[anonymous]

Environmental allergies tend to wax and wane, so, you may think a diet change is working….
Also the storage mite is in the same family as the common household dust mite that exists on the skin of all living things and is constantly being shed (airborne) including you.
Often the dog has allergies to both, not just one.

Below is an excerpt from an article that you may find helpful http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/faqs-about-house-dust-mite-and-storage-mite-allergies?id=&pageID=1&sk=&date=

Where are storage mites commonly found?
These particular mites (Tyrophagus putrescentiae, Lepidoglyphus destructor, Acarus siro) are present in dry foods, cereals, grains, straw and cheese—i.e., substances that can get moldy. Like dust mites, storage mites can cause nonseasonal signs, including pruritus, erythema and recurrent otitis in dogs and cats. They’re well-known in humans for causing asthma and allergic rhinitis (“baker’s lung”).
Data have shown that storage mites live in conjunction with house dust mites and can be found in bedding, mattresses, upholstered furniture and fabrics. One study in humans found storage mites to have overtaken dust mites as a leading source of allergy.

A popular misconception is that storage mites are present in bags of food or cereals from the manufacturer. In one study, out of 10 bags of dry dog food, one was found to have storage

[Natasha C]

Hi. I have a 2 1/2 year old lab who itches constantly in the face, behind his “elbows” and between paws. He would scratch his face so badly, it would bleed. I had him allergy tested a year ago and he tested extremely allergic to storage mites. I had never heard of them before but they are little bugs that live and breed in dry dog food. There is nothing you can do to get rid of them, even the limited ingredient foods have them, so I started cooking homemade food for him. It made HUGE difference. Then, when, due to a busy lifestyle, I couldn’t cook for awhile and started him back on kibble – his itching started up again. So maybe give a try to homemade food. I used potato, sweet potato, frozen veggies (carrots, peas, kale, spinach), ground turkey. And add a supplement for vitamins. You could also try raw or freeze dried food, but I couldn’t afford that so I got busy in the kitchen! Good luck!

• This reply was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by Natasha C.
• This reply was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by Natasha C.

[anonymous]

Please do not apply anything to the skin or give over the counter meds intended for humans or give supplements unless instructed to do so by a veterinarian that has examined the dog.
You could make things much worse and increase the risk of infection.

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

Dermatology – Common Issues

[Susan]

Hi, yes I have a dog with Seasonal Environment allergies & food sensitivities causing IBD & itchy, yeasty smelly skin, red paws, itchy ears & hive like lumps + IBD symptoms sloppy poos, gas/farts etc…
It has taken me 3yrs to finally work Patch out, in the beginning my vet said to keep a diary & you’ll start to see a pattern as the years go by & yes we did….
It’s best too see a Dermatologist they’re a but more expensive but in the long run you’ll save money, Dermatologist specialize in the skin….
Baths, twice a week or weekly baths or as soon as dog is uncomfortable & is scratching real bad then bath to relieve their skin…..I use Malaseb medicated shampoo, baths wash off any allergens, dirt, pollens & yeast if dog has yeast problems, Malaseb kills any bacteria yeast on the skin & keeps the skin nice & moist leaving the dog feeling so soft, Malaseb can be used daily if needed…..
I like using creams on my boy instead of medications he doesn’t do well on meds…I use “Sudocrem” sold in supermarket in baby section, I apply the Sudocrem on Patches red paws, around mouth, above his eye where he has white fur he seems to have all the problems, some nights when he’s real red around his mouth from eating I used Hydrocortisone 1% cream & on his paws & other parts of his body as well, I check patches body out as he’s sleeping at night before I go to bed & apply the creams, now I’ve removed the foods in his diet that he’s sensitive too his ear problem has all clear up, I did an elimination diet the best thing for food sensitivities & found when he eats carrots & beef he started shaking his head & scratching his ears, chicken causes his paws to go red 20mins after eating chicken, raw chicken was worse, also kibbles with grains made his poos sloppy, now he eats grain free kibbles that are Whitefish/Salmon or Lamb….if you don’t want to do the elimination diet & cook or do raw then it’s best to get a vet diet like Royal Canine PV- Potato & Venison or PS-Potato & Salmon or PR- Potato & Rabbit kibble or wet tin… then when dog isn’t scratching ears & is stable not itching you start & add 1 new ingredient with the vet diet every 6 weeks, no treats nothing else, it can take 1 day to 6 weeks for a dog to show symptoms for a food sensitivities…Once you find out what foods your dog is sensitive too you can stop the vet diet & start a diet without the foods he’s sensitive too.
I live Australia & I saw a Naturopath cause of Patches IBD, I wanted him on a raw diet.. Vitamin C is a natural antihistamine, we have a skin pack made by the Naturopath called Natural Animal Solutions, Skin Pack & it has DigestaVite Plus which balances the diet & fixes the gut, then it has Omega 3,6 & 9 Oil you add high dose for the first 2 months to diet & Vitamin C to work as a natural antihistamine…..
Here’s Jacquelines site there’s a lot of good reading & what natural products to use…on your left scroll down a bit & click on “Skin System” then click on “Skin Allergies” & she explains all about the skin & what causes what. She also has a F/B site & will answer any questions.. called “Natural Animal Solutions” NAS
http://www.naturalanimalsolutions.com.au/education.php

[Susan]

Hi, have you tried another dry kibble with lower fat% & a different protein with limited ingredients, also is his kibble a fish kibble??
My boy is 8yrs old & went off any kibbles that is fish/salmon, he seems to get acid reflux from the fish kibbles now, especially when they have fish or salmon oil, he grinds his teeth he has IBD, over the years I’ve learnt what all those weird things he does mean…..

