[Yvonne H]

Here is an update on Wanda and her NO-HIDE chew.
Having a sick dog while away from home (and our family vet), in itself, is very stressful.

Our $5 NO-CHEW has now gone over $300 with vet bills.
The vet did a test for Giardia. None found.
The vet put Wanda on a second round of metronidazole and added Purina’s probiotics.
Things are better but not resolved.

Because of this experience, I bought a food processor and a dehydrator.
From here on out, my dogs are getting nothing that I would not eat myself.
I have decided to cook (not raw) for my dogs. I will be making their dog food and treats using human grade products.

As a matter of fact, the slices of dehydrated chicken breast is so good, I have to make extra for the dogs (smile) because I eat it too.

As a side note: Earth Animal representatives, in their emails, appeared to be very concerned about the welfare of my dog UNTIL I let them know I was aware of the class action lawsuit. Since then I have not heard another word from them.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 6 months ago by Yvonne H.

[M]

Hello Aimee,

Thank you for your response, to an old post that you thought must have ended … I changed my profile name to what everyone calls me … M …

I think all the research you did was just amazing and I can’t tell you how appreciative I am as I was using the earth animal no rawhide chews for a long time! It was such an eye opener for me as will now double and triple check what I use as treats.

I’m not sure if there is a way to send you a private message on here? Or if one can share their email as I’d like to stay in-touch with you if possible.

Many thanks 🙏 Amina or M

[aimee]

Hi Amina,

I’m glad you found the information helpful. It is hard to believe that it has been a little over 3 1/2 years since my initial post when I, like you, tried to recreate a No Hide using labeled ingredients. It is interesting to note that when the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture sent Salmon No Hide for testing the lab reported a protein content of 88.49%. This suggests that the water, carbohydrate, fat, and ash taken together would be ~ 11.5%. Starch test results were reported as 0.5% . Truly baffling to me when I consider the reported ingredients. It appears to me that there is an unreported nitrogen source in this product. ( In lab analysis protein is estimated based on nitrogen testing) and I have no explanation for the very low reported starch content in a product which lists brown rice flour as the second ingredient.

There is a lot of information since posted about this product and a current class action suit that alleges the product contains rawhide.

I don’t know that there are any truly “safe” chews. There is risk and benefit in everything. If looking for a consumable dental chew I’d suggest you choose from the Veterinary Oral Health Council accepted products for dogs list. Personally, I look for a product that was found effective against plaque and I appreciate that Greenies are formulated to meet AAFCO maintenance making it easy to incorporate them into a feeding plan without concern of unbalancing the diet. Keep in mind that just as we need to see a dentist regularly despite daily brushing and flossing, your dog also needs to be treated by a veterinarian on a regular basis.

[M]

@aimee, I literally just read this entire thread, as I was searching for what was in the earth animal / no raw hide chews. I thought if it’s rice, then, maybe I can cook rice make it into pasta like sheets and roll them up and soak them in chicken gelatin !!! 😂 how hard could it be to make them?

I am so so thankful for all of your research and time and effort spent on this as sadly I have been feeding these to my dog for a few years now!!! Thank God that I searched the subject and this thread came up.

If it wasn’t for this thread I would have continued to buy these chews as my dog loves them!!! You might have saved his life 🙏 so I thank you for investigating this.

Do you recommend any safe chews I can give him? He’s only 9lbs and needs to chew on something … The Himalayan Milk sticks might be something I could go back to. I need a dental chew for breath that’s safe.

Again Thank you so much for this amazing thread 🙏

[KathyA P]

I am so glad I saw these posts! I usually only give Best Brand odor free bully sticks to chew for a half hour to an hour. I saw the no hide ad and decided to try them. When they came, I started having second thoughts because they look just like rawhide to me. Thank God I didn’t give them before I saw this! I’m throwing them away!

[runi K]

Make sure the meat you are feeding is fresh and good quality! Another transition method is to switch directly from kibble by offering one meal of raw food followed by one meal of kibble, and gradually reducing the number of kibble meals.

[Yvonne H]

@aimee – thank you. We went to see the vet today. Close to $170 later, I SO regret buying the $5 NO-HIDE chew that ends up being rolled rawhide.

I asked my vet to file a case with the FDA and I will also file a case with the local Department of Agriculture here in Washington state.

My friend directed me to a class action lawsuit that is currently running against Earth Animal and I started to read all the horror stories posted by other people.

Holy cow … no wonder my dog is sick.

[Yvonne H]

I wish I had read these posts before I purchased the NO-HIDE Chicken chews.
But, I did not and now my dog is paying the price.

Normally, my dogs get nothing other than dog food, I live on the second floor and do not care to make multiple trips downstairs throughout the night.

Between throwing up, extremely soft stools and generally pacing all night, this chew was the only thing different in her diet yesterday.

Though I read the label carefully, I must admit, it sure looked like a rawhide chew once she started chewing it. When it started to unwrap, I cut the loose pieces off with a scissor to avoid getting them stuck in her throat. When it totally unraveled, I threw the whole thing away.

My other dog was a lot smarter. One sniff and he had no interest.

[Karisa K]

I have a 18 week old Siberian, pure bred, from
Champion AKC lines & has had diarrhea since receiving him @ 9 weeks. Taking out stress, anxiety induced diarrhea from his travels,flight, separation from litter, the vet & a new home + tested for everything Vet placed him in RC High Energy Gastro Wet & worked. However, not sustainable & even tho Royal Canine is a vet brand & has been around there are so many more high quality, fewer ingredients + raw or other like Brands from Europe that have much higher food controls then US. Thought chicken, white meat allergy b/c of itching of ears/rears & tried Taste of Wild salmon puppy only fish, no chicken & that worked for 2 weeks then diarrhea again. No treats other than a split antler . which Breeder recommended. Yes, did boiled Turkey rice pumpkin & had added pumpkin supplement all along. Trying a new vet today. Only 2x has he become lethargic & did put weight on when on Taste of Wild but that now causes diarrhea. Also tried only filtered water. No difference. Have tried lamb too, nope.
Was Wondering if any of you have experienced a protein intolerance above 30% ? Which is the protein % of RC. All others are much higher protein/fat to vegetable/fruit (fiber) ratios.
Yes- did The prescription grade probiotics and prebiotic’s two rounds, raw goat milk, and also the traditional antibiotic anti-diarrhea protocol.

