[SummerRainAussies]

When choosing a kibble I try and mimic their stool when they are fed raw since that is what they should be eating anyways. Raw poop is very small, firm, and dark. A lot of kibbles I have tried give them a light or even yellow colored bowel movement.
I am a raw feeder in the morning so my goal tends to be how close can I get their morning poop to look compared to their evening poop LOL 🙂
So far Victors Is the winner!
I have also looked at Nutrisource as they have a performance formula with 30/20 protein to fat ratio and is pea free.
Nutrisource also has the same 4 strains of fermented probiotic Victors has. Plus another one. Most foods really lack in this area. Annamaet has NONE.

dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried Aspergillus niger fermentation extract, dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, dried Bacillus subtilis fermentation extract

[SummerRainAussies]

I add 3-4 teaspoons a day divided over her meals. Or a heaping tablespoon. I just eyeball it. Shes 45lbs.
Rule of thumb is a teaspoon per 10 pounds or a tablespoon per 30lbs. All dogs are different. I give it to a few of my other dogs but not even half the dose I give her. She is my problem child.. She also gets Braggs RAW apple cider vinegar, Fish oil, Spurlina, probiotic, and of course she doesn’t get any “crap” in her diet. Also a raw egg on her morning raw meal every other day. She used to be a nightmare scratching herself raw but i’ve got her pretty much under control now. 🙂

[elaine c]

Yes Novachaser raw goats milk is great and can be part of the Answers dog food. They sell it under their name. If you are interested go to Answerspetfood.com and read why their food is so good for your dog.

[Rusty T]

Krista:

I tend to feed kibble in the morning, and kibble with a Topper at night. (I use I and Love and You Nude for the kibble and Holistic Selects Grain Free Canned Food.) I generally also sub out sometimes with left over veggies, or fresh meat. Last Saturday they got kibble mixed with beef tripe that I picked up for them. Monday, I threw in a can of sardines with the kibble. I have a bag of raw turkey necks in the freezer that I hand out from time to time. I generally boil a couple of extra eggs every week, and toss them in for the evening meal. I roast a chicken generally once a week and cut out the backbone before I roast the chicken, and feed the raw backbone to them. (My chicken cooks faster and more evenly if I butterfly it.) We keep a container in the fridge where we throw left over veggies from dinner that are big enough portions for a meal to toss in their kibble. But nothing with garlic in it.

[micah g]

What is the best food anyone can recommend for a dog with knee injury? I am willing to do raw if i need to or wet whatever will provide the most healing potential. My 11 year old 55lb shep/mix has Bilateral ACL tears. He is not overweight and surgery was of course suggested at a cost of $6000 for both knee’s done 3 months apart. I am going to give him 2 more weeks and see how he is doing, try to heal him with good food, rest, and anti inflammatory. There is a lot of info on the pro’s and con’s of the TPLO ACL repair.
Any info is appreciated this is a very difficult decision and road ahead for our poor old baby.

[Susan]

Hi, if you can cook here’s a Naturopath Jacqueline Rudan I use in Australia, here’s one of her raw diets for health problems, “Acidifying (Urinary Crystals)” You will get an idea on what foods are best to feed, I noticed for organ meats she suggests lambs fry, lamb kidney, lamb heart there’s no no beef or chicken livers, I wonder why?? Lentils, Chickpeas, Sweet Potatoes, Spinach, String Beans, Cranberries, Strawberries etc, I also saw eggs, so a scrambled egg & a small rissole for breakfast make sure your adding a Omega 3 supplement or feeding sardines, salmon, so she’s getting her Omega 3 for her joints, skin, coat, brain eyes etc sardines are very healthy

I buy the lean pork grounded mince 1kg (2lbs) & add 1 whisked egg, finally cut parsley, cut up a few small broccoli heads, a kale leaf finally cut up, I add 1 teaspoon of Flax, almond bake meal, its high in omega 3 fatty acids mix all together & make small balls & bake on a baking tray in oven, they can be frozen & taken out when needed, then you can add boiled potatoes or lentils whatever else you need to add to her diet …
http://naturalanimalsolutions.com.au/Shop/2016/03/15/acidifying-diet-urinary-crystals/

