[crazy4cats]

I feed mostly Whole Earth Farms, Nutri Source, Victor or Taste of the Wild kibble to my large breed dogs. I mix with either Nature’s Domain or 4Health canned foods for morning meals. In the evening, I add either eggs, sardines, tripe or raw nuggets to their meals.

Hope this helps!

• This reply was modified 9 years, 4 months ago by crazy4cats.

[InkedMarie]

I have a yeasty dog & after years of going back and forth, the only thing that worked was a raw diet, one with no produce.

[Kim H]

I wonder if I could just put her on a good quality, low protein, low sodium food that is similiar to Hills CD? I had her on the raw and I think that’s why her PH went back up and the crystals came back….too much protein.

[anonymous]

My dog has environmental allergies and receives allergen specific immunotherapy with good results. She sees a veterinary dermatologist once a year.
Also, you can use the search engine here to look up “allergies”

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

[J S]

My dogs have only thrown up yellow bile when they didn’t have enough food on their stomachs, and they were/are the nervous-ninny types.

The blood in the urine is a red (no pun!) flag that you have a serious infection and need antibiotics. Frequent urination can also be an indicator, but I noticed that the new formulation of Royal Canin dry food has added salt for the very reason to make the dogs pee more, to keep the bladder and kidneys flushing. We have to give our girl extra trips outside and give her more than one chance to squat before coming back inside.

After our last round of antibiotics, she’s on dry RCanin, floating in water/broth, with no-grain wet food and part of a Vit C capsule sprinkled on top, along with a mini scoop of Cranberry Relief. So far no “pee-crawling” for over a month!

[Kristen L]

Hello. I have been battling my Golden retrievers food allergies for 8 months now. He is 16 months. I am pretty certain it is food because his ears will smell very yeasty and he has reoccurring ear infections, they are almost always red and spotty, especially after he eats, and he is chewing his paws all the time. I have found sores in between his toes in addition to the redness. He also has had a hot spot three different times, and will present with the rash (pustules), but those are less frequent, so must be a specific food that causes those. He wakes me up often some nights whining and he is chewing his paws and rubbing his head on the floor.

He seems to be allergic to EVERYTHING. I have tried countless foods (always the best brands 4-5 stars), even tried raw veggie (black beans, green beans, and quinoa) to try to eliminate environmental. He was STARVING and knocked his sister’s bowl out of my hand eating her food and thus compromising the trial. I understand now that yeast is a big part of it, so should I do high protein/low carb? There is controversy on that subject. I know he is allergic to chicken and beef from early on, just judging by his reaction when I have given him those meats fresh. He became very lethargic, sleeping a lot, and he would get the pustules (you know, those big pimples). First on his stomach/groin, but they moved to below his ears. I do NOT keep him on a food for 8+ weeks if I see a reaction early, like a new outbreak or he is just acting more miserable than usual. I will take him off it rather than watch him suffer for 2-3 months. He has tried every protein except rabbit and perhaps a novelty fish or two. I have run out of foods to try and do not have the money for expensive testing that is unreliable. Unless, someone can give me advice on an exact test and a reasonable price they paid that worked well?? I am told it is just too unreliable, but tests may be my only option now. He seems to be getting worse every day. I do not want to put him on steroids or apoquel for the rest of his life. Goldens already have short life spans without adding possible liver failure to the list of cause of death. My local Pet Club has cut me off from returning food after I have returned 6 bags, so that has greatly added to my stress of not knowing what to do next. I struggle finding foods without certain ingredients (turkey meal, chicken meal, beef, egg/egg protein, potato, rice, etc.), low on carbs, 4/5 star, and a protein he MIGHT be okay to try (again) and under $65. I can’t seem to find LTI rabbit. I just bought Cal. Naturals Lentils and Venison only, and was hopeful, but I got home and checked and it is only 3 stars, AND like 70 bucks. No bueno. So, I will be returning that bag (I am going to Pet Food Depot now, until they too cut me off). Any advice would be greatly appreciated! I am considering the Honest Kitchen grain free base (no fruit or potatoes), but I have no idea what protein to add. Where does one buy the novelty proteins, like raw venison, and is not too pricey?

• This topic was modified 9 years, 4 months ago by Kristen L.
• This topic was modified 9 years, 4 months ago by Kristen L.