[malinda r]

Hi, I have a dog with sensitive stomach, 40lb, 8 years old. He’s had the issues since I got him at 2 years old but he’s greatly improved with some trial and error.
I don’t think he’s vomited in 2 years which is incredible compared to the first year I had him!

We feed Carna4 chicken for kibble, it’s baked rather than extruded, made in Canada. In the am we give Stella & Chewys raw dehydrated patties with a little kibble, in the evening we give health extension canned turkey with kibble. Although lately the canned has changed formula, not so great.
But anyway I would suggest using some freeze dried raw with the kibble, it’s rehydrated with a little water.
We feed cooked ground turkey anytime he has loose stools, and lay off the kibble. That seems to have solve some of his issues.
Some days we feed primal raw frozen nuggets, or Evermore frozen lightly cooked, delivery service dog food.
It’s funny because it’s well known that you shouldn’t just throw a new food at a dog, because that alone could make the dog sick. But there are some high quality foods that we feed once or twice a week and there’s no adjustment period.
We limit water and high energy play for 30 minutes after eating, I started realizing my dog wasn’t digesting his food well, based on vomit and diarrhea I’d see when he was sick. So I try to let his stomach do it’s work without the added stress of play or excessive water. ( my dogs an ocd water drinker!)

[Patricia A]

Make sure you give small meals a few times a day as not to have an empty stomach. Also it’s very hard on a dogs stomach to keep switching foods. I believe there has been several studies which state allergy testing for digestive disturbances are a waste of time. https://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/adverse-food-reactions-february-2019/ Just like people you will know if when you feed your dog a certain food and he vomits or has diarrhea. You just have to isolate what food you gave is the culprit. For instance I can give my dog a raw carrot for first time and also the next day maybe a piece of boiled plane salmon from my meal. Then my dog throws up or has diarrhea several hours later or next day. So which is the culprit ? Try again with just the raw carrot and if same thing happens you know dog has digestive disturbance from carrot and I will not feed again. So make sure you start any new food VERY, VERY, VERY slowly and not feed anything else. If after a few days she has upset then the food is not for her. Don’t want to be an endorsement for any particular brand but when I do feed kibble I give Stella chewys raw coated chicken grain free. Reason for this is because there were so many on their f/b forum that had dogs with sensitive stomachs and their dogs do very well on this kibble. AGAin VERY slow change over. Even three kibbles at a time a day and see how she does when introducing a new food.

[jeanne e]

RAWHIDE STICKS, BONES, CHEWS & other processed chew treats.

My dog is very sick. BW showed liver level of 950. Normal is about 130 ish. Doing research on the above chew sticks that he loves I came across these toxic ingredients. High liver enzymes can be caused by anything ingested that is toxic. The above, on many different websites showed the following results.
When tested: Lead, Arsenic, Mercury, Chromium salts, Formaldehyde and other toxic chemicals have been detected in rawhides. So it’s safe to say that any sort of glues can be used as well!
3-5 days to digest, so whatever given amount, the rawhide with the toxic chemicals sit in their organs and do damage.
The piece of rawhide may be flexible enough and get broke down by the intestinal tract enough to pass (it can take 3-5 days)

[Patricia A]

Clair have you looked into Freeze dried food. Many brands with single proteins. Also no need to look for grain in food if enough meat protein and nutritional ingredients are in the food naturally. Freeze dried is rehydrated to a soft consistently with warm water. Just look on top of DFA “BEST DOG FOOD” and select raw. I always stick to 5* reviews. Primal, Stella Chewy, Small batch, Bixbi Rawbbles, Open Farm are to name a few. Just go SLOWLY when transitioning. VERY Slowly. Good luck hope this helps. Also forgot to say most use HPP process as a kill process to kill bacteria in food. Still keeps the nutrients in food unlike kibble or canned..

• This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by Patricia A.

[Janet M]

My dog has kidney disease and can’t tolerate any of the commercial kidney disease kibble. She gets diarrhea. I have bags of unused food and have thrown some out. I have used Balance it, a website, where you have a canine nutritionist work your vet to develop a home made diet. I bought all of the ingredients and a scale, made the food and my dog couldn’t tolerate that. I thought I was buying a low protein raw food only to discover that isn’t really low protein after all. I’m so stressed. If anyone has any suggestions, I’d love to hear them. Right now, I’m just reducing her regular food and adding a bunch of rice, hoping that reduces the amount of protein. I add a couple drops of high quality fish oil and nutritional yeast.

[Amanda V]

Hi,

We have a 55 pound mixed breed pup who’s 2 years old. He has a very sensitive stomach and so far the only food he’s done well on is just food for dogs turkey and whole wheat pasta. We have been cooking fresh food for him for over a year but we travel a lot with him which makes it hard. We want to try a dry food but don’t know where to start. Before the fresh food we tried Purina, hills, blue Buffalo, etc. he was even on the vet’s chicken prescription food. Does anyone have any suggestions for dogs with similar stomachs? We are open to regular dry or dehydrated raw. With precious dry food he always had bathroom issues as well as would throw up fairly frequently, have itchy paws and need his anal glands expressed often. The fresh food fixed everything but the itchy paws and anal glands. Thanks in advance!