[Julie P]

my GSD pinched a nerve in his back a few years ago on a slick wood floor. He limped for about four months. Was overweight at the time. 106lbs. Have since covered the floors. In order to help him loose weight faster to help with the limping issue I put him on raw food diet. And cut out ALL treats. He always loved to swim and I have lake nearby and he could do that with limp. He has been at about 90 lbs since then. Feed him Merrick for the last several years. Recently tried Zignature as the local store was offering buy one get one. Both dogs have done really well on it. My GSD has Pannus now. And eye disease. Has to have eye drops now every day for life. This disease came on at the same time I had tried Costco dog food/and had him vaccinated. Either one of these things brought it on or it just happened. The other dog got hot spots from the Costco grain free food. Do not ever feed Costco Grain free. Reviews are horrible too. And if you ever need prescriptions sign up for Good RX. They have saved me tons of money.

[Roberta A]

Hello, I was wondering if anyone could recommend a gravy or sauce. I have a 16 year old Yorkie who has become very picky. She is on a raw diet, has been since she was 5. Anything that is dry and crumbled she will pick it out of her food and leave the food so must be a something that coats her food. My criteria is: It must be human grade, must be made in USA, and not full of chemicals, dies or the unexplainable bad stuff companies use in pet food.
I have been making my own broth but it is quite labor intensive for only 2 tablespoons over her food when in 2 or 3 days she’s over it and I’m forced to find something different. Currently I’m using human gravy from a jar it comes in several favors but the sodium isn’t great but she eats. She will go days without eating and that makes me more nervous than the sodium.
She is on Standard Process renal support 1/8 tsp Am and Pm in her food and she absolutely hates it this is what has caused her to become picky, but she has to have it her kidneys are showing signs of kidney disease Standard Process is making a difference. Can you suggest something?

[Jeff L]

I have been switching proteins from beef, turkey and chicken. I will throw in pork next round. I have been bouncing form Answers to Primal Pet foods. His stools changed a little with the chicken. I have also been feeding different raw meaty bones and will probably switch completely to raw once I figure out what works for Nick. Right now I feel better giving him a prepared raw food diet because those two companies have already done the thinking for me, but at a much higher cost than I want to pay forever. Definitely not as convenient as kibble, but I know he is thriving right now. I will keep everyone updated..

[Krista B]

I fed my dog (homemade) raw for a year. It’s a great way to feed and I think it’s great you are feeding this way! The cost became to much for my family so I switched to commercial dog food, otherwise I would still be feeding raw. I currently feed half kibble and half freeze dried raw and canned. My dog will eat literally anything you put in front of her so this hasn’t been an issue to switch.

My advice would be to Remeber to switch protein sources! Dogs need lots of variety and shouldn’t be fed only one protein source. Try to feed at least 3-4 or more.

[Cannoli]

Parul S,

I am a big firm believer of daily teeth brushing. If not daily at least weekly regardless if your pup is just eating kibble, or raw only, or chewing on bones, etc.

Nothing beats a toothbrush when it comes to cleaning the gum lines. Bones and kibble don’t get in between the gum lines.

So in regards to your question you should always be brushing your pup’s teeth regardless what you feed him. You might like it as his doggy breath will disappear. I love it when my pup licks and kisses me. His breath never stinks..

[Cannoli]

Hi Tao,

Never heard of this company.
There are a lot of new frozen raw food brands coming out. If you can’t find any information on this company than stay away. Me personally I prefer to source my own raw meat but if you must use a frozen company stick to the ones people write about here. Such as Hare today gone tomorrow, Miami Raw(great feedback on yelp), My pet carnivore, etc.

[Cannoli]

It’s nice that your are feeding your pup none processed food.