[Kim H]

My 4 year old female lab has crystals in her urine and her PH was up. An xray also showed a stone. She had struvite stones removed in July 2015 and now one is back. Back then the vet put her on Royal Canin to try to dissolve them and every night at 3AM she would throw up bile. Now he just recently put her on Hills Prescription CD. She’s been on it for two weeks and the last two nights she has thrown up the bile again at 6AM. The vet said its because theres nothing in her stomach and to give her a little more food before she goes to bed. I have had her on a holistic grain free, a raw diet and Fromm over the years and she has never once thrown up but then her PH goes up and she gets the crystals back. Why now on these prescription diets does she throw up bile? I wonder if its the corn or some funky ingredient in it thats she’s allergic or sensitive to? I even took her to a holistic vet and he is the one that put her on the raw diet which she loved but was constantly hungry even though she put on weight. She does seem to have more energy on the Hills but I even told my vet that I didnt think the ingredients in the Hills was great….corn, wheat gluten, by-products. Has anyone else experienced this with the prescription foods? Why wouldnt she throw up no matter what she’s on?

[Susan]

Hi, contact the makers of Blue Buffalo again, can you ring them? this way they will put you thru to the proper section, ask a vet where you live can they place an order & have the dry & wet Blue Buffalo sent to their practice, nothing is impossible, especially when the vet will be getting a new patient & a customer….
Can you make a cooked or raw diet this would be heaps better then feeding a dry kibble… here’s a Natural Home Made raw diet or it can be cooked minus any bones but it gives you an idea what your dog should be eating, look for those ingredients in a kibble, I feed 1 meal cooked & the other meals kibble or wet tin food….
http://naturalanimalsolutions.com.au/Shop/2016/03/15/acidifying-diet-urinary-crystals/

[anonymous]

I would make an appointment with a veterinary dermatologist asap. My dog has environmental allergies and receives allergen specific immunotherapy with good results.

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 TS, go & see a Dermatologist, as they specialize in in dogs skin….
Yeast can be from Food Sensitivities & Environment Allergies, my boy has both 🙁
I would be feeding a raw diet, go back to a natural diet, what a dogs body is meant to be digesting, dogs have a short intestinal tract, made to digest a raw diet, not a dry kibble, you can buy the dearest kibble BUT it’s still a dry high carb/fiber kibble, most grain free diets are high in carbs & fiber, the grain kibbles that have wheat, corn, maize, rice, oats, barley etc, my boy starts to smell yeasty, itch, get red smelly paws, within 2 days when he eats a kibble with oats, barley, corn, wheat & tapioca which is most of Hills, Royal Canine, Iams & Eukanuba kibbles ingredients…. but your dog may not be sensitive to these ingredients & some dogs do really well & don’t itch & smell yeasty..

If you can afford to feed a home made raw diet then that’s the best or look at the premade raw diets or maybe feed just 1 meal raw with blended greens & the other meal a limited ingredient kibble like “Canidae” Pure Sea very high in omega 3 what is needed for the skin or look for those loaf style rolls in the fridge section, read ingredients first, there are some really good rolls around, I live Australia & we have Crocodile & Tapioca, Kangaroo & Pumkin, Lamb & Rosemary, Kangaroo & Potato specially made for dogs with IBS, IBD & Skin/food sensitivities…
Baths: you need a medicated shampoo like “Malaseb” medicated shampoo, the Malaseb kills the bacteria on their skin & it doesn’t dry out the skin, Malaseb can be used daily & helps put the moisture back into their skin & paws…It’s excellent for yeasty stinky dogs I bath weekly in the Summer months sometimes twice a week it relieves their itch as well..

Omega 3: Omega 3 is needed, some kibbles are not balanced properly & are too high in omega 6 & too low in omega 3 causing skin problems, read kibble packet or on their internet site or email & ask the kibble companies what is the omega 3% & 6% in what ever kibble your looking at feeding, the omega 3 should be 1/2 of what the omega 6% is, so if it says 3.96%-omega 6, the omega 3 should be around 1.80% these percentages were taken from the new Hills prescription diet called Hills “Derm Defense” for dogs with Environment Allergies, Hills is money back guaranteed you could give it a go if your not going to feed a balanced raw diet, the Hills Derm Defense wet tin has Ok ingredients or start with an Elimination diet, but sounds like your boy has environment allergies as well