[Patricia A]

Jude with the 19 year old I could relate not eating. My 17 year old Chihuahua who was put to rest had Mitral Valve disease . Was active and fine the year before and enjoyed her food. This being only Uhh Fromm kibble. My journey of her not eating that anymore led me to several different canned food. No luck with that either for her. I started to cook everything for her. One day she would eat boiled chicken and the next not. Shredded steak then would walk away. I was virtually at her all day just getting some nutrition in her. Oatmeal, eggs, salmon etc. Also would have to hide her heart pill in food. She would taste pill and spit out. Got to the point I thought I found the trick with a ltttle ice cream with pill smashed up in it. That didn’t last either. So many reasons I’m sure your 19 year old is not eating as she did.
My journey with Hannah opened my mind to nutrition for my other two dogs. That led me to freeze dried. Wasn’t ready to give up kibble so switched to Stella chewy’s which I trust to be very good for a kibble. But researched the best freeze dried along with a small portion of kibble and also home cooked.
With your 3 year old what was she eating before you fed fresh frozen? Maybe just not appealing to her. Does she even try to taste it and then turn away. If she doesn’t even do that then leave out a bit and refrigerate and try again later. If healthy she’ll eat eventually.
I feed my 11 year old Chihuahua ( she lover all food) and my 5 year old freeze dried. Doesn’t break the bank since they are small. Also home cooked that we eat when appropriate. They always get pieces of boiled egg in morning for breakfast. I also stretch the freeze dried with Stella chewys raw coated chicken kibble grain free. Most picky dogs LOVE their food. So I rated with Primal freeze dried. Only 5* ratings for the lower fat. Also Stella chewys freeze dried patties 5* proteins/flavor also. They also love Bixbi Rawwble and Open farm freeze dried. I give this as treats.
So all of these were introduced VERY, VERY, VERY slowly. They both gobble up their freeze dried soaked in a little warm water to hydrate and a little Stella’s kibble.
My trick with my pickle 5 year old was to put down and take away. She knew I meant business and ate her much better quality food then just kibble. Now she drools before I put bowl down.As I said kibble is a VERY small portion of their diet but they just love the Stella’s so I still give a little mixed in. I like variety. All healthy blood work also. Hope this helps.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 10 months ago by Patricia A.

[Joanne S]

For anyone wanting to know more about Ross Wells raw food…

Since the Ross Wells Titan Red and Titan Blue blends…AAFCO for ALS commercial raw grinds…have been discussed lately on threads where people are looking to reduce their costs or because DIY is not a good fit and because I know the two brothers (John and Robert) who own Ross Wells, it crossed my mind that others might be interested in what I know about them. So here goes for starters and any questions just ask…I’ll do my best. But John is very easy to talk to and the absolute best resource since he produces these foods. If you are interested call John at 262-242-0200 to see if there is a buying group near you…they don’t all have an online presence for Google or Facebook to find. Each buying group will add prorated shipping costs and those will vary by group size and location.

Is RW the Cadillac of commercial raw grinds? No. But the RW Titans are a very good pre-made, complete and balanced raw grind priced affordably enough for pretty much anyone who feeds a decent quality kibble. I’ve been feeding RW to multiple dogs for over 15 years. As have many of my friends since RW is local for us. And we all feel blessed to be in RW’s back yard for in person pick up at either their plant in Medford, WI or their office in Mequon, WI.

The reasons Ross Wells products are so inexpensive are as follows. They don’t market their products at all. They recently created a website and it’s very no frills. Most people don’t understand how terribly expensive marketing is. They also don’t ship product below a large minimum order so only buying groups and zoos, etc. can afford to order their products shipped…a huge overhead savings. And their product packaging is very basic. They don’t spend money on pretty. John and his brother Robert are two very down to earth guys who epitomize Midwestern values…they are in business to make a profit but they are not profit driven. And John is constantly looking for low pricing on raw materials. The only downside is that not everyone lives within reasonable driving distance to a RW buying group or to their plant or office.

Ross Wells raw foods do not contain 3/4D meat. Many years ago when RW began producing raw food, they used to make a raw grind *specifically for*, at *their request* and sold *only to* sled dog team handlers who fed tens to hundreds of dogs and to other customers who specifically requested it. These mushers directly requested 3/4D meat in order to reduce their monumental feeding costs. RW has always used only human grade meat for their pet food lines and stopped producing the sled dog line a few years ago when some of their pet food customers had concerns about potential cross contamination.

Titan Red and Titan Blue do not contain charcoal. The RW single proteins didn’t used to contain charcoal but do now because the state forced John to denature them to prevent them from potentially being misconstrued as human food. Ross Wells’ main business is ingredient sales to major dog food companies so once they pick up human grade meats with their trucks those meats automatically lose their legal human grade food status. Chain of custody is very important to the USDA.

There are a few raw food distributors who now stock Ross Wells products but their ship charges can be hefty. You can always call John to verify that he provides product to the distributor you are considering if you’d like to confirm product authenticity.

[CHRISTINE C]

Response to comment regarding quality – 3rd and 4th grade meats are not used. You do not know what meat is used in kibble food, etc. my dogs have thrived on Titan raw food.

[Patricia A]

BellaBea if you require a food that is limited ingredients and grain free dry there are many. One example is Open Farm. Here is a link which lets you look at chart to pick one for your dogs needs. I believe their Salmon is grain free/chicken free. https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0016/2509/6305/files/highlights-premium-nutrition-dietary-sensitivities-chart.pdf?152945
I also suggest Stella Chewy’s grain free limited ingredients or Natures Logic. You also can’t go wrong with store brought raw or freeze dried for convenience. You pick the protein and contains no peas or extra fillers or grains. To name a few there’s Primal, Open Farm, Vital Essentials, Small Batch, Bixbi Rawwbles. All 5* reviews. Just make sure ANY new food is introduced VERY, VERY, VERY slowly.

