns from this & can save another dog when this happens again cause it will, rawhide is known to do the same thing, dogs swallow it & rawhide is leather & doesn’t digest & can cause blockage….
Now he has to get better & not get any infection in the intestine & eat a real bland diet, usually the vet puts them on Hills I/D vet diet or you cook his meals just while the intestine heals …. Do you belong to any Pit Bill or AM Staffy F/B groups?? best to post photos & what his stomach area looks like now & show what did it, (Cow Hoof) there’s a good Australian f/b group called “Oz Amstaffs share the love not the hate” group https://www.facebook.com/groups/604328586364329/

[a c]

Thank you for your replies and suggestions. I am so new on this topic.

I will feed her Science Diet ID cans until her stools return to the normal. Then I will decide whether to continue with Science Diet ID, Purina EN, Purina One Smartblend Healthy Weight, or something else.

I also heard that can food are more gentle on the digestion. Is this true? Do I have to worry about bpa on can food?

The reason that I have started to switch her to better dog food and raw diet is because my boy, a 10 years old miniature schnauzer passed away with Lymphoma a few months ago. He didn’t have any symptoms until early January. Our regular vet thought he has hurt his disc and put him on prednisone. In end of January, he was diagnosed with Lymphoma by ER vet and oncologist. He was on chemotherapy, but passed away within 2 months.

I don’t know if dog food have anything to do with Lymphoma, but I started to read more about dog food. The more I read, the more scared I am. I don’t know what to feed them.

[a c]

Thank you for your replies.

I took her stool to the vet’s office this afternoon. I was told to put her on Science Diet ID can food for a few days and transition her to Purina One SmartBlend Healthy Weight Formula on maintenance program. Does anyone has experience on this dog food? It seems like my vet is very concerned about the easy access to the food and the economical value.

I actually went back to that pet store last Thursday and talked to the owner. I told her that my dog is a senior dog, she had pancreatitis, and her stool is kind of loose and greasy. She think the raw still the best, and she didn’t think the fat content are too high for my dog(in her words, those are good fat). I was told to put 2 teaspoonful of pumpkin with the raw food and that should firm up her stool.

I also stopped by another pet food store this morning. I told the owner about my dog’s situation. She has suggested Canidae All Life Stages Platinum, Holistic Select Senior with chicken and rice, and Holistic Weight Management with chicken and rice. My vet is not very thrill towards any of those food.

I emailed some of the dog food companies this afternoon. I explained to them my dog’s situation and ask them whether they have products for my dog. Some of them reply, but they didn’t answer all my questions. They suggested the ones with the lowest fat content within their line of the products, but some of those still have pretty high fat content.

[Susan]

Hi Ann
I understand your frustration, but I would stop feeding the raw food or whatever has caused her poo to become greasy, the greasy look is NO good, I have a dog with IBD & you don’t want yellow sloppy poo, blood thru poo & greasy poo’s is a sign of too much fat in diet & can trigger Pancreatitis….
When you read the fat % on raw or wet tin it hasn’t been converted to dry matter fat (Kibble) yet, here’s an eg: 5% min fat in raw or wet tin is about 20min-25%max fat, now that’s very high for a dog who is prone to Pancreatitis, always stick with 3%max & under for fat in raw or wet tin food…..Hills wet tin vet diet’s have already been converted their fat to dry matter in their vet diet wet tin foods, Royal Canine & Purina Pro Plan vet diet haven’t converted the fat to DM yet but if you send any pet food company an email ask can you please convert the fat for ???? formula to dry matter % ..
always tell Pet Shop staff, my dog has Pancreatitis, then ask do you know much about Pancreatitis? & normally they will say oh my dog has Pancreatitis & I feed him ??? or they say they don’t know much about Pancreatitis..