You need to work out does your dog have food sensitivities to certain foods or does he have environment allergies, it has taken me 2-3 yrs to work out what foods my boy can’t eat & he has seasonal allergies, his vet made me keep a diary & she said you will start to see a pattern with Seasonal Environment Allergies & we did every spring right thru to Autumn then Patch & I get a break thru Winter, Patch is fine thru the winter months as long as he’s not eating foods he’s sensitive too then when spring comes he starts to itch, smell, get hive like lumps all over the white fur sections head stomach red paws, I use Hydrocortisone 1% cream on his paws but first I wash them in the Malseb medicated shampoo then a night when he goes to bed I check out his paws, head & see where’s red & put the Hydrocortisone 1% cream in between his toes with a cotton tip, around his bottom lip mouth gets red above his eye where fur is white the fur starts to thinning out & is real pink, I apply the cream I also use “Sudocrem” sometimes, it’s also excellent as well Sudocrem is sold supermarket & chemist excellent for eczema, dermatitis, rashes, pressure sore.
You both have a big journey ahead, there’s no magic drug Oh there’s Apoquel but its fairly new so please try baths shampoos, raw diet & natural things, also Apoquel doesn’t help if you have a yeast….

Canidae Pure Sea excellent for dogs with skin problems look for a fish kibble when it comes to skin problems but rotate when the season change so your dog isn’t just eating 1 protein, Pork, Lamb, Kangaroo, Salmon/fish – http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

Hills Derm Defense or Skin/Food Sensitivities d/d only cause the omega 3 is high in these foods http://www.hillspet.com/en/us/products/pd-canine-dd-salmon-canned

[elaine c]

Barb thanks for writing in for this poor dog…. If you go to dogfoodadvisor.com you will see that what she is feeding is very poor quality and her little dog will pay for it in the long run… It SUCKS that is why the dog doesn’t want to eat it! Go to the 5 star dog foods and find something that is mainly MEAT based protein and low in carb… the fat should be average or above.. OR go to the raw sections and check out ANSWERS Dog Food and feed real food… My dogs ADORE it!!

[elaine c]

Yes I think you missed one!! I am using ANSWERS Dog Food. It is raw. It is unbelievable. It has changed my dogs health! I am now a raw fan and think that it is the only way go go for dogs and should be talked about much more!! Kibble , even good kibble can only be so good because it is so processed. I hope more people will check it out and do your pets a great big favor!
Elaine

[Susan]

Hi Newmom, follow Rodney Habib on his Face Book page he’s a Pet Nutrition Blogger, or on “Planet Paws” F/B site, https://www.facebook.com/PlanetPaws.ca/?pnref=lhc
I’ve learnt so much about healthy feeding & Rodney has a his videos, how to make frozen Coconut oil with Berries treats & freeze also videos about kibbles being unbalanced & are very high in omega 6 & very low in omega 3, causing health problems in dogs, like skin problems, joint problems etc he has a video at the moment about chicken, “Is chicken bad for your dog” cause chicken is so cheap a lot of kibbles are chicken, the problem is chicken is high in omega 6, Pro anti-inflammatory & very low in omega 3 which is anti-inflammatory & dogs start scratching & people think my dog is sensitive to chicken, like me, every time Patch ate raw or cooked chicken, he got a red swollen back paw & started to itch & scratch his body, but when he ate a premium kibble with chicken in it, he was OK???, now I’ve realized the kibble was probably balanced with omega 3 it was 1/2 of the omega 6 what it should be & Patch didn’t get his red swollen paw & itchy skin….but when he ate raw & cooked chicken it was tooo much omega 6 causing his red hot paw & itchy skin, so now when I buy a kibble I rotate between different brands & different proteins,
I read the Omega 6% & 3 % & make sure the omega 3% is either 1/2 of the omega 6% or nilly 1/2 of the omega 6%. Rodney said if it doesn’t say on the bag of kibble or on the kibbles site then send the kibble companies an email & ask them for their omega 3% & omega 6% & tell these kibble companies what it should be & I will not be buying your crappy unbalanced kibble till you improve it… we need to stand up to these big kibble companies & show them we are not stupid & are educated about our pets diet..
I give raw almonds about 3 almonds a day for a dog a day, I eat 1/2 an Almond & give Patch the other 1/2 of Almonds I give as a treat & his coat has become real shinny, google foods that are high in omega 3, I also give some peeled apple pieces as a treat, dogs that have skin problems also need Vitamin C in their diet…. you can buy Dog Vitamin C in Australia we have Natural Animal Solutions http://www.naturalanimalsolutions.com.au/education.php
There’s a lot of good info on Jacqueline Rudans site she’s a animal Naturopath..