[Smith L]

If you are looking the quality and affordable Frozen Tripe For Dogs in Manchester, you should free to contact us at any time and during the pandemic , we are available 24/7 and deliver the food at your location. We follow all the guidelines of UK government.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 11 months ago by Smith L.

[Chipy]

Hi Diane,

Sorry to hear you are going through this with your beloved Havanese boy and I hope to provide you with some information that might be helpful.

Dr. Dobias has written an article about liver disease in which he discusses elevated enzymes and his protocol. He has seen excellent results from the bi-annual liver cleanse protocol, both proactively and for dogs dealing with existing liver issues and enzyme elevation.

Treating & Preventing Liver Disease Naturally:
https://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/11014997-treating-and-preventing-liver-disease-naturally

LiverTune is an herbal supplement recommended for high liver enzymes and liver conditions:
LiverTune®

It’s great that you feed him raw food, but please be careful with liver treats. Dehydrated treats can be harmless in small amounts but toxic when it is frequently given – like dehydrated liver treats.

The reasons why liver treats, especially the dehydrated ones, put our dogs in danger of hypervitaminosis A are that they are greatly reduced in volume during dehydration, and they contain ten times or more vitamin A than the raw liver or cooked liver.

Liver treat toxicity in dogs:
https://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/liver-treat-toxicity-in-dogs

12 things you must know about dog treats:
https://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/11014081-12-things-you-must-know-about-dog-treats

I hope this helps. Wishing you and your pup all the best in happiness and good health 🙂
Chipy

[Patricia A]

Sound like a good starter plan Subby. With any luck it was only the treats that were disagreeing with her. So stools firm up and none of those treats. Then slowly introducing the kibble back maybe even starting with just two on top of her chicken/rice. Then four etc. No reason even to stop the chicken at times even if the kibble is agreeing with her. I often feed pieces of hard boiled egg to mine also. Don’t think that would disagree with most dogs and the white of the egg is another source of good protein. Just first make sure introducing the egg when no diarrhea for awhile so it’s easy to tell the foods that doesn’t work with her.
Maybe, with time you can introduce another treat. I use freeze dried in open Farm or Bixbi. Their just little nuggets in different protein. Also had luck with feeding these even to my one that tends toward sensitive stomach. Just one though to see how she does. Even a string bean could be a nutritious treat as an answer to a question below. .
(Yes, your dog can eat green beans. Plain, unseasoned green beans can be a healthy addition to supplement your dog’s diet. Just remember: all dogs react differently to each and every food. Moderation is key here to avoid gas or diarrhea.) I myself give canned. My one doesn’t digest the raw . The other like raw carrots though.
UHHH I!! know how she feels. Just figured out that I can continue eating Japanese food. It wasn’t the rolls but the the salad dressing they used that was doing me in. lol Keep me updated and fingers crossed no more tummy trouble.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 11 months ago by Patricia A.

[Nicholas S]

Since Billinghurst’s publication, Give Your Dog a Bone, has been printed, a lot of different kinds of raw dog foods diets have emerged, such as commercially processed raw food diets which are either frozen or freeze-dried and bland diets that use mixtures of vegetables, grains, and vitamins which are blended with raw meat bought from the proprietor in the grocery store. Along with this diet, you can exercise your dog regularly at home or go out into the park.

For exercise:
https://calmingpetsbed.com/how-to-exercise-your-dog-indoors/

[Maria P]

We just adopted an 8 month old shepherd/lab mix that tested positive for distemper. She’s on antibiotics and we do understand that depending on how it progresses, she may not make it. But we are hopeful due to her age, the fact that she did have some immunity since she had one vaccine already, the fact that she’s had it for 4 weeks with no neurological issues, etc. okay- now on to the food part. She’s also extremely picky. She will only pick here and there. I’ve bought everything under the sun (raw, dehydrated, kibble, canned) and she probably eats 1 tablespoon of anything at a time. So I’ve resorted to giving her small things here are there- 2 apple slices, a little cooked egg, some string cheese, a little chicken, a handful of good quality kibble (Stella & chewy’s), lamb lung treats (her favorite). Do you think this is okay while she’s ill? She’s very underweight due to her illness and the fact that she won’t eat. Any suggestions? I feel like I’ve tried it all. (Broth, goat milk, cottage cheese, yogurt, etc)

[Maria P]

We just adopted an 8 month old shepherd/lab mix that tested positive for distemper. She’s on antibiotics and we do understand that depending on how it progresses, she may not make it. But we are hopeful due to her age, the fact that she did have some immunity since she had one vaccine already, the fact that she’s had it for 4 weeks with no neurological issues, etc. okay- now on to the food part. She’s also extremely picky. She will only pick here and there. I’ve bought everything under the sun (raw, dehydrated, kibble, canned) and she probably eats 1 tablespoon of anything at a time. So I’ve resorted to giving her small things here are there- 2 apple slices, a little cooked egg, some string cheese, a little chicken, a handful of good quality kibble (Stella & chewy’s). Do you think this is okay while she’s ill? She’s very underweight due to her illness and the fact that she won’t eat. Any suggestions? I feel like I’ve tried it all. (Broth, goat milk, cottage cheese, yogurt, etc)

[Susan]

Hi my rescue boy suffers with IBD, vet said he was eating a POOR diet old owners probably kept feeding him a poor quality pet food that had ingredients he was sensitive too for the first 4yrs of his life before I rescued him.

If you can afford to see a Animal Nutritionist to make him a balance raw diet or cooked diet this will be the best….
Dogs Digestive Tract is short made to digest a raw diet.
Follow Dr Judy Morgan she has her Yin & Yang book, she has easy to make balanced recipes online. There’s a few people you can follow so your new pup has a healthy start to his life & your right kibble isn’t the best, kibble is processed & cooked at very high temps, all nutrients are killed & then they have to add synthetic vitamins that are from China & have killed thousands of dogs big recalls over the years. Hills just had a big recall too much Vitamin D in their pet foods.
If you want to feed 1 of the big 4 pet food companies then look at Royal Canin. You can also contact Royal Canin & speak with 1 of their Nutritionist they will help you work out whats best to feed your growing pup.