I feed my dog raw apple because he can handle it. If your dog can handle raw apple stick to it because cooking the apple does break down some of the nutrients. I normally feed my dog apple as part of his veggie nutrient blend:

In a blender I blend:

raw apple( I rotate with the fruits sometimes I used blueberries, or bananas, or pineapple) it helps cutdown the vinegar taste of the smoothie. Sometimes I skip the fruit and add a dollop of fresh organic honey
alfalfa
fresh tumeric root
organic virgin coconut oli
apple cider vinger with the mother
fresh ginger
spirulina
some green leafy veggie
carrots
organic none synthetic vitamin powder such as Animal Essentials (but since you are still feeding kibble you don’t need this since kibble has the synthetic vitamens and you don’t want to over do it)
calcium supplement (again since you still feed kibble this is not required)

Keep in mind that once you start incorporating fruit which is high in sugar teeth brushing is even more essential for your pup

[Jen K]

My little guy’s sensitive to chicken so I switched him to turkey and he was doing well on it for a while (probably about a year) and then he became sensitive to that as well. My vet says that’s relatively common. Now we’re trying rabbit and will hopefully be able to rotate with beef to avoid further intolerances but one step at a time :). I’ve decided to try Natures Veriety raw and he LOVES it so far and him symptoms (diarrhea) are quickly improving. Try not to worry too much, if there’s one thing my little guy tought me it’s to take one day at a time :). Also, there’s tons of options! From fish to kangaroo even! You’ll be able to find things that work!Hope all is well with your fur baby. I know this is an old thread but still wanted to chime in.

[Parul S]

Should apples be given raw or cooked to dogs? We recently rescued a 1 year old Australian Cattle dog mix and I would like to improve her diet. She has only ever eaten kibble and I can tell she doesn’t like it but doesn’t know any better. So far I have given her a bite or 2 of raw Apple, banana, coconut oil, boiled sweet potato, raw carrots, frozen green peas, frozen blueberries, raw chicken skin, cucumber and boiled egg with shell. She has loved every new addition. Any inputs would be welcome. She is 42 pounds, very energetic and the love of our lives. We are first time dog owners and would really like to do right by her.

[Cannoli]

Hi Crystal,

A premdade raw will not ensure you have healthy puppies with no defects.

Genetic testing of the parents and grandparents along with hip dysplasia, thyroid imbalances, and any tests required for health problems associated with labradors going back to the grandparents would be the best bet.

[Cannoli]

Hi Tides,

I am not a fan of giving whole bones to my pup. No matter how much i tried teaching him to chew correctly he stubbornly chomps and swallows.

Your pup is 11lbs he might crack his tooth on that bone. Instead you can make a nice beef marrow broth and add it to the raw food. Although you probably won’t get the required calcium from the broth you can supplement it with calcium products from Amazon like calcium seaweed, bone calcium, egg shells, or ground soft bones that are finely ground. Ask your butcher to see if he can ground up some soft bones for your pup

In short you can feed raw without actually give your pup whole bones. I have been doing it for two years now.

Best of luck

[SummerRainAussies]

I agree with both zcRiley and Elaine. Raw food is the best to eliminate allergies but it is not an option for all. There are plenty of premixed raw formulas but a unbalanced raw diet is worse than even an average kibble.
I have a girl that was really itchy. Things that really helped my girl other than her homemade raw diet include Brags apple cider vinegar, coconut oil, fish oil, and a good probiotic.

[Susan]

Hi Tides, gee your a good mum, it’s really good to see people feeding their dogs what their digestive tract is meant to digest & feed a Raw healthy diet even if 1 meal is raw & the other meal a dry kibble your still on the right track..
If your on Face Book join & follow “Rodney Habib” F/B page, he posted a video a couple of months ago “How to make your own balanced dog food in 3 easy steps” link posted below…Rodney has heaps of good information about feeding a healthy diet also what’s in our kibbles, how to work out the carbohydrate % & the little tricks these kibble companies do to trick us into buying their kibble & how to read the ingredient list & work out what brand kibbles are better..
If your girl cant eat chicken & turkey just be careful adding egg shell & slowly introduce just in case…
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/how-to-make-your-own-balanced-dog-food-in-3-easy-steps.html

[Acroyali]