Go to Aldis & look for Tin Sardines in Spring Water or Olive Oil you can give 3 small sardines a day added to one of his meal, Sardines have Vitamin, A, C, D, B-12, B-6 Calcium, Iron & Magnesium, sardines are very healthy to add to your dogs food, Aldis sell tin of Sardines for 59c in Australia…I’d add Sardines to a meal instead of buying any fish oil supplements…unless they’re made in New Zealand
They did a study on Fish Oils in America & 70% were rancid they were off before the bottle was even opened, they tested a fresh just opened bottle of fish oil capsules & they were rancid off..then they tested New Zealand Fish oil supplements & the New Zealand made fish oils were fresher & hadn’t gone rancid yet….
I like giving fresh whole foods instead of supplements, also for skin problems make sure your bathing weekly baths in a good medicated shampoo I use “Malaseb” medicated shampoo on my boy, the Malaseb shampoo kills any bacteria on their skin & soften their skin/fur when you bath you wash off any pollens & allergens on the dogs coat, Patch feels so soft after his bath, when Patch is real itchy cause of environment allergies I have to bath him twice a week to relieve his itchy skin & red paws…

[Susan]

Hi T.G has your girl only ever eaten just Orijen kibble have you tried any other kibbles cause of her poos are soft?
you need to try a lower protein & a lower fat kibble some dogs just do not do well on high protein high fat kibbles, I have to stay under 28% for protein & stay under 15% for fat & need a lower Kcal/per cup ME kibble, under 380 Kcals/per cup….

I would not feed a senior kibble to a large breed puppy the senior kibbles have more Glucosamine, Chondroitin & Phosphorus, supplements for older dogs joints & you have a large breed you don’t want her bones to grow too quick…maybe someone else may know more…
I’ve emailed kibble companies cause I’ve seen large breed kibbles that have ingredients that my boy can eat & the fat & protein is what Patch does well on, I’ve asked them can I feed a large breed formula to my medium size dog & they have all yes its Ok to feed my boy a large breed kibble but I don’t think it’s a good idea to feed a senior formula to a large breed growing pup…
My boy is turning 8 in a few days & I don’t feed him a senior kibble some are too high in fiber for him & all the supplements they add don’t survive or aren’t as strong as when you add your own supplement to their diet & add a healthy fresh whole food to their diet…

You have to be careful with your dog doing sloppy poos everyday that she doesn’t get thickening of the bowel as she gets older. My boy is a rescue & has IBD, his vet was very worried that Patch may have thickening of the bowel & I didn’t want Patch opened up to find out so Patch had an Ultra Scan of the bowel, pancreas, stomach etc & from what the vet could see it didn’t look like Patch had thickening of the bowel….after rotating cooked foods & different kibbles he can just be put straight onto another brand of kibble that he has eatin before I don’t have to re introduce the kibble like I use too 3 yrs ago, but I stick with kibbles that are lower in fat & lower in protein cause he just can’t handle the higher Kcal formulas.. I also fed a home cooked meal for breakfast or swap around & feed cooked meal for dinner…

I’d start rotating between different brands & proteins this way if 1 kibble isn’t balanced properly, or something else is wrong with the kibble like the omega 6 is too high & the omega 3 is real low causing health problems this way they are not eating the same kibble for too long to cause any serious health problems…
I’d start looking at other large breed formula’s where the protein fat is lower then what she’s eating at the moment also change the protein get a different protein…

There’s Earthborn Holistic, they have never had a recall, there’s “Victor” or “Sport Dog Food Elite” Sport Dog Food has similar ingredients as Victor kibble but is cheaper, there’s Ziwi Peak is air dried raw & has wet tin foods as well my cat loves Ziwi Peak…There’s Canidae there’s a few really good kibbles around, they all don’t have to be 5 stars kibble…start adding fresh whole foods to the kibble…I follow Rodney Habib on face Book he’s got a really good video this week about chicken kibbles being high in omega 6 & very low in omega 3….
Start rotating one of these brands in your rotation that is lower in fat & protein with different ingredients also look at the Kcals per cup, pick a kibble that is lower in Kcals per cup then the Orijen she is eating at the moment…I can not feed any kibbles that are over 400Kcals per cup to my IBD dog, it’s just too much for him to digest & he does sloppy big poos about 3-4 a day…
I like kibbles where he only does 2 poos a day, “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb & Canidae Life Stages, All Life Stages formula, he only does 2 firm poos a day & poo’s are small….