I have found a Grain Free potato diets have been best for my boy when he has diarrhea/sloppy poos etc when I first rescued him. The Potato firms up poos, soothes stomach, easy to digest & let his stomach & bowel heal.

If you are feeding a Dry kibble look for a limited ingredient kibble to start with, less is best, less to react too, get your puppy stable for 3-4 months, no sloppy poos, also put him on a good dog Probiotic unless the dog food “Wellness” has Probiotics in them .

“Wellness” – been making pet food over 100yrs-
https://www.wellnesspetfood.com/natural-dog-food/product-catalog/simple-limited-ingredient-turkey-potato-recipe

“Cana4” – does not use any Synthetic vitamin mixes, is made in Canada-

Our Story

“Instinct Original Grain-Free Dry” –
https://www.instinctpetfood.com/dogs/limited-ingredient-diet

[Susan]

Hi
Stop feeding the Stella & Chewy raw..
Find a free range human grade raw company or make your own raw diet with human grade raw meats/green veggies.
Sounds like the raw meat might be high in Toxins, Heavy Metals & Contaminates. Toxins can cause elevated ALT levels??
This was happening with my boy 2yrs ago when he ate a certain USA kibble he kept having elevated ALT levels..Then this USA pet food company was all over the internet being sued for their kibble being very HIGH IN TOXINS.
As soon as I changed his diet to a different brand his elevated ALT levels went back to normal.
My dogs Nutritionist who formulated my dog raw diet said to only use human grade meats I eat, she would NOT let me feed any of these Pre-made raw pet foods.
It’s worth a try changing diet & see what happens, also your dog needs to be on a large breed puppy diet till 2yrs old so his growing bones don’t grow too quickly & cause joint problems later on, if you have the money find a Nutritionist to balance him a raw diet made from Human grade ingredients + blended green veggies so diet is not too high in calcium and phosphorus & hopefully toxin free…
https://todaysveterinarynurse.com/articles/giant-expectations-nutrition-for-the-large-breed-puppy/

[Susan]

Hi my boy the same he does well on Royal Canine vet diets BUT if its a grain kibble he suffers with food sensitivities & gets yeasty smelly itchy skin. Hes doing well on Royal Canin- Sensitivity Control Duck & Tapioca vet diet but I dont think you get this in USA we get our R/C from France-Europe

Look at The Royal Canin Duck & Potato or the other novel proteins R/C has in wet can /dry food .
My boy did excellent on “Wellness Simple Turkey & Potato” kibble but we stop getting the Wellness Simple in Australia last yr.
Potato is excellent when dogs suffer with IBD potato soothes stomach easy to digest & firms poos, potato is also a low allergen this is why Potato is used in vet diets, its worth a try.
Wellness Simple has matching Wet can foods but they’re higher in fat then the matching kibbles, when they’ve been converted to dry matter fat% they’re over 30%+ fat it all depends on the Moisture %, under 78%-Moisture the fat will be lower min fat, over 78% Moisture the fat will be higher max fat%..
Wet can, raw, dog rolls, air dried/freezed dried Raw etc Guaranteed Analysis hasn’t been converted to Dry Matter like kibble.
https://www.wellnesspetfood.com/natural-dog-food/product-catalog/simple-limited-ingredient-turkey-potato-recipe

Also BATHS are a must as you wash of allergens from dogs skin & paws, bath in a medicated shampoo relieves itchy red skin.. I also use baby wipes & wipe my boy down after going outside & get some “Sudocrem”its an anti-fungal, anti-bacterial healingcream apply just as dog is going to sleep for the night so red itchy skin paws can start to heal apply Sudocrem before going outside, the Sudocrem acts as a barrier & protects skin & paws.
The only place you can get Sudocrem in USA is Walmart online, once you get into a routine the itchy skin/paws gets better & under control.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sudocrem-Antiseptic-Cream-125G/182504923

[Diane S]

Hi, I hope someone can help out our 1 1/2 year old Havanese. From 6 months of age from routine blood work we noticed elevated ALT levels. Over the past year it has predominantly been between 600-800. All other tests are normal. Ultrasound was normal. He acts like a very healthy and energetic dog and has a great appetite. He currently eats Stella and chewys raw beef (beef suggested by vet) and only eats liver treats as snacks. We have tried milk thistle and aventi but it only seemed to work for couple weeks then ALT went up again. We tried antibiotics but no results so we don’t think it’s an infection but rather some type of inflammation. Can anyone help to give ideas or suggestions what else we can do to lower our dog’s ALT. He is a very happy boy, right now, and we want to keep it like that for a very long time!!

[grham J]

If you want to feed a raw or cooked diet for your dog without upsetting his stomach, then have a looked at https://doghawk.com/ziwipeak-dog-food-reviews/

[Patricia A]

. I feed Primal Freeze dried. Believe more expensive then the raw however I have Chihuahuas’ so doesn’t break the bank. I also add at times some kibble. That being Stella Chewy’s with freeze dried pieces. The kibble is a VERY small part of their diet. My two are also fed boiled chicken, salmon, lean steak, watermelon, string beans, carrots, pieces of apple, plain yogur etc. and 1/4 of a hard boiled egg for breakfast.
You can try the Primal freeze dried in the different flavors/proteins. Mine does well with the duck, chicken, rabbit, and they LOVE the turkey/Sardine. The DFA rates all these proteins 5*. I use Stella chewys also in freeze dried being chicken, venison blend. Just needs to be hydrated with some warm water .
So sounds like you have a good plan to me Maria. Just go slow with introduction so he’s used to it by the time it’s necessary to feed.