As dogs & humans get older we don’t make as much hydrochloric acid in our stomachs, it’s called “Hypochlorhydria” low stomach acid, so it can be harder to digest food & food sits in stomach causing acid reflux…
I would not be feeding the Raw Hide, google, “how is Raw Hide is made”, Rodney Habib has a excellent video, it will shock you.
Can you cook a cooked diet for him, even if you buy tin tuna in spring water & add boiled sweet potato & veggies a couple days a week & the other days buy lean grounded pork or lean beef mince…. I make rissole, I add 1 whisked egg to 1kg (2lbs) lean pork mince or lean beef mince, finally cut up 1/3 to 1/2 a cup broccoli, 1 teaspoon finally cut up parsley, 1 grated carrot mix all together & make 1 cup size rissoles & bake in oven on baking tray 15 mins into baking take out drain water/fat & turn rissoles over put back in oven, I boil sweet potatoes & freeze the rissoles & sweet potatoes in sections…. When a dog stops eating something is wrong & its normally their stomach or pancreatitis… he’s telling you this kibble is no good & would prefer to go hungry then have his pain or acid reflux or have whatever he’s getting… If they could talk life would be so much easy, I would not want to be a vet, a lot of the times test results don’t show anything wrong, & its a guessing game until you work out a diet that agrees with him….

[Susan]

To Hound Music,
I forget to add in my post above, Maggie was also feed tables scraps, what ever they ate for dinner Maggie ate as well…
I just thought anyone that was interested in Maggie’s story would watch the full video interview by Rodney Habib on Planet Paws & got the story straight from Maggie’s dads mouth….
Maggie loved her Good O’s they were only given as a treat maybe twice a week, the Good O’s weren’t talked or advertised again, people like twisted the truth & Maggie’s dad didn’t want the Good O company receiving free advertisement for a poor quality moist treat/kibble that was not Maggie’s proper diet, she just liked her Good O’s treats, if she was given a better quality natural treats she’d probably would have loved those treats instead of the Good O’s…
Maggie was not feed any kibble of any kind….after Maggie’s story hit the media, a picture of (must be the picture your talking about) Maggie chewing a red/orange coloured round moist kibble, the Good O company started to say Maggie ate their food & lived to ripe old age of 30, that story was quickly dismissed & made clear to Australian viewers, Maggie did NOT eat any kibbles & was only given a couple of Good O’s maybe twice a week as a treat….
No supplements were given either, this is a farm in the out back of rural Victoria Australia, there’d be no pet shops for miles, to buy a dog supplement would be a miracle, you’d be lucky to find human vitamins in the local shops & we only have a few Australian dog supplements & most are sold online, we are talking about a old farmer & his dog, living a quiet stress free life, smelling fresh air, country living, Maggie’s slept on the back veranda in the Summer & in the barn with the farm cats in the winter…..the only healthy supplement that came Maggie’s way was her dinner & 1 cup of fresh cows milk straight from the cows utter that she drank every morning at 6am & the baby cows placentas when born & baby calves that was born dead…
A lot of Australian dogs are feed a supermarket kibble as the base or a grain free kibble with either fresh kangaroo mince or table scraps left over from dinner are added with the kibble or they are feed what ever is shot & killed on their property is feed to their working dogs, our Pet Shops have rolls of fresh Roo’s mince & rolls of fresh Chicken Mince, sold very cheap around $1 a roll & we also have pre-made raw diets as well, it’s cheaper to feed a raw diet then a premium grain free kibble in Australia…
Hound Music did you watch the video where Maggie’s dad was interviewed by Rodney Habib?? he would of mentioned if Maggie was given any supplements, he’s a very honest farmer & didn’t gain anything from Maggie’s story, he just enjoyed taking about his old girl Maggie……

[Marjorie L]

I have a 12 year old German Shepard/Lab mix who is allergic to wheat and chicken. We’ve been feeding him NurtoSource for a couple of years now, mixed with wet food. Up until recently he’s always been a hardy eater. But lately he’s been turning his nose up at his kibble. He’ll still eat the wet food, cooked veggie and rice, and likes to chew on toys and raw hides, so I don’t think its a lack of appetite issue or a problem with his teeth. Has anyone else run into an issue like this before? My vet doesn’t even know what to make of it.

[Acroyali]

If your dog has stopped eating, and has bitten you bad enough to draw blood in 4 places during a routine procedure he’s done without issue in the past, I’d get to the vet. Yesterday. Something could be wrong, or hurting bad enough, that eating is the last thing on his mind and being messed with creates cranky behavior. (I liken it to having the stomach flu and having a manicure or facial done. I normally enjoy those things, but not when I feel rotten. If your dog feels poorly, this could explain his reaction but a vet visit is an absolute MUST to figure out what, and where, the source of the problem could be.)

I’ve fed raw for many, many years and have never had a dog “turn” on me, so I can’t offer any suggestions on that. (My personal experiences have been dogs that are more even-tempered, less high-strung and much easier to live with and train when fed a species appropriate diet.) Over the years I’ve had only two pets that couldn’t handle raw, and those instances were due to health problems in the gut. One was able to be on raw once he healed, the other was not and ate homemade cooked.

[Salz]

Hi all! I am a frequent lurker of this forum, and wanted to ask for some input. I am a pretty knowledgable raw feeder, especially for large breeds, but am adding a new member to my family next week and wanted to ask a few questions.