Join this face book group, “Canine Pancreatitis Support” group https://www.facebook.com/groups/1435920120029740/
The lady that runs this group feeds a raw diet she can help you with what raw diets are best & there’s other people in the group that feed home made raw, cooked or wet/dry premium foods that are not vet diets..
also join this face book group, “Canine Diabetes Support & Information” group https://www.facebook.com/groups/CanineDiabetesSupportandInformation/
on the left you’ll see “Files” click on the Files & click on 3rd link “2017.3.26 CDSI Diabetes food options” scroll down a bit & you’ll see dry formula’s & wet tin foods you can buy in the pet shops & the lady has converted the fat% to DMB…..
Keep your girl on bland low fat diet for 1-2 weeks & feed more smaller meals to rest the Pancreas, she will go poo the rice has probably bound her up a bit, I don’t feed boiled rice it ferments in the stomach, your better off adding boiled potato or sweet potatoes, if she can’t poo then boil some sweet potato or boil pumkin & add about 1 spoon to her meals you can freeze the boil pumkin squares & take out as you need them… if you have the time to cook & freeze meals, cooked meals are best for Pancreatitis, look up “Balance It” it has recipes & Balance It powder to balance the meals https://secure.balanceit.com/
I was feeding cooked meal for 2 meals & dry kibble for the other 2 meals, my boy eats 4-5 small meals a day he cant digest big amounts of food, too much work & stress on his Pancreas….

[a c]

Hi, I am new here. I feel very frustrated and don’t know what to feed my girl.

I have a 10 years old miniature schnauzer who had an episode of acute pancreatitis back in end of April. Miniature Schnauzer are pron to pancreatitis. She was on antibiotics and fluid therapy for 3 days. The vet put her on Science diet ID can food for few days and told me to transition back to her normal diet after that. The lab report from end of May suggested she level was back to normal.

She has been on Science Diet food since she was a puppy. I thought Science Diet was the best dog food out there. How dumb am I? I thought about switching her to something else.

I went to a local pet store in mid May. I was told the best dog kibble food for my girl is Orijen senior. They also sold me the idea of raw diet. I purchased Stella and Chewy’s duck frozen patties. I feed my girl half Orijen and half raw with additional blue berries, zucchini, or pumpkin. Her stool was firm but every so often with a little greasy look.

Once I finished the bag of Stella and Chewy’s duck. They told me to try Primal lamb frozen nuggets. I also brought a bag of Primal freeze dried nuggets in turkey & sardine for easy travel. I have also tried Honest Kitchen Force. Then, I noticed the fat level on Orijen senior is high, so I cut back on the kibbles. This is where problems begun. I noticed her stools are more greasy and even looser.

To make long story short. I put her on plain chicken and rice with a little pumpkin starting yesterday. I noticed she is not passing stool during our twice a day walk. She has been doing it very regularly for the past month and half after the pancreatitis. She just had a yellow, greasy, loose stool about a hour ago.

I am very frustrated right now. I don’t know what to feed her. I made a call to my vet’s office. I was told they will put her on Science Diet ID or Purina EN which I knew both of those are full of carbs, fillers, and by-products. What should I do? Can anyone help?

[Karen B]

I have fed my Labrador Nature Variety Raw Boost kibble with 1/2 of their variety of can food for years. She remains lean, muscular and very healthy!

[Michael M]

Yep, Filler has really gotten a bad connotation. It’s gotten it for (mostly) good reasons of course. However, everything has to have some sort of “filler” in it unless you’re going a purely raw and natural diet.

I think following anon101’s advice makes the most sense and I was going to recommend the same. Also, if you don’t trust your vet, go find a new one! If you love your dogs, you can always get a second opinion. I do the same for my own health, and would also do the same for my pets.

[anonymous]