Home Page

http://www.sportdogfood.com/grain-free-large-breed-large-bites-30-14/
http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products
http://ziwipeak.com/

[anonymous]

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

Dermatology – Common Issues

[pugmomsandy]

Are you in a raw feeding co-op? You can buy bulk from Greentripe.com in California and pay the wholesale price. A meat grinder (i have a 1 hp Weston grinder) can be helpful as well and will pay itself off. You can buy whole turkeys after thanksgiving for real cheap and make your own grinds. Bulk chicken quarters are frequently on sale as well. Asian stores have various organs and necks and feet. You can add chicken necks to make up the bone portion in a meal of muscle meat. Or feed a chicken leg or wings a couple times a week.

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

[Salz]

Susan- YES! I do plan to buy a ton of my current raw and make it last for as long as possible! And thank you for the suggestion, I will check out that website!

Cannoli- I know that raw is expensive no matter the route, I’m just looking for the cheapest-still-good-quality options. I don’t think I’ll switch to cooked any time soon, but thank you for that suggestion. Jax had lots of GI issues as a young puppy and the only option I’ve tried that’s been successful is raw. For a free dog, he’s ended up being very expensive 😉 I was mostly just curious if anyone has had success supplementing their raw with grocery store meat, with added calcium (since grocery store meat doesn’t contain ground bone for obvious reasons). Thank you so much for your help nonetheless!

[Cannoli]

Hi Sally Z,

I am not sure how much cheaper you want to get when feeding raw meat to your dog. Eventually the cheaper you go the less quality and safety you get.

Nothing wrong with store bought meat or poultry. I feed that to my dog but I COOK it first. Nothing wrong with feeding your dogs cooked protein. As long you you add the necessary supplements afterwards to balance it on a weekly basis.. I have discovered that feeding cook food is cheaper than feeding my pup raw. Supermarkets always have sales on fish, turkey, pork, and chicken.

Heck I am now feeding my pup raw food once a week out of the month and the other weeks I feed him cooked proteins.

Anyway in regards to bone replacement you can use eggshells, calcium seaweed (found on Amazon-the bottle lasts for months cost is less than $20), bone meal powder (found on amazon just make sure it does not have added vitamins.

Organ is cheap to find at supermarket just slighlty braise them to kill any bacteria. Or what I like to do at times is I make liver and organ treats by putting them in a dehydrator.

Or you can buy pre-made dehydrated organ and liver treats online. Just make sure they are 100 made in America and are organic free range.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 4 months ago by Cannoli. Reason: added more context
• This reply was modified 9 years, 4 months ago by Cannoli. Reason: typo

[Salz]

Hey all! I’ve got some questions regarding bone replacement. I have an 8 month old Doberman mix who’s been on raw since he was 3 months old. He gets a mixture of Honest Kitchen Kindly base mix and a variety of raw meat grinds which contain organ, meat and bone. Our living/work situation does not permit me to feed him RBM’s as his entire diet so he gets them about once a week. I understand that many raw feeders think that BARF is the only way, but please understand that I’m not in a position to go that route.

My problem is this: I currently buy most of my grinds from Ecopawz, a small SF based company (we live in Oakland!). I get a huge employee discount for working at a company that sells their products. My last day at this company is on Nov 22nd so I will no longer get the discount, which means a huge added cost every month! The prices are as follows for 5# of meat: $22.50 for beef, $17.50 for turkey, and $13.50 for chicken. I’m trying to brainstorm ways to lower the cost. Does anyone know of a company that sells grinds for dogs at a lower price? OR, is there a way I can supplement with grocery store bought meat with added bone nutrient (egg shells?) and organ meat? Anything helps here! My boy eats a TON of food so the cost is already high, which is ok with me. But I do need to slightly lower the cost, and I’m ready for any ideas you might have. Thanks!

Sally & Jax

[elaine c]

Lori, I would be very careful about imparting strange remedies to a dog. A dog has certainly protein requirements.. If ANSWERS Dog Food has Turkey or duck .. I would go with them. you can look it up in the raw section.. There are NO red ingredients listed and many dogs who are even ill get better on it. you can email the web site with a uestion if you like.