My partner and I will be picking up an 8 week old Dane puppy next weekend, so I’m doing all I can to prepare for her arrival. I currently have a 1 year old Dobie/Rottie mix who has been on raw since I rescued him at 6 weeks. I did extensive research about Ca/P ratios, fat content, protein levels, etc, and have always had all of that on point with his diet. I kept him very lean at a young age and his growth has been spectacular. He’s still filling out a little and will continue to grow slightly, for the next six months I anticipate, but since we’re almost there I’ve allowed him to bulk up a little over the past few weeks.

I follow the BARF model and feed meat grinds, a veggie mixture, and added supplements a few times per week, but I have kept it pretty simple for him in his first year to ensure proper growth. With the new puppy, I want to start her off the same. My concerns lie in the fact that she is a GIANT breed. I’ve read a lot of articles on Dane forums about not starting a Dane puppy on raw until they are a little older because of their nutritional needs, and this has stumped me and caused some worry. I’m looking for anyone with Dane puppy nutrition experience, especially with raw feeding. Or, if anyone could point me in the direction of any helpful articles or websites, that would be great too. Thank you all for your knowledge!

[Susan]

Hi Donna, read the ingredients to the Hills I/d formula then start looking for better quality brands with similar ingredients & fat %, one problem Hills have already converted their wet tin foods fat% & protein% to dry matter (Kibble) normal wet tin foods & raw haven’t been converted to dry matter (kibble) yet…. Which I/d formula is she eating?? there’s a few Hills I/d formulas, there’s I/d Low Fat Restore, fat is around 8%max, converted, then there’s their normal Hills I/d wet tin formulas where fat is around 14%-15%max, converted, so when you look for a wet tin food it can’t be over 3-4%max-fat, if you see a wet tin with 5%-fat when you converted 5%min fat it’s around 20-25% fat if it were a kibble & can cause pancreatitis if your dog is prone to Pancreatitis…. you might be best using the Hills wet tin food as a base & cook lean white meats like turkey, chicken & pork grounded mince or tin tuna in spring water & add some boiled pumkin, carrot make a batch & freeze small meal sizes & add 1/2 Hills wet tin & 1/2 cooked mix together, it will work out cheaper cooking, if just a hassle…

[pitlove]

Hi Susan W-

The yeast that you are refering to is actually the yeast that lives in the gut. Could you possibly mean Malassezia? Malassezia is the yeast that is found on the skin of the animal. You can not control Malassezia by eliminating or limiting carbs as it is not a carb loving yeast and does not feed off of it. The only way in which food plays a role in the control of Malassezia yeast overgrowth is if the immune system is weakened by a sensitivity or in rare cases a true allergy to a specific protein source. The body will always produce glucose(sugar) whether fed carbs or not as glucose is needed to sustain life. That is another part of why Malassezia is not treated through limitation or elimination of carbs.

Hope this helps!

Edit to add: Also it is note worthy that all livestock that has been treated with antibiotics MUST by law be held before going to slaughter for the withdrawal time of the antibiotic. This is the time need to eliminate the antibiotic and all residue of the antibiotic from the body. Each drug will have a different withdrawal time. So in fact there are no antibiotics in the food supply unlike the marketing of certain brands being “antibiotic free” might have you believe (implying that livestock given antibiotics will still contain those antibiotics when slaughetered). This is true for both the human and pet food supply.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by pitlove.

[Susan W]

A lot of times dogs are diagnosed with allergies when really what they have is Candida. Does your dog have rust-colored spots on the feet, under arms, and around the genitals? Does he/she have bad breath? If so, you likely have Candida (yeast) as AT LEAST a contributing factor.
Stay away from chicken & rice. Rice will just feed the yeast & chicken often has enough antibiotics in the meat to kill off good bacteria. A lot of dogs have trouble eating chicken.
Feed complex carbs, raw veggies like carrots, broccoli, and green beans. Stay away from potatoes, sweet potatoes (more starch = more sugar = more yeast).
Pork is a good alternative to chicken. If you’re going to feed a commercial dog food, find one that is fish-based and has fewer fillers (like corn & other starchy things). Try to find a dog food that does NOT use salmon as it is usually farm-raised & not as healthy as wild-caught fish. Foods using menhaden fish is good because it is always wild-caught & it’s a renewable resource.
If you suspect your dog has Candida – or the vet agrees that he/she does – shout back at me here. I can give you some pointers from my own yeast battle experience. And try to discourage antibiotics or long-term allergy shot regimens.

[Susan W]

Also! Try adding a little baby food to his dog food (not to his raw elk).

[Susan W]

Sounds like a good plan. You might want to make sure the moist & frozen don’t come too soon after launch – you might be getting in a little over your head. I.e. perfect the first 2 before branching out. As a consumer, I really like samples as opposed to coupons. Also, FYI – I’ve been told by a couple of different food manufacturers that sending free food to shelters, and disaster crises is a waste as they get SO MUCH. Benebone does a thing where they send a free bone (or bones) from those who sign up from a drawing. He’s a nice man who will likely give you some times if you call him.

[momofGSDs]

First have you taken him to the vet? When there has been a sudden change it could be health related.

As for the comments about Raw, absolutely not true. Raw does NOT change the dog and does not cause obstruction.

[momofGSDs]

I would definitely get him off the Purina. And I do agree that changing his food to much will not help. Also you can’t just change the food, you need to do it gradually. I also wanted to say that there is no need for the so called Large breed puppy food. I have GSDs who are weaned on Adult. They are fed Raw but also get Kibble/canned. You can feed your pup life stages. But watch the protein as it should be under 25%.