The 4 Best Fruits and Vegetables for Dogs
If altering your pet’s diet, there are a number of benefits to fruits and vegetables for dogs. Dogs are omnivores rather than carnivores, meaning they can enjoy a mixed combination of fruits, vegetables and meat and all of the benefits that they have to offer.
Here are the top 4 fruits and vegetables to take into consideration:
1. Bananas
Bananas are a fun addition to your dog’s meals, as well as for a special treat, especially because of the variety of ways in which it can be prepared. Banana biscuits, muffins, frozen, baked, or even simply mashed up, will likely be devoured by your eager pet. Bananas are high in soluble carbohydrates, so they’re an excellent source of energy. The antioxidants they contain are helpful to a dog’s fur and skin. Bananas are also rich in Vitamin C, are low in sodium, and rich with potassium. All these things are a great addition to your pet’s diet.
2. Carrots
Carrots have the benefit of being not only one of the tastier vegetables to dogs, but also one of the healthiest. Carrots are high in every vitamin from A, B, C, D, E and K. Not to mention that they’re packed with potassium, calcium and iron, while being low in calories at the same time. Carrots can be given raw, or baked or cooked.
3. Green Beans
Green beans are another tastier vegetable on the list that can replace those high-calorie treats from the store. In addition to being used in raw or home-cooked diets, it’s becoming more common to replace 1/3 to 1/2 of kibble with green beans to promote weight loss in obese dogs. Unless you have a very large dog, they won’t go through an entire can a day, so simply store the excess in the fridge for tomorrow’s meals.
4. Strawberries
Strawberries are known for containing an enzyme that helps to whiten teeth, which can be helpful for you pet on top of the vitamins they pack. However, while your dog will happily scarf down an entire bowl of these, keep in mind they’re high in sugar and should be given in moderation. Think of them as a dessert-treat.
As with any diet for your pet, balance and moderation is the key; don’t replace more than 20% of their meal with fruits and vegetables. Also keep in mind that while a wide variety of fruits and vegetables are healthy for your pet, always check with your veterinarian before making any big dietary changes. Some fruits/vegetables can be harmful or even fatal, such as onions, garlic, avocados, grapes, raisins or any citrus fruits (as the acid will upset their stomach). Always start your dog out on small amounts of fruits and vegetables if they’re unaccustomed to eating them so their digestive system has a chance to adapt.
(Excerpt from) https://www.vetinfo.com/the-4-best-fruits-vegetables-for-dogs.html

[Susan]

Hi Melissa have you tried raw chicken wings, chicken carcass, turkey legs etc, Chicken bone is the softest bone to digest & excellent for teeth cleaning, also it will depend how big your dog is with what type of bone you give…
Don’t give raw carrot, dogs don’t make the digestive enzymes to digest raw whole plant matter that’s why raw fruit & vegetables must be grounded into a pulp when added to a raw diet, the carrot will come back out whole in their poo also the dog will chew the carrot once twice & swallow carrot whole…
Has she broken her teeth with the Antlers?? they are very popular…. My boy loves to chew & is also an aggressive chewer but he has IBD so he just chews his balls & those toys for teeth cleaning, I don’t give any of these new air dried treats….
Have you seen these chews made by “Ziwi Peak” Deer Shank Bone, Deer Hoofer dog bone’s … https://www.ziwipets.com/catalog/ziwi-peak-dog-nutrition/oral-health-care-chews

[Connor D]

I really have to recommend Love Your Pet Bakery. Their website is http://www.loveyourpetbakery.com and they have a lot of different kinds of frozen raw foods. What I really like is that a) their stuff is all-natural so there are no preservatives or anything b) they also sell bones so your dog can get their needed calciums and c) they also sell treats that my guys really love!

[anonymous]

Hope these articles help.

Give a Dog a Bone (Not!)–FDA warns of dangers of feeding bones to dogs

http://www.embracepetinsurance.com/blog/harmful-side-animal-sourced-dog-chews
The only thing I give my dogs to chew is a raw carrot as a snack once a day. Watch them, if they are gulpers they could choke.
For dental, once a day brushings and annual checkups.

This is not veterinary advice; consult your veterinarian.

[Melissa H]

I’m looking for a durable chew bone for my aggressive chewer. I’ve tried antlers before. But I’m afraid of her breaking her teeth. I don’t like rawhide. What do you suggest?

[anonymous]

You could try a dome dish like this one https://www.chewy.com/indipets-stainless-steel-slow-pet/dp/135949 Slows them down a little. Don’t free feed (leave food out all day)
Also, add a splash of water to the food (1/4 cup).
If you want soft food soak the kibble in water overnight in the fridg.
Feed measured amounts twice a day, minimal snacks, try a raw carrot but observe and make sure she doesn’t try to swallow it whole. My dogs chew on them.

This is not veterinary advice; consult your veterinarian.