[Susan]

Hi, yes Dogs & Cats are dying younger & getting cancer more now then back in the 60’s 70’s & 80’s, our pets were being feed more home cooked meals & less kibble, they weren’t being vaccinated as much, we didn’t have all these toxic flea products, come on, read the instructions to a Flea Spot treatment, it says “Wear Gloves when applying” so imagine what the flea spot on does to our poor pets skin 🙁

Our pets did live longer years ago…Now more & more dogs & cats are dying from cancer &
other diseases….

Have a look at Maggie the oldest dog in the world, she died this year at the age of 30, yes 30yrs old, Maggie lived on a dairy farm here in Victoria Australia, she drank 1 fresh glass of milk straight from the cow 6am every morning till the day she died, she was not feed any dry kibbles, she was feed table scraps, raw & sometimes ate the placentas when the baby calves were born & also ate a dead calves that were born dead…Maggie ran 20-30km a day, about 15km of a morning rounding up the cows & 15km of an afternoon bringing the cows back home, Maggie was only vaccinated when she was a pup & that was that no more vaccinations…

It was all these big kibble companies that put the fear into people, telling them “Do not
feed cooked foods to your dogs, back in the 90’s these big kibble companies started saying home cooked meals & table scraps can kill our pets, they have done studies & proven dogs feed a few veggies & fresh meat added to their kibble 3 times a week reduces their risk of getting cancer..

Rodney Habib & Dr Karen Becker have an up hill struggle trying to educate the world that dry foods (kibble) aren’t as great as they say they are…Image if us humans just ate dry biscuits 24/7 our whole lives, I’m pretty sure we wouldn’t live as long as the person who ate freshly made meats & veggies…
Also we do not need to over vaccinate our dogs & cats we don’t get vaccinated every 1-3 years so why are vets vaccinating our pets?? there’s no need, Dr Ronald Schultz studied every major vaccine in over a thousand dogs and every study he delivered the same conclusion, every time vaccines for diseases like distemper, and canine parvovirus, once administered to adults animals provide lifetime immunity.
There’s is no need to vaccinate every year, if your worried then do tilters instead, it’s a simple blood test done in the vets clinic…
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/titers-avoiding-over-vaccination-in-dogs/
your pets will be fine…

Here’s Maggies Story, the interview with Maggies dad, just put your name & email then click sign up, then sit back, it’s a beautiful video Rodney has put together after Maggie passed away this year. there’s also a follow up video underneath Maggies video, Rodney
talking about what contributed to Maggie living so long, 30yrs old.

Home – new

[william C]

Anyone located in California there is a company i stumbled upon that ships raw meat Happee Dawg. They have reasonable prices and they ship within 2 to 3 days. They have more items than what listed on there site http://www.happeedawg.com

[Susan]

Hi, my boy has IBD & Skin Allergies I went thru a Naturopath to put Patch on a raw diet, the Naturopath would not allow any bone in Patches diet, I had to used a supplement instead… Have you looked into supplementing the bone with egg shell or a supplement like I used for Patch…

[Gail R]

Has Halshan raw food ever been looked at?

[Kelly K]

I am so happy to have found this post but so sad to need it. My dog, Tucker, is such a trooper. About 2 weeks ago my boy started with a cough, just the odd cough here and there. In a couple of days I decided to take him to the vet, just before we left he coughed up blood and that was the first sign it was serious. Our vet took blood work and did x-rays and our vet was stymied by the results but didn’t think he had much of a chance but to be euthanized. He seemed perfectly healthy! She said we could try taking him to a veterinary hospital in the city staffed by specialists and surgeons and we drove there that night. Like Lyndzy’s and Carol’s dogs, he was diagnosed with Lung Lobe Torsion. If it was a primary condition and he made it through the night, he was given good odds with the surgery. There was no other option, that or euthanasia and so we went ahead with hope and love in our hearts (…and don’t forget the wallets). He pulled through the surgery really well, was getting the best care and it looked like he was going to come home early, when after 2 days the fluid draining from his chest tube turned from a clear pink to a strawberry milkshake colour and increased from 20-30 mls to over 100. It was chyle. I understand that the situation can resolve on its own sometimes and we are hoping. They took the chest tube out after a few days and sent him home anyway – his recovery is amazing considering he just had a lung removed! But at the first visit back an ultrasound showed the chyle is still building up.

He goes back tomorrow to get the staples removed and assess the situation. I am hoping against hope that it is resolved on its own but I am afraid they will recommend the surgery for it but the results don’t seem to be great, he is still recovering and I’m not sure that my wallet can handle anymore. It is eating me up inside. Everything else is going so well but there is a distinct lack of good information out there.