Hi Tides:

http://dogaware.com/diet/freshfoods.html

Here’s a nice article on adding fresh foods to a commercial diet.
I’m not sure if your dog could tolerate eggs since he’s so allergic to chicken. Personally, I wouldn’t risk it. I wouldn’t concern myself with the variety needed for a stand-alone raw diet if he’s still getting some commercial foods.
Beef bones aren’t the best option for consumable bones, however letting him gnaw on bones would help keep his teeth clean. The only dogs around here who don’t get recreational chew bones (beef bones) are those who chew aggressively, so much that chipping teeth is an issue.
Though I don’t feed it a lot, green beef tripe is an absolute hit in this house and the acidic nature helps keep their teeth clean, as well as all the great enzymes helping digestion. As long as the butcher gets it from a good source, I’d take him up on his offer, it sounds great!
Hope this helps get your plan off the ground!

[tides]

A couple of links about the dangers of bone obstruction and/or general dangers of raw meat/dietary guidelines actually doesn’t help very much. I want to supplement my dog’s food, rather than replace the kibble entirely, and I wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t already discussed the option with her vet AND done a fair amount of research myself. I’m looking for guidelines when the vast majority of raw diet/raw supplements discusses chicken and turkey as primary food sources and my pup can’t have them.

[tides]

My dog – an 11 lb rescue who is probably a Lhasa/Yorkie mix – does okay on kibble, but I want to supplement with raw/do raw food several times a week. I think it would do her well, especially as she gets a little older.

The biggest issue that I have is the fact that she’s very allergic to chicken, raw or cooked. When I first adopted her, I took her to multiple vets to figure out what was going on because she was so sick. Eventually, moving her to an expensive salmon-only kibble cleared everything up. I worked with that vet extensively and she does well with fish, pork, and beef, but anything with poultry tends to foul things up. Duck is iffy, but turkey and chicken are absolute no-gos. (When I adopted her from the shelter, her fur was falling out because the shelter only had one kind of kibble. As far as I know, until I took her in, she had food that made her ill.)

Right now I have her on a good beef kibble (Kirkland) that’s doing good by her. However, I’d like to supplement this with good raw food. However, I’m not sure how to approach the softy meaty bones side of things when she can’t eat poultry bones without needing an emergency vet visit (skin issues + vomiting + diarrhea). I also don’t own a meat grinder, but do have an amazing butcher, who already has a whole dog section, including organs, human-grade scraps, tripe, and marrow bones. I worry that beef marrow bones are a big/dangerous option for a little dog.

Any advice on getting this on?

[anonymous]

It’s not about finding the right food. What you are feeding sounds fine, especially if the lab work came back good. I would cut the amount of kibble you are feeding in half (1/3rd cup twice a day with a topper) if your vet approves.
Maybe try a grain-free kibble such as Nutrisca. In my experience, small breeds don’t do well with raw.
Do you have health insurance for your dog? I ask because I think from the information you have provided that your dog might benefit from aquatic therapy (swimming). If your vet prescribes it for weight loss it may be covered.
One minute of swimming is equal to four minutes of running and it’s easy on the joints, plus he will get the benefits that exercise can provide, such as weight loss, improved mood, etc.

[Susan]

Hi, my kitten eats a raw diet, at first she wouldn’t touch turkey pre-made frozen… he may just like the more leaner white meats with less blood etc, have you tried kangaroo dogs all love kangaroo but kangaroo taste more meaty & is a stronger meat, I didn’t like it, look at trying Rabbit, Goat, Pork, white meats…..
Is this Pre-made frozen raw your feeding or home made raw?? My kitten wouldn’t eat the Pre-made Raw patties plus when I smelt them they didn’t smell like raw meat should smell, I think I wouldn’t of eaten it as well…. can you take them back? I bought frozen pre-made patties & contacted the company on their Face Book page & they said take back & exchange & try the Rabbit instead but she still wasn’t fussed about the rabbit either, I think it was the brand of raw, so now I buy the fridge chilled raw, its not frozen & she loves it.. I just put in the freezer & freeze it & smells like meat should smell..

[Shyla S]

Hi All,

I have a shichon ( Mix of Bichon and Shitzu) 4 years old weighing 23lbs. He has started developing arthiritis in the hip area.