[HoundMusic]

For dogs that tend towards aggression, lowering the protein can sometimes help. I have a Beagle pup who gets “the crazies”, and will sometimes get so worked up that it turns into aggression :/ In this instance, switching him from puppy food to adult with 23% protein drastically reduced the hyperactivity. Sometimes dogs can get a reaction from certain types of protein, so if he’s been on chicken, try beef, lamb, fish, etc.

Ditto to anon101’s raw food warning. Lost count of the times over the years raw sent my dogs to the Vet (we also had a bowel obstruction once), and my second Beagle, who was a sweet, friendly little pupper turned into a food obsessed, aggressive, stand-offish jerk on raw. Completely changed his personality. That, and it most likely was the cause of his seizures.

[anonymous]

How long have you had him? I have scars from a small breed, been on antibiotics twice. Some of those little ones can be aggressive.
It may be best if you take him to your vet clinic or groomers about every 8 weeks for a nail clip.
My poodle mix does well on Nutrisca salmon and chickpea kibble as a base with a spoonful of cooked lean meat or scrambled egg and a splash of water. Raw food sent her to the emergency vet x 2. Bowel obstructions, vomiting, diarrhea.

[Joanne B]

Charlie is a 3 year old shih-tzu/ poodle cross that I adopted from a rescue shelter. He has always been a little picky about his food. I thought I found a good mix when I combined Rawz turkey and Smack chicken. Last week, I tried to clip his nails. To my chagrin, he bit me and drew blood in 4 places (this was not the first time I have clipped his nails, so I am also concerned as to why he bit me). The dynamics of our relationship has changed some since then, and I am trying to regain his trust. The problem is, he has also stopped eating his food. I have been feeding him raw elk meat (my husband hunts) to make sure he eats something, but I would like to find a dehydrated food that he will eat. Any suggestions?

[Marilyn M]

I think you have to go raw to avoid yeast or cook for your dog by feeding him a salmon/sweet potatoe muxture. I was feeding my Golden this but found it was alot of cooking for a dog but he did really well on it. I’m starting again now to get rid of candida.

[HoundMusic]

new here and in a bit of a panic. i’ve been feeding raw to all my pets for over a decade with no issues. sadly, my 8-year old siberian husky has had issues eating things he’s not supposed to. he had a blockage where they needed to remove 30 inches of his intestine.

In this situation, I would have to agree with your Vet. Raw might cause more trouble than it’s worth in this instance. Particularly the bones, but also, keep in mind there can be a greater risk of infection with a dog who has just undergone major surgery and could very well have a compromised immune system for a while.

BTW, I was also a very long time raw feeder, but around April/May of last year, an older dog ate a raw pork neck that caused an obstruction. He would have been long dead if castor oil and force feeding him broth had not worked, as I cannot afford such a major surgery. Then, towards the end of the summer, that same dog was diagnosed with osteomalacia, which is basically the adult form of rickets. And I am more careful than most about balancing the calcium:phos ratio and including foods rich in Vit D. I ditched raw for home cooked, and let me tell you. My dogs were pooping out old, stagnated bone fragments for a week after being on a diet higher in fiber and of a very soft, digestible consistency. So there is a risk of blockage, and there is a risk of improper nourishment as well.

There is also some evidence that kibble does actually digest faster than raw:

https://therawfeedingcommunity.com/2015/01/08/digest-this-kibble-may-actually-digest-faster-than-raw/

And besides that, bones are going to give this dog an unduly hard time after having had such a surgery. If I can make a suggestion, crock pot food can be very mushy and is incredibly beneficial for sick or recovering dogs. So, if you don’t want to go the prescription diet route, that might be a better alternative.

Otherwise, Science Diet is not exactly my favorite brand, but I have one with chronic prostatitis (also caused, or at least aggravated, by raw) who can eat nothing but SD Sensitive Skin & Stomach or the lower protein/fat Advanced Fitness formula. I mean it. He even has a hard time with boiled chicken & rice. So don’t entirely rule out SD, because it can work wonders on sick dogs.

Just my 2 cents.

[Annie J]

Good article! There are plenty of board-certified veterinary nutritionists who would be happy to serve you and develop a diet that meets your intentions while ensuring the pup gets the nutritional requirements she needs. I know you have good intentions but this is a critical time in the baby’s life for growth and development of her skeletal, central nervous, and other systems. I can tell you from experience that we’ve had at least 3 young animals come in to our specialty clinic due to malnutrition from online diets that people swore by. the most unfortunate case was actually a 4 month old german shepherd pup who was extremely painful and couldn’t walk. when we took x-rays you couldn’t even count the number of micro-fractures this poor boy had all over his body from months of improper calcium/phosphorus ratio, amongst other nutritional deficiencies. the family members mean well but please at least seek advice from a trained veterinary nutritionist before keeping her on a homemade diet. Raw food harbors numerous microbial agents/pathogens that her immune status may not be able to tolerate at the moment but a nutritionist can also advise about this

[Annie J]