[Cathy P]

Hi everyone. I contacted Chewy and told them the issue. They haven’t heard of such thing of hair in kibbles for acana but they are glad that I told them. I provided the lot # and pictures of the kibbles so they would take action in their warehouse department. They told me to toss the food out if I am not comfortable giving it to my dogs. I got a full refund back.

As for Champion Petfoods, they emailed me back stating that hairs found in kibble are a natural result of the fresh ingredients inclusions in our diets. In my opinion, I don’t think any types of hair are nutritional for any living species. Please look at the response below I got from Champion Petfoods.

Hi Cathy,

After forwarding the information you provided to our Quality Assurance team, they believe that the hairs found in the kibble are a natural result of the fresh ingredient inclusions in our diets.

Because our foods have very high inclusions of meat ingredients, you may occasionally find small hairs in the food. While unsightly, hairs in the kibble in no way compromise the nutritional quality or safety of the food, and are typically present in any natural diet.

QA has also assured me that we are working with our suppliers to enhance quality control parameters to minimize the possibility of inclusion of small hairs in the raw ingredients we utilize. Furthermore, I want to affirm for you that our foods provide a healthy choice for your pet by including fresh red meat ingredients in healthy and non-rendered form.

As such, these hairs pose no health risk to your dog and it is perfectly fine to continue to feed him this kibble. There is no need to throw the food away, as these hairs do not compromise the nutritional or microbiological quality of the food.

I hope this information has provided you some peace of mind about the safety of the food in question. Of course, if you have any further questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to contact me.

Warm Regards,

Elyse
Customer Care
Champion Petfoods LP

• This reply was modified 8 years, 9 months ago by Cathy P.

[anonymous]

You could ask your vet for a referral or call the nearest School of Veterinary Medicine. A dermatologist is the only way to get an accurate diagnosis.
They do specific tests to identify, plus they have examined thousands of dogs and can often tell a lot just by examining the dog.
I get it, you don’t want to spend the money. But, in my experience you are likely to spend a lot more going back and forth to the regular vet for band aid treatments, various diets, bogus remedies, air purifiers, dehumidifiers, meat grinders for raw diet.
Been there, done that.
Good luck with whatever you decide.

This is not veterinary advice; consult your veterinarian.

[Susan]

Hi Megan don’t forget if your making your own home made raw for cats they need dietary source of amino acid taurine which is found in meat but when you cook meat it can be destroyed but your raw feeding…Whole Mackerel, shellfish, Turkey legs, beef liver, chicken liver, lamb all high in taurine…
I feed pre-made raw to my 1yr old cat but cause I got her at 5months old she must of eating dry cheap kibble, she always wants her dry kibble as well as the raw, if she doesn’t have any dry kibble, she comes over & tries to eat the dogs dry kibble, acts like she hasn’t eaten & wasn’t feed so I bought “Ziwi Peak? Lamb & Mackerel air dried & the wet tins but the tins are too expensive, the price for x Ziwi Peak wet tin raw rabbit cost the same as 5 sachets of pre-made kangaroo & chicken pack, I also buy Sunday Pets, freeze dried Green Lipped Mussels, I give her 2 mussels a day as a treat for lunch she loves her mussels…
I give Indy chicken wings twice a week for breakfast, I cut the chicken wings in 1/2….Chicken bone is the softest bone & excellent for cleaning their teeth….
You have a very lucky cat..

[Tatiana R]

My 10 year old dachshund itched her butt sligtly here and there, nothing that would worry me. Her annual visit came around and the vet said her glands are large and full, that he advised to express them (or pop them? first time I heard someone use “express” as a term for it) and ever since then.. my dog is licking her genitals and anal to the point where she is raw. She is now starting to scratch on her snout, as if her mouth is itchy. Doctor gave her allergy medicine and steroids, but she won’t stop itching… she looks like she’s getting a small blister around her genitals too, possibly from licking so much. PLEASE HELP. I thought expressing the glands is supposed to help a dog not itch, not make them itch worse than ever before!!