The vet has put him on Metacam and Joint Plus glucosamine HCL liquid form and has suggested that he should lose 5 lbs to come to 18lbs.

His thyroid is fine and blood work came clean. I give him boiled chicken and 3/4th cup kibbles twice a day.

kindly suggest any raw diet which has helped in losing weight. He does not like any meat other than chicken and yes baby carrots.

[Susan]

Hi, for her weight is she being walked daily & throwing a ball in a park is good excercise, you just stand there & they do all the work running after the ball… My boy gets walked 2-3 times a day mainly cause I live in a unit/villa, he’s 8yrs old looks good, no joint problems (yet), I put it down to exercise being active & a lean diet, have you tried raw diet? dogs & cats love raw or freeze dried raw like “Ziwi Peak” when my boy was on raw he lost too much weight, probably cause he wasn’t getting all the carbs you get in kibbles….
I had a boxer before Patch & she was the same, she’d just look at food & put on weight, she ate 1/2 of what my Staffy Patch eats & he loses weight very quickly but he’s more active then my boxer was..

[crazy4cats]

Hi Barb C-
We give our dogs a bully stick once a week. They are aggressive chewers, therefore we put the sticks in a vice grip so they do not try to swallow them without chewing them up. They are 5-1/2 years old and have not had an issue with them. They’re a little stinky and they love them! Rawhide scares me and I’ve never given it to them. Hope this helps!

[EDITH S]

CAN YOU ADD THE KEFIR TO YOUR DOGS FOOD. I MAKE MY RAW DIET DOG FOOD FOR MY FRENCHIE AND WANT TO GIVE HER KEFIR TO FIX HER YEASTY PROBLEM.SHES NOT TO HAPPY WITH IT PLAIN AND JUST WANT TO KNOW IF I CAN PUT IN HER FOOD.

[anonymous]

http://www.embracepetinsurance.com/blog/harmful-side-animal-sourced-dog-chews (excerpt below) click on link for full article.
Cow hooves and pigs ears are what the name implies. 
Marrow bones are from the long bones of cows and pigs.
Rawhides are the skin of cows. 
Antlers come from either deer or elk. 
So what do you think bully sticks are?  Think about this one.  Give up?  They are bull penises! Hmm.
There are some dangers with all of these items. All of these have the potential and can cause intestinal obstructions, but equally important are the dangers that come from the way these are processed.  They are first soaked for hours in a caustic lye solution to digest the undesirables off the skin and then to remove the lye the skin is then soaked in bleach solution.  Sounds yummy. Many of the rawhides come from China where they have been known to use arsenic compounds to preserve them. 
There is no regulation of rawhides or pigs ears.  You really have no idea where these come from.
Marrow bones and antlers cause many broken teeth.  A good rule of thumb is if you don’t want me to hit you in the kneecap with it, your dog should not be chewing on it. I can not tell you how many expensive extractions are the result of dogs chewing bones.

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=bones

Also, you can use the search engine here to look up topics. I am sure that if you Google enough, you will find articles to support your opinions (whatever they may be).
I have found that I get the best results by listening to a veterinarian that has actually examined the pet in question.
I prefer science based veterinary medicine.

[Barb C]

I work at Petco, and have often wondered if Bully sticks have the same issue as rawhides, with pieces being able to be chewed off, and swallowed, causing bowel obstruction. i imagine they digest (?) about the same as rawhides.
I’d appreciate any input or information. Thanks

• This reply was modified 8 years, 12 months ago by Barb C.
• This reply was modified 8 years, 12 months ago by Barb C. Reason: misspell

[Margaret H]

Dear Liz, toppers, rotations and raw food are good options for dog food. As you need an easy way for variation in your dogs’ diets then I would suggest you to go to a dog meal supplier. Dog meal suppliers are well experienced and they know how to feed dogs by giving them variety of food with the proper amount of supplements including in their meal. You can even look for some suppliers online. Brooklyn dog food delivery or NYC dog food delivery (http://hudsonschow.com) can be good options too.