I was so sad to read about Lisa’s dog – but it gives me hope that yours is doing ok after 3 years, Carol. Lindsay, is your dog doing ok?

Right now he is on the Royal Canin Low-fat gastro wet diet. However this alone is going to bankrupt me at $50/6 days from my vet. I have to find a good, low-fat dry kibble to mix with it at the very least or figure out a healthy low-fat recipe that I can cook. My real problem with this is that he is also allergic to chicken which is a fundamental ingredient in most foods. Prior to this he was on the Holistic Select Salmon, Anchovy and Sardine diet. Very healthy but higher in fat.

My vet said if it says “hydrollised” chicken protein that it is digestible even with an allergy but at this point I don’t want to take the risk. The other brand she suggested is vegetarian with soy as the main protein – I have a lot of misgivings about that due to the protein loss that can accompany chylothorax. He is a very skinny Royal Standard Poodle – 31″ at the shoulder and honestly can’t afford much weight loss. If anyone has any healthy non-chicken low-fat diet recipes they would like to share, I would certainly appreciate it.

I will take the advice on here to heart when I go see the vet tomorrow – as well as any other suggestions, feedback, etc., that you all have. My heart is breaking for my big guy.

[Jennifer H]

Do you have any holistic vets in your area? I too have fed raw for a few years and find what you are experiencing perplexing at best. I raise Saint Bernards so I don’t think I would be able to offer much insight for your particular breed. Sounds like you have tried going through the elimination process but just wondering do you feed the bones whole or grind them? I do both, some ground with their veggies and some fed whole, but just thinking maybe your little guy just needs the bones ground smaller. I wish I had an answer but encourage you to look for a holistic vet that may be more supportive as well as helpful when it comes to a raw diet.

[Bobby dog]

Hi Toby B:
I also feed canned mixed with kibble for most of my dog’s meals. I rotate different proteins both within the same and different brands of canned food a few times a week sometimes more. I rotate kibble brands with different proteins about every three months at this time. My dog does very well on this feeding regimen. He has no need to transition to different foods regardless if it’s fresh, raw, canned, or kibble; I switch cold turkey each time.

As anon101 suggests give it go and observe how your dog does. Good luck!

[InkedMarie]

I am a raw feeder as well. A number of years back, we adopted a dog who I put on raw. Long story short, after working with a raw feeding friend who was my go-to, we decided that this dog could not eat raw. She ate The Honest Kitchen after that.

[Anna W]

Thanks mate, I wasn’t looking for anti raw feeding opinions. I was looking for people who might have experienced something like that before. The vet bill education was very helpful too, thank you. I wouldn’t have had a clue about how much vets cost otherwise. My dog never suffered from a blockage. She has a digestive problem. There is no such thing as a dog that just can’t eat bones, there are dogs who obviously have some underlying medical condition that is preventing them from digesting their food properly (the food they were designed to eat by nature!!!). Due to close mindness and poor nutritional veterinary education I have to look for a diagnosis myself.

[Anna W]

Hi guys, I am looking for folks with similar experiences (hoping for solutions of course).

I just wanted to start with saying that I am an experiences and passionate raw feeder currently getting my qualifications in pet nutrition and someone who has been raw feeding dogs and ferrets for a few years. I needed to say this so nobody assumes that I ‘tried’ to feed my dog raw for 20 minutes and she has a digestive upset.
We adopted our now 2.5 year old female chihuahua at the age of 1 and put her on a raw diet straight away. No issues for the first 6 months. Then these really dry powdery stools started to occur, a few weeks later painful defecation kicked in, she was crying in pain while passing stools really bad and eventually stopped going to the toilet until she couldn’t keep it in anymore. We tried every diet tweak we could think of – more veg, less bone, more offal, more muscle, nothing changed. Thousands of dollars and many tests later (blood, ultrasound, poop exams, colonoscopy) we know that she is not digesting bones properly and passing sharp shards of bones created a lot of inflammation and scarring in her colon. We know that very dry, powdery and small pieces of stool frequently get stuck in her intestines and only come out after a series of enemas. I never knew I would say this but this dog cannot digest bones properly. We still don’t really know if it’s a bone digestion issue or food digestion issue and the bones are the only ones causing pain. When she had her colon completely cleaned out from old hard stool for colonoscopy we kept her on a meat only diet for about a week and she was fine, no pain, her stools were normal size (a sausage as opposed to many small bits coming out in many attempts). Then we gave her some rabbit with bone and the crying came back. It is obvious the bones are causing the problem (and I was refusing to even admit it for a long time) but I am trying to find out WHY she is not digesting them properly. Regular vets are of absolutely no help as they don’t believe dogs should eat bones in the first place. Their diagnosis – some dogs just can’t eat bones. I am desperate to find the answer, the vets don’t even want to keep testing – like is it a digestive problem in the stomach? They already settled with their ideas. Has anyone had a similar issue before? I would really appreciate any leads. I cannot even find anything on the internet. Thanks!