[Cathy B]

Hi Megan,
I just mailed off my book to an out of state poster looking for Dr. Becker’s book. So keep looking, you may get lucky. Also, she does have a raw recipe on her website that I’ve made a few times. Try calling the library and asking if they can get ( or if the have) her book that you can borrow. I’ve done that a few times with some pet recipe books.

[Megan D]

Hi All!

I have fed my cats a commercial raw diet for years, and recently began making it myself. I have also began feeding my dogs raw. It is most convenient and comfortable for me to make a multi mix patty with all the ingredients needed incorporated in. I’m having a hard time finding an assortment of recipes for this sort of food.

I really want Dr. Karen Beckers book, but it is out of stock.

Does anyone have any recipe suggestions, or have that book sitting around that i could buy it from them? or lend? or take pictures of the pages? LOL. Thanks!

Megan

[noelle o]

put a few bars of dark chocolate in front of most dogs and they would relish eating it…and die. it is toxic to dogs. that is why we control what they eat. would I stop my dogs eating dead rats or mice found ? of course …probably poisoned or diseased. vets warn against chicken bones and advise against raw feeding for all sorts of reasons…i certainly would like most responsible pet owners take away any dead animal my dogs might try and eat for all sorts of disease and perforated stomach risk preventiion issues…that wolves died easily from such problems is not something most pet owners wish for their pets so all we feed our pets is unnatural and decided on by us at the end of the day. We control what our pets eat…or else they would die if allowed to eat what they wanted to as examples given prove.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 9 months ago by noelle o.

[Susan]

Hi Jr S
I’m bumping up your post, have you joined face book groups like, “K-9 Nutrition” run by Lew Olson & “K-9 Kitchen” run by Monica Segal…. this is a really good “Raw & Holistic Cat & Dog Support Group” a few nutritionist are in the group…. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1411906099101822/

[Susan]

Hi Noello,
your wrong the oldest living dog was “Maggie” lived & worked on a dairy farm Victoria Australia, she lived to be 30 yrs old, passed 2016, Maggie ate a RAW diet, dead baby calves when they were born dead & the placenta from the calf, the placenta is very healthy & she ate left overs from dinner & had 1 cup of fresh cows milk straight from the cow 6am every morning, google her story “Maggie the oldest dog in the world” it’s a beautiful story….
You wont find too many old Vegan dogs over 15 yrs old, cancer loves carbs & thrives, all vegan diets are very high in carbohydrates….. very SAD all these vegans who push their beliefs onto your poor pets who love & live for meat diets …..
In Australia we had a real bad cruelty case where the women feed her poor kitten & vegan diet, you should have seen the state of this poor cat at 1 yr old it was awful, the lady was charged with animal cruelty & never to have another pet again……

[Spy Car]

Unfortunately, this forum is trolled by anti-raw zealots who repeatedly post the same tired links.

Those interested in a raw diet would do well to seek out Prey Model Raw (PMR) resources.

Fruits, vegetables, and other carbohydrates are not essential to a canine diet, and in fact are negative ingredients.

A PP was correct about by-products being useful in a raw diet. There is, however, a world of difference between feeding fresh and wholesome by-products and the sort of contaminated/condemned items that can legally be swept off slaughterhouse floors to be included in pet food, so long as these items are first sent to a rendering plant.

[Susan]

Hi Melissa,
sounds like you have a puppy with a very sensitive stomach/bowel, he may suffer with skin allergies as he get’s older, there’s a few Goldendoodles with sensitive stomach & skin on a Face Book group I belong too….
Food sensitivities/intolerances can take anywhere from 1 day to 6 weeks to react to a certain ingredient & have Intestinal stress… sounds like there’s an ingredient in the Fromm he’s sensitive too..
My boy has skin allergies & food intolerances & can’t eat high fat meals, tapioca, beet pulp, liver, barley & high fiber kibbles & too many proteins & ingredients he gets stomach up sets, acid reflux, sloppy poos/diarrhea & he wakes up 2am, 4am or 5am crying at the front door to be let out to have diarrhea, sometimes you can hear loud grumbling noises coming from his bowel (Wind)….
You’ll have to start working out what agrees with him & what doesn’t, keep a diary & write down foods, kibbles etc that don’t agree with him & try & work out if there’s an common ingredient, I ended up doing a elimination food diet..