[Jeanne M]

In my opinion – Vital Essentials makes a great freeze dried raw as well as a frozen raw. I use both for my Shelties. Please give them a peek and post your findings/opinion.

[Crystal]

Hi, looking distributors in NC.

[Crystal]

Hi, I was going to recommend at least 3 proteins. If you find it hard to do you can get a premade raw blend.

If my vet told me that I would’ve left right out.

[Crystal]

Hi, new here!!

I’m looking to see opinions on the best premade raw.

FYI…I breed labrador retrievers, so I need to ensure a healthy pregnancy, healthy dogs, and healthy puppies with no defects.

I’ve been reading so many controversial things. I was also told something about the meat being, I think it was flash steamed.? Making it less nutritional.

Allergies are grain
Also, no peas, no flax, no soy, and no potatoes or any other starch to cause yeast.

Thanks for your time,
Crystal ❤

[D S]

D Mannose treats and cures mine, a lot of women say the same thing in the reviews- there’s several thousand human reviews on there, and a lot for the dog one too. This is the first time I’ve used it for a dog though I don’t see why it would be much different. I use the test strips, same ones the dr uses, to check before and after. So far this corgi loves the doggie ones listed above, the first day she wouldn’t eat it without it being in food. The next day on she has snatched it out of my hand and crunched them up like a cookie begging for more. I’m amazed because she is picky. Even raw meaty beef bones (totally organic from a steer we raised and butchered) she takes in her igloo to hoard and takes a few bites now and then. I think it depends on the bacteria and how you treat them. Once a day would not cure a UTI. But several throughout the day, possibly 2 days if it is very severe would in many cases. You can tape a baggie to the dog’s hind end and take her for a leash walk to collect urine and test it with a pregnancy test or test strip. D Mannose only works on UTIs caused by bacteria(about 80% of UTIs are from E coli bacteria). If the UTI is from something else (about 20% of them are) then D Mannose would not work. If you read the Amazon reviews for human D Mannose there is a lot of info about treating both types

[SummerRainAussies]

Hi Crazy4cats!

Yeah I haven’t heard anything bad about them I just don’t like their customer service. They act like they are hiding something all the time. But I am pretty anal about dog food companies ;). Just a couple days ago got Annamaet 32/20. So far only after a couple days there has been a little bit of loose stool but I will give it some time. We will see how the annamaet plays out.. I LOVE the company but if their stools don’t firm up like I like back to victor we will probably go!
My dogs eat about 50% raw so the kibble doesn’t take up their entire nutrition.
Thanks for the reply!

[Criss]

Hi all- cyndi I have learned so much from the questions you have asked and the answers these kind people have given you. I too need a step by step guideline to follow.
I have 2 Danes one in which is extremely hard to keep weight on I feed Victor and grain free mixed but am wanting to switch to raw for various reasons poop, health, weight gain and life span. Although I love both my dogs my male the younger of the two has imprinted with me sort of speak. We are inseparable if I cough or laugh he is up and sniffing my face to make sure I’m ok. It’s unreal the bond we have and I want him for as long as humanly possible. My girl is stout healthy and highly energetic doesn’t keep still long enough to love on her except for bedtime lol
Anyways thanks for all of your input it has answered lots of questions I’ve taken notes googles a wholesale place to order.
Will be starting soon want to research just. Tad more

[InkedMarie]

One reason I stopped using Reel Raw was the fact that alot of it seemed very fatty. Does the beef look fatty?

[SummerRainAussies]

I guess I have more of a question than anything. Other than their homemade RAW they have done the best on victors kibble. High pro plus to be exact. Small dark firm bowel movements.
I switched to Annamaet 32/20 (my dogs need high fat) and it gave them soft stool that was much lighter in color and had a yellow look to it. Now I will admit I gave them the new food cold turkey.

The only reason I switched in the first place is because Victors wasn’t on the editors choice list and I am concerned about the quality of the food and their customer service.

Someone with knowledge on this please give me their thoughts.