Pancreatitis can be a pretty severe disease and can ultimately end a dog’s life, so now is not the time to experiment. A dog with panc needs to be restricted to a low-fat diet, at least until the pancreatitis has resolved. If Patchy doesn’t like canned food then try the dry versions of the low-fat diets (Hill’s I/D low-fat, GI low fat Royal Canin, Purina EN, etc). Pancreatitis can be the primary problem from dietary indiscretion (“garbage gut”, table scraps, bacon, etc) or secondary to another disease so if it’s not from her eating weird things then resolve the panc first then have her reassessed. Definitely avoid raw food, at least until her panc is taken care of- there are a plethora of pathogens in raw diets so don’t give her body anything else to fight off at this point in time. If you want to do raw in the future just make sure it is “AAFCO” approved on the label and sear the raw meat for a few secs before giving it (studies show it reduces the infectious bugs considerably). This certainly wouldn’t take care of toxo or parasites, just enteric bacteria. My friend’s dog got incredibly sick while eating raw food and when she was hospitalized they had to keep her in isolation (addtl $$$$$) until her antibiotic treatment was long enough for her to stop shedding salmonella. Cod liver oil in the future is a good source of omega-3s but is fatty so definitely not for a dog trying to overcome pancreatitis. Digestive enzymes are really only needed if they have a different pancreas-related disease (exocrine pancreatic insufficiency) so if Patchy can make her own enzymes no need to feed her another animal’s. Sounds like your vet provided good advice and since they assessed Patchy’s overall condition I’m sure they’d be happy to give you guidance about how you want to manage her condition 🙂 hang in there Patchy! lay off the fatty foods

[Pakalolo]

Thanks, Martha G. I’ll certainly keep that in mind. He loves eggs, but now that we seem to have nailed it with the raw duck, we don’t want to give him anything else. Having said that, I could try adding the egg to the raw food (without cooking the patties) and see if he accepts it. Thanks for the valuable suggestion!

[FrostHollow]

“Lowering the protein seems to help as well, and that is not something that can be achieved on a species inappropriate raw diet.”

That’s actually one of the factors I’m looking into.

All the brands that seemed to have the longest lived dogs were between 19-21% protein, which I thought stood out because it was unusually low by today’s standards. Compared to the supposedly higher end brands that average 25-35% protein, I had to wonder if, even though they might use lower quality source ingredients, that was less important in the long run than moderating the protein.

I even noticed that with brands like Purina, dogs were shorter lived on Pro Plan then they were on plain ol’ Dog Chow, even though one is higher quality, more nutrient dense, and they both have the same research & development behind them. Dog Chow is 21% compared to PP’s 26%.

Now, from raw to holistic, expensive kibbles, one thing that has always remained consistent with my dogs is that I’ve gravitated towards higher protein foods, 26-28% on average, higher for in whelp bitches or champions being specialed. My dogs are plagued by the Big C, and my research into the correlation between protein & longevity suggests it can be a factor in triggering certain types of cancer.

Food for thought, anyway.

[HoundMusic]

“Maggie the oldest dog in the world” she lived till she was 30yrs old & just died last year, she was feed a raw diet from the day she left her mum

Um… that dog was NOT fed a raw diet. There was an Australian dog, either her or another recent one that made it to a similar age, that was given kangaroo and emu (?) meat, but the owner never makes any mention of it being fed raw. And I have no doubt whatsoever that did not comprise the entirety of the diet, but was rather given as a nutritious supplement. Because no dog can survive on a diet of straight meat for very long. Take a good look at one of the pics in the following article about Maggie. She can be seen eating what appears to be round, artificially colored kibble pieces.

World’s Oldest Dog Dies Peacefully At Age 30

There was also a dog in the upper 20’s who was fed a vegetarian diet, and one I think who was also pushing 30 who ate nothing but :::drumroll::: Kibbles N’ Bits. I think the common factor in all the oldest dog cases were a combination of genetics, fresh air/exercise, and a satisfaction with their life. Lowering the protein seems to help as well, and that is not something that can be achieved on a species inappropriate raw diet.

https://www.elsevier.com/connect/controlling-protein-intake-may-be-key-to-longevity

[Martha G]

OMG!!! This is awful! I was reticent about going to raw food for my fur baby, but this decides it! Bad enough things have happened with the USDA looking over the producers shoulders, but now it’s open season on our pet food supply!

• This reply was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by Martha G.

[Martha G]

As long as it’s not overcooked with that “charcoaled edge” look we humans like so much, metabolically should remain nearly identical in the dog’s digestive system. After all, they use hydrochloric acid as a digestive juice, so a little heat denaturing shouldn’t affect the quality. I, too, cook my raw diet if it includes chicken as I’m so concerned about its handling before I get it. I’m sure you’ve already tried this, but just to double check – any luck with eggs?
Hope Pakalolo continues a healthy recovery. Also, have heard from our group of great results with bone broth.

[Susan]

Hi, do you follow Rodney Habib on his Face book page?? he has over 1 million viewers, he’s trying to work out the same question you ask, at the moment he’s trying to find the best foods to feed dogs with cancer, google one of his video on “Maggie the oldest dog in the world” she lived till she was 30yrs old & just died last year, she was feed a raw diet from the day she left her mum, she lived Melbourne Australia on a dairy farm & worked everyday running 20km a day hearding the cows every morning & bringing them back of an afternoon, she drank 1 cup of fresh milk straight from the cow 6am, ate dead baby cows when they were born dead & ate the baby cow placenta’s… the video is a beautiful video with Maggies dad talking to Rodney about Maggies life….also she wasn’t over vaccinated, she just had her puppy vaccinations & that’s was it, she was desexed at 14yrs old when she feel pregnant after one of the new farm hand brought his dog with him..

[HoundMusic]

A lot of these things have a genetic component, the puppy mills and backyard breeders that continue to breed dogs even when they are aware of hereditary disorders, doesn’t help

To an extent, yes, but environment plays a more drastic role, IMHO.