[Maria P]

Hello. Just got a 7-8 month mixed large breed rescue. (They think German Shepherd/Labrador/who knows what else). I just purchased the Primal Raw frozen patties to start him on healthier food. I’m concerned about what we will do when we need to travel or if we want to take a road trip with him or something. I was considering alternating with a freeze-dried food so he gets used to both in case we need to board him or something one day. What is everyone’s opinion? Is it okay to alternate a few times a week between commercial raw, freeze-dried and throw in some cooked chicken or homemade turkey meatballs for snacks sometimes? Thank you!

[Patricia A]

I believe your thinking of Susan Thixton (Truth behind Pet Food). She writes up a list of her top picks and reviews of dog food that she would feed her own dog. List mostly consists of organic, raw and freeze dried dog and cat foods. Believe she visits facilities also. There is a small fee for list for the year.

[Paul W]

I know spaniels tend to eat with their ears in the food…what a mess.
.Try a smaller ball and 1 portion at tome.
This may help.
My golden use to eat like a vacuum cleaner, so what I did, I put clean rocks in his bowl and separate his food around the rocks: it works.
Best,
Paul

PS: Both dogs received raw turkey necks for Thanksgiving, they love them

[Donna F]

If grain free food can possibly be bad for your dog, how then does it compare to raw feeding which is essentially grain free. My dog possibly has a heart problem being looked at now and my vet told me to make sure I am not feeding a grain free food. She has been in raw her entire life but the past year I had been adding SoJo Original Mix a Meal (mainly oats, barley and rye flakes) since it seems to keep the weight on her. Now I am confused if I am causing harm or is this ok. I have been a raw food feeder for the last 20 years and my dogs have always done extremely well on it.

[Chris W]

That’s amazing! Do they get any (other) non-meal treats?

I feed our Cavalier King Charles Spaniels a raw diet. They’re doing well but keeping their teeth clean is a challenge.

[Paul W]

I have fed my dogs with raw food for more than fifty years: 7 golden, 2 german shepherds, 3 American mutts, and 1 Belgian “Malinois”.
They all lived longer than what their breed expectancy suggested. All my Goldens lived over 16 years, my beautiful shepherds lived to 17, my smart mutt died at 18 1/2 and my Malininois died when he was over 16 year old.

My Vet and I attribute their longevity to their nutrition:
All of them have been fed the following way:
1 lb of raw meat ( 90% beef shoulder and 10% beef heart) . Less for the mutt.
2 ounces of each raw: sweet potato, spinach, apple, turnip, apple and plain yogurt.
1 ounce of blueberries.
From time to time they received a raw beef bone or turkey neck.
They never had their teeth cleaned: the vet was amazed by their beautiful teeth, even when when they were over 14.
Now I am 80 years old and I have 2 dogs: a seven year old field golden and a 2 year mutt.
I feed them the same way as I have always have done it.

My only worry: they will outlive me. I hope that my children will take care of them the same way as I always loved my dogs.

Thank you

Paul

[Mark S]

So, I just want to know if anyone can give me the name of the woman that independently reviews raw cat and dog food brands yearly and comes up with a list of the ones she deems to be safe to feed to your animals. Anyone that knows who I’m talking about I would really appreciate your help. Thanks!

[Sara G]

Hi, I know this question was several years ago but I just wanted to give you my experience and opinion. I feed my dogs a part raw part kibble diet. I have fed several brands of dog food through the years, and the best one I have ever fed is the Ol Blue Builder. I have fed Diamond Naturals, Victor, Sportmix Premium and the wholesome and I believe Purina at one point. All of theses foods fell short in my opinion for several reasons. The Diamond Naturals made them poop way too much as did the Sportmix Wholesomes. The Sportmix Premium also caused alot of poop and it was very dark and very smelly. I fed the Victor before they changed alot of their recipes and I had no trouble with it but could not tell really any difference in it and the Ol Blue to pay $20 or $30 more a bag. Now about the meat and bone meal issue. All dog foods unless they state that the meat in it is boneless then the beef meal, chicken meal, Pork meal etc has bone meal in it. It must state that the meat is boneless or it does contain bone plain and simple. So even most high end dog foods do contain meat and bone meal they just cover it up and say chicken meal, beef meal, etc. I actually appreciate Ol Blue for being honest about what is in their food and not trying to hide anything. So unfortunately in the dog food world the more it cost does not necessarily mean the food is better quality. Purina is the poster child for this.
My dogs have all done great on the Ol Blue. Their poop is very firm minimal and doesn’t hardly have any smell. In a day or so after they poop it turns a very light color and will turn to powder if you step on it. This is what happens to dogs fed an all raw diet. So what that tells me is that the food is mostly meat, fat and bones with enough starch to keep the kibble together. Starch has to be present in all kibble to keep it together whether the starch is corn, peas, rice etc. The corn they use is non GMO which I believe does make a difference. They also have 2 recipes that do not contain corn. I have toured the mill talked to the people and seen where it is made. It has never had a recall and everything is sourced locally. My dogs have all done great on it and I have several different breeds and ages. I have tried high dollar dog foods and none of them worked as well as Ol Blue. If you can’t get Ol Blue in your area then Valu Pak Free by Specialty Feeds is also a good feed. It is my second favorite dog food. It is in second place because they poop more after eating it. Hope that helps that’s just experience and opinion on it.