[SummerRainAussies]

Victors is one of the only foods (other than raw) that my dogs have done really well on. Perfect bowel movements. I am not so sure about the company though which sucks. Every time I try a different food I end up back on Victors.

[anonymous]

Take her to the vet. If the symptoms go on for 4seasons/1year without significant response to treatment from the veterinarian, see a veterinary dermatologist.
In fact, if it was my dog I would go directly to the dermatologist for testing and diagnosis.
Did you check the search engine here? This subject comes up at least once or twice a week.
BTW: I would not bother with hair and saliva tests, they are not diagnostic tools.
For science based veterinary medicine go here: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/

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

[Kristi F]

I have noticed my 45 lb. rescue dog chewing and pulling at her nails a few times before and it was not much of an issue until today. I was busy during the day so she had to wait till early evening for a walk and we went for an hour. Immediately after we got in I noticed her one paw was bleeding quite a bit so I layed her down and checked and realized it was because her nails had been chewed raw! The walk must have made it worse 🙁 I noticed she had chewed all of them, even the dew claws a bit. I’m not sure if this is an allergy thing or just behavioural? She’s about 11 months old and pretty high energy.

[Susan]

Hi Kerrin, your best to make a balance raw diet or buy the pre-made raw diets or cook.
I feed my dog a cooked meal (Dinner) & rotate between “Taste Of The Wild” “Holistic Select Adult/Puppy” Fish grain free & Canidae Life Stages the Canidae Pure grain free gave Patch his pain, it may have been the Chickpeas & higher protein % but Canidae Pure formulas would be excellent for healthy dogs, the Canidae Life Stages has the big 44lb (20kg) bags at a very good price…Canidae uses human grade ingredients, kibble size is nice & small for dogs that gulp & don’t chew, easier to digest…

My Patch just turned 8 yrs old, he has no joint pain that I can see, body & coat looks excellent, the only problem is he has IBD mainly his stomach, to look at him you wouldn’t know he has IBD & is ill some days…..I put Patch down to being so healthy & getting better from cooked meals, fresh foods, peeled apple pieces as treats, Almonds as treats, broccoli, kale, egg, spinach parsley all cut up & mixed with lean pork mince or extra lean beef mince & made into 1 cup size rissoles & baked in the oven, sweet potato boiled & added to rissoles as well after cooked, I cant think what else I feed him, I feed what ever I’m eating & I rotate between kibbles, changing the proteins mainly feed Fish & Lamb kibbles, I stay away from chicken if I can, chicken is very high in omega 6 & low in Omega 3…
Omega 6 is pro anti-inflammatory & Omega 3 is anti-inflammatory & as we know chickens are pumped with hormones to grow quickly.

A balanced raw or cooked diet is the best to feed a cat or dog, kibble is just easy for us… have a look at Ziwi Peak Air Dried, Canidae Pure or Life Stages, Victor Super Premium or Sport Dog Elite, the Sport Dog Elite is similar to the Victor but cheaper, the Sport Dog Elite link I have isn’t working but it shows the Sport Dog Elite formulas & compares them to the Victors formulas….
http://victorpetfood.com/

[tonkasdad]

Hey all! So I started my dog on reel raw and he absolutely loves it! Ive been feeding him mainly chicken and turkey for the past few weeks. Today I fed him beef, and he didn’t even touch it. With the chicken and turkey, he inhaled them. But the beef patty, he ate a piece and spit it out. I was wondering if this is something to be worried about, or should I keep trying to feed him it? He has had beef before, in both kibble and home cooked ways. But not raw.

[Acroyali]

Hi Rob:

I’ve been a raw feeder for decades and, like pitlove stated, it’s not for every dog. I have two animals now that can’t do 100% raw, and one that gets violently ill from ingesting bones of any description. They get cooked diets, which might be something you’d be interested in researching and trying if you’re not happy feeding kibble. Mary Strauss at the dog aware website has a ton of information on balancing a cooked diet correctly (it’s more of a science than raw when it comes to balance and supplementation, but can be done.)