I’ve had great success with “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb, it is a single protein formula with just lamb meal & has limited ingredients, grain free & is a all life stages formula, has the matching wet tin food…… https://www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/

When a dog knows a food/kibble causes pain, upset stomach, wind, nausea they’re hesitate to eat it or don’t eat it at all, listen to your dog when he doesn’t want to eat something, he’s telling you, mum this makes me sick, offer to feed something else, he might prefer a wet tin food, cooked, raw or rotate between 2 brands of kibbles that’s what I do, so he doesn’t get sick of eating the same kibble formula, Patch gets Canidae Pure for breakfast & TOTW for lunch & dinner…but you have pup I don’t know how it works rotating Puppy formula’s if it’s Ok….ask & email the kibble company, they would know….
TOTW have vet nutritionist that email back & give advise…

Canidae is another food I feed the Canidae Pure Wild Boar, all the Pure formula’s have limited ingredients.
Canidae have a 3 large breed puppy formula’s, 2 in their “Life Stages” formula’s dry & wet tin, Canidae have a new Large breed puppy Turkey & Brown Rice that has only 1 protein Turkey Meal that’s not too high in protein or fat & can be feed all stages of life Puppy, Adult & Senior large breed…
http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products/canidae-all-life-stages-large-breed-turkey-meal-brown-rice-dry-formula
or Canidae Life Stages Large breed Puppy Duck Meal & Lentils wet & dry
or Canidae’s “Under The Sun” Large Breed Puppy Chicken dry

Maybe try a kibble that has limited ingredient & only 1 protein & see how he goes, no more then 8 ingredients so there’s less ingredients to cause any problems .. Read the ingredients, fiber, fat & protein % in the Nutrisource Puppy formula & the Fromm Heartland Puppy & see is there heaps of ingredients? how many different proteins? is the Fat, Fiber & Protein on the higher end?
Best to buy from a Pet Shop this way you can take it back for a refund & try another food if he doesn’t really want to eat it…..

[HoundMusic]

“Just an idea – Everything I read tells you that yeast is caused by sugar and starch turns into sugar. And what foods are high in starch? Potatoes! Try taking her off starchy foods. ”

Yeast is not caused by sugar; however, sugar is a food source for yeast. That being said, the myth that carbs will cause a yeast infection is a perfect example of how correlation does not mean causation. Yeast may require carbs to survive, but so does every other healthy cell in the body. When yeast or bacterial infections are chronic, it normally signals a deeper problem going on, namely, an autoimmune or hormonal issue. Speaking personally, as someone with severe hypothyroidism, “yeast starving diets” may kill off some of the nasty little buggers, but the dietary deficiency of complex carbohydrates will only further sicken the “host” and worsen the underlying condition.

Thyroid issues are a major cause of recurrent yeast infections in animals and humans. Even if thyroid is borderline low, it depresses the immune system and the will yeast multiply like rabbits.

Some of the worst bacterial/yeasty ears I have ever seen were on dogs fed prey model raw. Many, many years ago, I had a Shepherd mix who developed a recurrent infection several months after being placed on a zero carb raw diet. In that instance, he had one weepy, disgusting ear for the rest of his life, and was on every ear treatment imaginable. There were no deformities, etc. of the inner ear, either. I went back to raw for some unfathomable reason about 3 years ago, and several of my older dogs developed ear infections, amongst a plethora of other issues. from about 2014-2016, I was pumping their ears full of different meds, even the steroidal Zymox. One poor old hound couldn’t even properly aroooo without flapping his head to and fro 🙁 Two months on a moderate grain home-cooked diet, and voila! Ear/eye/rotted teeth conditions begin clearing up without the use of medications. Even my dog with hypothyroidism/cancer got well enough to be weaned off thyroid supplementation.

So I don’t buy that lowering the carbs is a solution for yeasty ears. Instead, get to the bottom of what is causing the dog to be unable to ward off the infections – is it a hormonal imbalance, an autoimmune disease, a systemic bacterial infection or food/environmental allergy running down the immune system?