[YorkiLover4]

Watching our dog have a seizure is one of the most traumatic things I have ever experienced. It’s very hard for anyone who has never seen a seizure to understand. Those few seconds–seem like a lifetime and you just never know if they are going to come out of it. Our pup was doing ok for awhile but then started having the seizures more frequently. We found a holistic veterinarian nearby. Surprising, but he told us that food allergies and stress can be a big trigger. Riley always had allergies and ear infections so we worked with our vet to change his diet. He is on Primal raw venison and we use a variety of freeze-dried treats such as Stella and Chewy’s and Vital Essentials. We also give Riley CBD oil, fish oil and digestive enzymes along with Keppra. He has not had a seizure in over a year. I found the information on this website helpful https://www.askariel.com/holistic-canine-epilepsy-treatment-s/1833.htm and use their Happy Paws Hemp oil and Amazing Omegas. Hope this helps someone with their dog. Seizures are so tough but we did find help for our Riley.

[Amy S]

Thank you Laurence for responding. This is helpful.

A few questions if you don’t mind. Do you have a specific raw diet you follow? and when you say patties, what type of meat is it you are feeding your dog?

[Laurence T]

Hello everyone,

Maybe I could help.

3 years ago, our dog got a huge mass around his small intestines and we almost lost him. To save him they removed 80% of his small instestines. They thought it was cancer. But after 2 years or different med treatments and ultrasounds, they found out he has a problem with his immune system, where his system is attacking the good bacterias in his stomach, creating masses.

So he has to take sterioids, prednisone, in extremely small dosage, enough to supress his immune system, and keep the masses from forming.

However, since his surgery, he is left with short bowel syndrom – aka. constant diarrhea. After 3 years, I can keep him a decent weight and have only two to three (soft stools a day).

Here’s how. Maybe it could work for you guys. After his surgery, he would go to the washroom 10 times a day, waking us up 4 times a night. We tried all kinds of specific vet foods with high fiber, etc. He would also be so skinny all the time because he would never have time to digest the food. He used to eat the Royal Canin Hypo diet bags and would go through 2 bags a week and it was horrible. And then when I looked in the ingredients the first one was cellulose and obviously it wasn’t working… The vets are sold on selling you Royal Canin because Royal Canin sponsors them…

So we switched him to raw food and it was life changing. We don’t make it, we buy it from the pet store in the fridges. I give him a lot more patties than what they prescribe a day for his weight, but since we switched him 2 years ago to raw, he’s gained back all of his weight, and he only goes to the washroom 3 times a day. Not asking for the door at night anymore. The reason is that the raw food takes a lot more time to digest than the pebbles, so he has time to take a bit of supplements.

Also, we give him probiotics in his water, and he takes a shot of B12 every week or two weeks – that helps alot with the diarrhea as well.

He is also on metronidazole every day, on prednisone every 2 days (to prevent the masses) and take two immodiums a day.

And he seems like he is doing well. 🙂

If any of you want to ask further questions, please let me know !

• This reply was modified 5 years, 1 month ago by Laurence T.

[aimee]

Hi Crazy4cats,

My understanding, at least in the state I reside in, is that chews do not have to comply with AAFCO labeling unless they also make a claim that could be considered a nutritional claim. This could be something like “easily digestible” or “source of protein”. I think it is up to the feed control official to decide if the product is making a nutritional claim. This could be why, in my opinion, there is no AAFCO definition for the term”rawhide”. I think, that without a definition, this opens the door for manufacturers to market their hide based products as “rawhide free” when making a nutritional claim

This isn’t to say though that a chew, such as rawhide, because it doesn’t have to meet AAFCO labeling is not regulated. Rawhide is considered “food” by the FDA and so it has to comply with the FD&C act of 1938 and can come under regulation if adulterated.

It seems to me that many are confused on this point, resulting in people reporting/saying that rawhide is not regulated and since it is not regulated ,it may be a source of significant levels of toxins. In actuality the risk is likely no different than other sources of pet food.. This misunderstanding, in my opinion, is then exploited and used to market “rawhide alternatives” , which in some cases appear to be made of the same tissue as rawhide, yet are being sold at a much higher price point . I think consumers are willing to pay this higher price because they think this product is “safe” and chews labeled as rawhide are not safe.

[Astra F]

We just had our Miniature Schnauzer tested for food sensitivities as we needed to find the cause of her atopic dermatitis.
I strongly recommend getting blood test done although pricey about $280 (NY) it will pinpoint some of the key triggers.
Low and behold Lola is pretty much allergic to everything, with beet pulp being the highest allergen. Vet reccomended Royal Canin Hydrolyzed dog food. I checked the ingredients and saw that Beet Pulp is one of the main proteins. I contacted RC and found out that the Beet Pulp is NOT Hydrolyzed and they recommended Royal Canin Ultamino. My vet apologized as he was not aware of that the beet pulp was not hydrolyzed. We are going to try the Ultamino this week. My Rottweiler’s had all types of skin issues and was always sick on the best kibble I could buy and eventually put on a “raw diet” and was never sick. The healthiest he could be.

I too wish there was an alternative to Hydrolyzed Prescription dog food as I would prefer to prepare the food myself but I have to try the Ultamino first as that seems to be the only option for her.
Below are her Lab Results sharing for those who are in similar situations with their dogs. I will keep all posted how she does.

Mites & Mold IGE Detected
Beet Pulp F409 2557
Liver, Beef F252 1636
Kangaroo F410 1602
Flaxseed Ground H2 1293
Milk F293 708
Beef F241 329
Lamb F251 192
Chicken F265 186
Venison F264 185
Fish Mix F01 144
Barley F56 138
Duck F266 135
Turkey F346 133
Eggs F271 121
Soybean F209 121
Oats F154 117
Pork F258 116
Pinto Beans F61 115
Rabbit F259 111
Corn F102 100
Rice F200 98
Wheat F235 96
Brewers Yeast M67 Neg
White Potato F191 Neg

[crazy4cats]

Here is the current class action lawsuit against Earth Animals regarding their so called “No Hide Chews”.

https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/consumer-products/pet/no-hide-dog-chews-contain-rawhide-class-action-lawsuit-alleges/

[James F]

At the age of 1-3 months, it is recommended to feed puppies with natural food: meat (low-fat), eggs, fermented milk products, fish, cereals, vegetables, fruits. At the same time, protein products should make up at least 70% of the diet, the rest can be supplemented with carbohydrates and”milk”. Meat and fish can be raw or cooked.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 1 month ago by James F.
• This reply was modified 5 years, 1 month ago by James F.