For instance, I lost a gorgeous show CH male Beagle at 10yrs from a line of extremely healthy, long lived hounds who averaged 16 years. Not long after I bought him @ 5yrs, he had a focal seizure. Nothing I had seen before purchasing this dog indicated anything of the sort was in the bloodline, and when I questioned his former handler and owners of littermates, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc., no light could be shed on the problem. The seizure he had with me was apparently his first and only. A dog that seizes at such a late age either has been in contact w/ environmental contaminants, has been poisoned, has an underlying health issue such as a tumor or Cushings, or is being exposed to something in the food either directly or indirectly causing the issue.

Lo and behold, this dog’s littermate sister also had the occasional “hypoglycemic fit”. She was also the only other dog of about a dozen or so relatives that also ate raw. P.S., I have had, on two other occasions, have dogs with violent seizures immediately after starting the raw diet, when ideopathic epilepsy was unheard of in the bloodline.

Genetics loads the gun, environment pulls the trigger.

To answer the OP’s question:

My youngest dog was a 4yr old GSD euthanized due to complications from degenerative myelopathy. At the time of death, however, she had been on Eukanuba dry/canned foods, and died about 2-3 months before their massive melamine recall. A friend of mine with 3 retired police S&R dogs who also fed Euk dry was experiencing the same symptoms as I was with all my dogs. So yes, I believe in this instance, diet contributed to her early death.

My oldest, incidentally, was a 15yr old black GSD mix who also died of degenerative myelopathy, after battling it for three years. He was switched back to raw after I first noticed symptoms, and made some major improvements in overall health and mobility afterwards. He was NEVER paralyzed. He was treated homeopathically with green tea and ginkgo biloba, and did better than most dogs on conventional meds who’d had the disease half the time. He did “go down” 48hrs before we made the decision to euthanize, but he walked, with assistance, the six blocks to our vet. I will be damned to Hell if diet did not prolong and increase the quality of his life.

And yet, 100% raw + Beagles = inevitable catastrophe. And it fed my Beagle bitch’s mammary tumor like I’d thrown gasoline on a fire.

[FrostHollow]

To give some background on myself, I’ve been a breeder/handler of show champion English Cocker Spaniels for about 17 years, and have owned the breed since the mid 90’s. Currently, I’m retired from the show ring, with no aspirations of getting back into it. We are left with seven dogs now, after spending the past 18 months losing the older ones left, right and sideways, mostly to various forms of cancer. The most recent death was Sandy, a 13 year old champion bitch who passed away last week.

After about 23 years in the breed, she was the oldest Cocker Spaniel I’ve ever had.

Average age of death for my dogs has been 10-12 years, which is below the breed average, while several breeder friends have dogs in their kennels that routinely live to be 14-16+ years. Insult to injury, they normally feed Pro Plan, or something along those lines. Whereas I am <i>very</i> conscientious about proper diet (I feed raw), husbandry and vaccinating minimally; but considering that most of my dogs have died below the breed’s average lifespan, I begin to wonder if I am somehow doing something wrong.

Only days after Sandy’s death, I’ve already had several dog park and local encounters with dog owners of very old dogs, only to learn they were being fed a steady diet of the worst the grocery store has to offer. At first I began to think there might be little to no correlation between diet & longevity, but that refutes much of what I’ve seen in regards to dogs in poor grade health recovering on a better quality, especially homemade, diets. Then I began to formulate a few theories, two in particular, that might explain why those other dogs were so long lived while mine tend to die earlier – and neither theory has anything to do with the actual brand of feed.

While it’s not very scientific, I’d like to test those theories by asking other dog owners how old were your longest AND shortest lived dogs, and what was the main diet of those dogs? Working on a spreadsheet, and if I get enough replies, I’ll share my theories as to what might contribute to longevity in dogs (which, upon research, seems to have some credibility) and the final results of my polling.

I’ll start off the thread by answering my own question:

Youngest dog: 3yo Corgi bitch euthanized due to genetic disc problems. Fed generic Dog Chow type feed before I purchased her, lived with me for 6 months and ate mostly home cooked, some raw.

Oldest Dog: 13yo Am. Cocker Spaniel bitch. Fed Science Diet for several years, raw fed since 2014. Died of systemic cancer.

[Stan C]

Request you take a look at Soul’yRaw http://www.soulyraw.com/main. They comply with the AAFCO standard and don’t use additives.

[Kelly B]

My dog and cats are fed 4Health brand food. My cats are doing great, their hair is so soft and shiny, We have very few hairballs at all. There is very little poo waste.

My senior dog Boo was getting Mast cell tumors, with the switch to 4health and added boiled chicken on top his last 2 hard mast cell tumors shrunk down and disappeared. he still has and gets fatty ones but he is 14 years old.

I have had problems with very expensive foods when another dog left with my ex husband had skin problems that got worse trying all the great expensive food. What cleared that up was when Bear and Boo got put on a raw diet for 8 months.

Boo and the cats have done really well on 4Health for the past few years and I do not ever plan to feed another kind of food to my cats or any other dog I may get.

[Tracy D]

Hi there, I am new to this forum. My dog Patchy has just been diagnosed (sort of) with pancreatitis and my vet told me I would have to take her off her raw beef mince diet. She advised a canned dog food with minimum fat as it is the only way they can monitor her as they “know” how much fat is on the food. Fair enough I can see the wisdom in that but…all I have read is that a raw food diet is the answer to sickness and she been raised on that. I really do not care for canned food and nor does Patchy. Naturally if at the end of the day the vet’s advice is the only answer then i will have to do that but I don’t feel this is good enough. So I have a few questions for the group if you could be good enough to help me with this:
Would raw kangaroo with low fat content be a good choice?
If so and as they are not farmed but eat wild, then how would I know how clean the meat is from parasites and toxoplasmosis, not to mention any other scary things that I don’t know about?
Could a high quality Cod Liver Oil help her general health? Not that she is otherwise unhealthy but quite the opposite.
I read here that animal sourced digestive enzymes can help, does anyone know a good one?
Many thanks to you all

[theal]

I came to this discussion in my search for a quality grain-free fish-based dry food but it raised even more questions.