If he was happily eating raw, got sick, and now refuses it, I agree that he’s trying to tell you that the food just isn’t agreeing with him. It might be temporary, it might be life long, who knows. While his gut is healing, I would steer clear of raw (think of raw as cleansing, and cooked as nourishing). You can boil down bones in a crock pot and feed the stock; mineral rich and very healing to the GI tract.

If, down the road, the time comes where you feel he’s ready to try raw again I would go easy on the bone content (it’s not uncommon for small breeds and cats to do better with less bone than larger breeds), or forgo the bones all together and use a calcium supplement. But for right now, I agree with the other posters, please consider trying something else if your dog is telling you raw food isn’t working for him right now. Best of luck.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Liz-
I learned about rotating foods and adding variety on this site as well. Many of us think it’s a healthy way to go if your pups do not have any medical conditions that would be aggravated by it.

Toppers are simply foods that you add to their kibble meals. They can also be described as meal mixers by some companies. You can start off slow by just trying out one, such as canned food to see how they do. Just remember that you need to feed less kibble to make up for the extra calories. Most canned and kibble have the calories listed on the containers they come in. Also, most canned food is complete and balanced so you won’t have to worry about feeding unbalanced meals as long as the can does not say for supplemental feeding only. My dogs get canned food in their morning meals. For their afternoon meals, they get either an egg, tripe, sardines or commercial raw mixed in their kibble. I have to keep in mind that these are not complete and balanced add-ins so I need to keep them under 15% of their total diet. I have big dogs so it isn’t as difficult.

There is a $2.95 download on dogwise.com called “See Spot Live Longer the ABC Way” that gives info and a helpful chart with ideas on what to add to kibble meals to get some less processed foods in their diets.

I rotate between three or four brands of kibble. I sometimes stick with one for a few flavors before switching and sometimes not. It really depends on sales at our feed store and Petco. I’d start out slow as not to cause any digestive upset. Otherwise you may get frustrated and give it all up. I don’t think it is totally necessary to feed this way, but we feel good about it and I think the dogs enjoy variety. Just be careful, now if we try to feed them plain old dry food because we are on a day trip, we get the stink eye at meal time. Lol!

Hope this helps!

[pitlove]

Hi Rob-

Your vet is not crazy for considering the possibility that the raw food diet caused GI upset for your dog. Raw is not for every dog, my own included. Your dog is trying to tell you something by refusing to eat a diet he once ate and most likely that message is “this food makes my stomach hurt”.

You trying to force him to eat a diet that could be making him sick because you prefer it, is unfair and will only ruin your relationship with him.

[Robert B]

Hi guys,

this is going to be long, and drawn out, but is a build up of events over a few months, so i totally understand if you get bord of me real quick, but here goes

My name is Rob, I live in west London, Im 31 years old..

when i was 13, My dad let me get a puppy, wich was a beagle and jack russell cross, (he was my best friend) fearless, clever, loving etc etc,

his name was kane, and he was fed scraps from the table, potato, spagatti, sunday roast, smoked haddok, etc etc (he even got the odd cup of tea) all cooked stuff!!!!, he sadly died at the age of 12, as we had to put him down due to suffering from throat cancer!!!! ( he stopped barking in the end, and he loved to bark)

well, now, i have a 10 month old pure breed, short legged jack russell, who has been fed a raw food diet since the age of 11 weeks, until he was 10 months, but he devoleped gastro interitus, and the vets blamed the raw food!!!

but he was ok on the raw food for many months, so surely he just ate something bad on his walks (he chews everything)

the vet told me to feed him kibble, now his toilet is twice as much, bigger, and it stinks!!!!

I tried to introduce him back to raw, but he turns his nose up at it!!!!!

Is there any tips that i can apply to get him to eat raw food again?????

the problem with raw, is it is odorless, so theres no interest,, but is there a product avalible, that i can coat the raw food with, to make it more appealing to him?????!!!

any help greatly appreciated

rob

[Liz H]

I have a pitbull and chihuahua and I feed them grain free dry dog food. I’ve seen people talk about toppers, rotations, and raw food. I know a little about all of that but I was wondering if anyone had an easy way to incorporate more variation in my dogs’ diets like that. Ideas/creativity welcome.