[aimee]

Some new “rawhide alternatives” being marketed appear to me to simply be rawhide renamed

The chew traditionally called rawhide is a by -product of the leather industry. Hides are sourced at slaughter and sent to a tannery where they are dehaired and fleshed ( the fat layer under the skin is removed). What remains is the dermis. Another word for dermis is corium. The tanner splits the corium into upper and lower layers, The upper is used to make leather, the lower is used as a source of collagen for sausage casings, drug capsules, supplements, gelatin etc , to make rawhide chews, and now apparently some “rawhide alternative”. chews.

AAFCO doesn’t define the word “rawhide”, Merriam Webster defines it, in this context, as “untanned cattle skin”
I find the reasons given from the manufacturers of chews made of full thickness cattle skin or corium, as to why their product is not rawhide, interesting.

Company A appears to report that their untanned cattle skin product is not rawhide because it is sourced from the head of the cow and they seem to define hide as skin as coming from the trunk of the cow. Additionally, they seem to say that since their product is full thickness skin, and rawhide is the lower split.of the corium, their product is not rawhide. Finally, it looks like they are saying their product doesn’t use chemicals in processing. Not sure what is meant by this, since technically, water is a chemical

Company B seems to say their collagen chew isn’t rawhide because rawhide consists of all layers of the skin and their product is only the lower split of corium. Note that their definition of what is rawhide looks to be the opposite definition than that of company A

Company C’s collagen chew appears to me to be identical to company B in size , shape, color, and country of origin making me wonder if they are the same chew being imported by two different companies. When asked if their product was corium, customer service said the answer to my question would be emailed to me. The email stated that all information was proprietary. Under magnification their product appears to me to be a tangle of fibers which is how corium and traditionally labeled rawhide also appears to me.

Company D said the raw material they use in their “rawhide alternative” chews is corium which is also used for human food production, and that no hide is used in their products. I don’t know how they are defining “hide” but it seems they may be defining hide as the top split of the corium and then claiming that the bottom split is hide free. A tannery resides at the same address as this chew maker, who also appears to market beef hide chews under a different brand name , which look to me to be the same in appearance to their “hide free” chews .

Company E , unlike A-D, doesn’t seem to claim their collagen chew is a “rawhide alternative” or say it is not hide. It is labeled “collagen from beefhide”. This company also makes several brands of chews labeled as beefhide.

It seems to me, that what the above products have in common, is that they are all appear to be made from either full thickness or partial thickness untanned cattle skin

In my opinion it is very unethical when companies claim that that chews that they apparently making of full or partial thickness untanned cattle skin are rawhide alternatives. From discussions with distributors and shop owners , I’d consider some to be disingenuous . Even after passing along to them the information from the manufacturers that certain chews are made of the corium , the same material that traditional rawhides are formed from or full thickness cattle skin, I continue to see them market the product as a hide free rawhide alternative.

I wonder what will happen to companies that label their corium dog chews as rawhide, which is how chews made from corium have traditionally always been labeled. I see some shop owners say they will not sell chews labeled as rawhide, stating that rawhide is dangerous, yet they sell these “alternatives” and other stores stop selling rawhide because sales of the chews labeled as alternative outsell those labeled as rawhide, which I think is in part due to the “bad press” on rawhide.

Interesting to me, is that recently a class action was filed against a company alleging that the chews they market as an alternative to rawhide are actually hide ,and a paper was published in which two of the seven dog chews that were examined, labeled as”rawhide free” appeared to be mislabeled.

Unfortunately, it seems that I can not rely on product labeling to accurately describe what a product is, nor can I count on regulatory bodies to remove mislabeled products from the market.

Would love to hear others thoughts on the issue.

[lynx556]

Finding a dog food for a new pup is SO frustrating!

I adopting a standard poodle about 2 months ago – He’s now 20 weeks old, on Pruina pro plan puppy and he is suffering from IBS (He was not diagnosed) but he has a lot of loose stool.
I ask my vet if they can suggest a food and all they can say is to keep him on a grained food. That’s fine, I’ll do that but what about all of the other details. They said Purina is good….really?! I am considering a holistic vet to discuss this type of thing.

I have been looking at all of these dog foods and there is soooo much crap on the internet about them. There is a list of brands linked to heart disease, kidney disease, renal disease…. I’m also concerned with the ingredients, chicken seems to be popular by the manufactures but I think that maybe a key issue with his loose stool. Another issue I have is with the potatoes and peas, why are they so high on the incidents? I feel like I need to come up with my own food! Raw would be my choice but I don’t think I can afford that.

SO! what are your suggestions for my sensitive tummy puppy?

Thank you for reading and your suggestions!

[pugmomsandy]

There’s some menus in this thread:

/forums/topic/menus/

Here is the link to the Raw Dog Food Topic:

/forums/forum/raw-dog-food-forum/

[Jack E]

Hi all, new here. Does anyone feed a raw food diet to their farm dogs? The price of kibble has gone up so much lately that we’re starting to consider feeding a raw diet to our golden retriever mix. It is something that has always been in the back of our minds. Price and convenience were our reasons for sticking with kibble… now that the price of kibble has gone up, it seems less of a compelling reason. Anyone have any opinions on the different kinds of raw diets, or raw diets in general? If you feed it, where do you get the meat? Grocery store, butcher, pre-made and frozen? What kinds of meat do you feed? Do you feed them twice a day still? Did your dogs have upset stomachs during the transition? How much per month does it cost you? Does your vet approve? When we brought up the idea with our last vet, he discouraged it.