Specifically I have a question for GSDsForever.
Can you please explain why you say “Orijen’s 6 Fish formula has a pretty poor overall dry matter digestibility”? I looked at the ingredients list and I don’t see any red flags.

Also, Wellness Core Ocean has a very low Omega-3 content for fish-based food; only 0.8% even though it has Canola Oil and Flaxseed Omega-3 fillers.
Orijen has 2.2% Omega-3 with no additional Omega-3 supplements.
Should this lead to conclusion that Wellness Ocean uses less fish and/or lower quality of fish that was de-oiled?
Low percentage of Omega-3 can also be found in these well-reviewed fish products: Hi-Tek Naturals Grain Free Alaskan Fish, Earthborn Holistic Coastal Catch Grain-Free Natural Dry and Merrick Backcountry Raw Infused Pacific Catch Recipe.

With a current fish over-harvesting and fish prices going through the roof, food processing companies seem to compromise on fish quality to keep product price lower.
So I wonder if I should go with a quality meat-based feed and to use a fish-oil supplement instead.

[Christine S]

“I thought the OP was posting a cautionary tale to warn others about the dangers regarding raw diets.”

Absolutely not. Raw feeding had nothing to do with my dog’s blockage, either the first time or this time. This last time was the previous surgeon’s fault.

[anonymous]

I thought the OP was posting a cautionary tale to warn others about the dangers regarding raw diets. I had no idea that she would want to continue this practice, especially after what her veterinarian advised.
PS: I have tried raw diets, supplements etc. No thank you!

[pitlove]

Hi Christine-

I can’t speak for the others, but I personally thought you were asking for advice on what would be best for your pet after a major surgery, not for confirmation that you should continue feeding raw after advised not to by your vet. Clearly you had made your decision before even posting here. Best of luck!

[Catherine W]

Long background story:
I have a 2 year old Bernese mountain dog who never had great stools from when we got her. She was on blue buffalo and we always had issues, especially between new bags. But last may we had to evacuate our home from a fire and we ultimately moved, then had a new baby in September, and her stools have just been on and off ever since. They were good in July/Aug on Kirkland salmon but then a mess after new baby and my husband wanted to change foods at the same time to Kirkland turkey because of bad fish breath. Well since September she hasn’t been on 100% kibble, started with a blend of rice/boiled meat/kibble, but the rice started to go right through her so we tried oatmeal. Now she’s on an oatmeal/kibble blend. I supplement with carrots, and a probiotic, and recently I’ve been giving her a multivitamin because I’m concerned. In December I managed to get to 70:30 kibble to oatmeal ratio with great stool then explosive diarrhea for days. Basically it’s been the worst since May, midnight outings every 2 hrs. Oh and I took her to the vet in December who did a deworming and stool sample and put her on Hills prescription w/d canned which made her constipated and bleed, which we then blended back to kibble which didn’t work. I’ve tried adding pumpkin and bran buds (vet recommended) but it’s hit and miss.
Last week I researched all sorts of dog foods and decided on Hills large breed light because of the high fiber and low fat content. She can’t eat anything fatty, raw bones just cause diarrhea, and never gets meat scraps because they just cause upset.

Basically I’m wondering if I’ve tried it all and my dog is just destroyed inside and is hopeless. Thanks.

• This topic was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by Catherine W.

[Christine S]

No, I believed this subforum under the umbrella of a general dog food forum was for discussing raw food diets and therefore might contain some members skilled and experienced in raw and homemade diets. I figured those uninterested or inexperienced with raw/organic/homemade diets would not bother commenting, but, this is the internet. thanks for everybody’s helpful suggestions, i’ve opted to go with the advice of my nutritional mentor. she wrote a blog post about it here in case anyone also finds it useful:

https://sfraw.wordpress.com/2016/11/16/qa-recomendations-for-healing-after-major-abdominalintestinal-surgery/

[pitlove]

Hi InkedMarie-

I can only assume based on context that the OP believed this forum in its entirety was devoted to raw feeding since she was surprised as to having been met with opposition from those of us who do not feed raw. That or she misunderstood that all members of this forum can post in the raw feeding section regardless of if they feed raw or not.

[InkedMarie]

PitLuv,
The op IS posting in the raw food subforum here.

[Suzanne F]

I used to feed raw, but now I feed canned only. For now it’s Wild Calling rotational diet Bison, alligator and rabbit. Wild calling is like 92% protein and no carbs. He eats sweet potato or yams and dehydrated pumpkin & cranberry by Diggin FirmUp on occasion. He’s not a fan of canned pumpkin. The doctor did a blood test to test for allergies and I did Dr Dods saliva test to test for food intolerances. He has many of both. Since I’ve made the changes he’s more willing to eat and less reflux. Also switch between Apple cider vinegar powder capsules and Zantac 150 mugs 2 times a day, ProPlan FortiFlora probiotics once a day. I feed him 3 times a day and a snack before bed. The empty stomach can make him throw up bile or or a white foam. Hope this helps. If you have any suggestions I’m all ears.

[Susan]

Hi Christine, yes you would be stressing out, I know I would be… sometimes a dog just can’t eat a raw diet, a dog needs to be healthy with a healthy gut/bowel & not have a compromised immune system to be feed a raw diet, I have a boy with IBD & I went thru a Naturopath to put Patch on a raw diet, I had to add digestive enzymes, a probiotic & a supplement to the raw also I couldn’t add any bone or organ meats to the diet, I added the supplement that replaced the bone & muscle meat until we slowly introduce everything to his diet…..The raw diet didn’t work out for my boy, he kept regurgitating up digested raw meat & water kept coming back up into mouth 20mins after eating causing bad acid reflux..
Maybe look for good Animal Nutritionist & she can make up a few balanced cooked meals for him that are very easy to digest, here’s the link for “Balance It” click on the “Click on” link, you fill out the quick 40 sec form asking what are your dogs health problems but if your dog has too many health problems more then 2 health problems you have to contact Balance It & one of the vet Nutritionist makes up a special diet for your dog….this way he’s eating a proper balanced cooked diet…
https://secure.balanceit.com/
For now feed the vet diet till you work out what you want to do, is the vet diet dry (kibble) or wet (Tin food)???
Have a look at “Wysong” here’s their link & contact them ask about their Epigen starch free diets in the wet tin foods there’s organic chicken, Rabbit, turkey, duck, salmon & beef these diet would have better ingredients then the vet diets have you may feel better feeding them… http://www.wysong.net/epigen-canned

[pitlove]

Hi Christine-

This is not a raw feeding forum. Yes, there are raw feeders who post here, but this website is not dedicated to raw feeding and many of us here do not feed raw.

Your dog just went through a serious intestional surgery and at least until you know he/she is stable, I would use the theraputic diet as recommended and then perhaps in time, discuss crazy4cats suggestion of BalanceIt.com with your vet.

[Christine S]

but the VCA did not give me an order for prescription food, the tech just said to feed either of those two brands, and that homemade diets were bad. i thought this was a raw dog food forum? i don’t want to feed junk with questionable meat sources, or anything i wouldn’t eat myself. i am able to source local grass fed organic meats without additives or fillers and have worked with a raw food nutritionist in the past so feel confident the meals i make are nutritionally complete, but i was curious if someone could recommend something similar to a highly digestible prescription diet that doesn’t use crap meat in it.

[anonymous]

The vet tech can’t make any recommendations without the veterinarian’s approval, the veterinarian is the one that signs the order for the prescription food.
The veterinarian probably told the vet tech to discuss the diet issues/prescription food with you after consulting with the surgeon. The vet tech can’t prescribe anything.

Your own words: “the vet said that i can no longer feed raw or homemade foods because i can’t possibly “give him all the nutrition a prescription diet can.” she wants me to feed either hill’s prescription i/d or royal canin gastrointestinal high energy, because he needs somethign highly digestible with easily absorbable nutrients that he can digest and absorb quickly in his upper gut since most of his intestines are gone.”

PS: You might want to leave a message for the vet to call you when she has a minute to clarify the diet recommendations. I’m not sure you realize the gravity of the situation.
Best of luck.

[Stephanie S]

My lab/golden has IBD. We’ve been trying for a year and a half to find a food that doesn’t cause vomiting or diarrhea. Through trial and error we’ve figured out she needs very low fat, very low fiber, no white or sweet potatoes, and no kibble. Our latest experiment has been with Sojo’s original pre-mix with cooked chicken breast (I’m afraid to feed raw meat to a dog with a compromised immune system.) The first three days she loved it and her stools were firm. Then she threw up but it looked like just the chicken so we wrote it off as a fluke and persevered. Now she doesn’t want to eat the Sojo’s – she tries to pick the chicken out. She hasn’t thrown up in two days and her stools are still excellent. She behaved the same way with Honest Kitchen and Grandma Lucy’s. Meanwhile we’ve tried several canned foods that she will eat enthusiastically despite the gas and cow patty stools they cause. Does anyone have any idea why these mixes might not sit right with her, despite the good output? I’m soaking the Sojo’s overnight. Our vet has no idea why she stops eating it. Also wondering if the oats, etc., in the Sojo’s are cooked – they don’t look it, so might it be causing bloat

[Christine S]

hi everybody-

new here and in a bit of a panic. i’ve been feeding raw to all my pets for over a decade with no issues. sadly, my 8-year old siberian husky has had issues eating things he’s not supposed to. he had a blockage where they needed to remove 30 inches of his intestine. because of stricture from that surgery, they just needed to removed 8 more. the vet said that i can no longer feed raw or homemade foods because i can’t possibly “give him all the nutrition a prescription diet can.” she wants me to feed either hill’s prescription i/d or royal canin gastrointestinal high energy, because he needs somethign highly digestible with easily absorbable nutrients that he can digest and absorb quickly in his upper gut since most of his intestines are gone.

the ingredient list in both of these scare me. i tried to at least find something comparable in a natural or organic form, but none of the major natural food companies seem to have prescription lines.

what do you think? should i just feed this presciption diet? any other recommendations? my boy needs to put on weight fast!

thank you,
christine

[elaine c]

Have you tried ANSWERS Pet Food? look it up… it is all fermented and GREAT for dogs that have stomach issues… My little Pittie, Lucy was throwing up blood and pooping blood, I changed over to this food and she doesn’t even have gas anymore!! I was told that gas really is not a good. It means the food is not good.. I don’t mean spoiled, I mean not quality. Answers is raw.. I LOVE LOVE it ans would never use anything else. It comes in 4 different meats. google it, go to dogfoodadvisor.com.. It is national. Best of luck!!
Elaine