[Allie P]

I believe my instinct is telling me that something isn’t quite right, I’m looking for some outside opinions to help sway me.

My dog has been on Sojos freeze dried raw for over 4 months. In that time, her poops have gone from twice a day, to four times per day. She also had a case of vasculitis, cause unknown. Other than those two things (with the vasculitis potentially not even food related), she looks healthy. Eyes, ears, skin, coat, energy, all good.

What’s been nagging at me though is that Sojos is primarily plant based, although meat is the first ingredient, there is clearly more plant matter than meat in the bag. Years ago, she was getting The Honest Kitchen, which also seems mostly plant based, and on both foods she dropped weight to the point where it worried me. She doesn’t seem to have lost muscle mass, but her tuck up and ribs have become a lot more pronounced. That could just be me doing a bad job with portioning her meals though – after all its not as simple as just scooping a cup of kibble with this stuff.

I’ve been thinking about transitioning to Nature’s Variety Instinct Raw Frozen, which seems to be mostly meat content. For some reason though something is holding me back and I’m in a weird in between state of worrying that her current food is not meeting her needs but also that switching foods might for some reason be the wrong thing to do. At this moment, I’m resolving to find a canine nutritionist to help me. My dog is going to be ten years old in a couple of months, and keeping her healthy and thriving is on my mind to the point of obsession.

If you people want to weigh in your opinions on plant content vs. meat content, or anything else you think might be helpful, I would so appreciate it.

[Jenn H]

Christopher E
The “scientifically empirical” evidence that humans and dogs are not meant to eat plant only diets is obvious (or should be). Neither have rumens or multiple stomachs like animals that are meant to eat plant only diets (cows).
Humans and dogs are omnivores. Not herbivores.
There’s usually nothing wrong with adding more plants to a dog’s diet, but it makes absolutely no sense and there is absolutely no good reason to feed a dog a plant only diet.
What often happens to people who are vegan long enough is they begin to self-cannibilize.
That said I also don’t think it’s the best idea to feed a strictly raw diet either. Domesticating canines has made them different from wild canines. Some can handle raw just fine and others cannot handle a lot. I have dogs that will catch & eat whatever they come across outside w/o issue and a dog that will end up w/ diarrhea if he does that.
If I were to feed a fad diet to my animals it has to have scientific evidence to back up its claims and agree with their particular system.
No matter what animal protein will be part of that diet because it is what they as omnivores require.

[Christopher E]

What most are failing to realize is that what your dogs ancestors ate is completely irrelevant.

Unless you are feeding your dogs raw food scraps, you have already altered their diet from what you are arguing is “natural,” i.e. What it was between 15k years and maybe a century ago.

But, again, that is irrelevant, the point is that numerous studies have shown that high levels of proteins grow cancer cells… and every dog in America is subject to higher and higher levels of carcinogens than the previous generation. Carcinogens are everywhere in the modern world.

That dogs have always had meat as the main component of their diet in not a valid argument. As myself and others have pointed out, it is entirely possible to provide a complete and balanced diet without animal products.

For anyone who has said that animal product free, vegan diets have not been proven to be healthy in humans or dogs in the long term… you clearly have not done your research because the studies are out there.

I am no longer a vegan. I tried to do it for a while for health reasons, not out of feeling sad for animals (though it does make me sad to think about how they are treated and slaughtered just for our enjoyment). Unfortunately, I love meat too much though. Sorry.

But when it comes to my dog, she is still a vegan. I don’t feed her animal products (except for the ocassional filet mignon scrapes I give her) because I believe that she is healthier and will live longer on a nearly entirely vegan diet. My opinions have been extrapolated from decades of research findings.

There is not any SCIENTIFICALLY EMPIRICAL study that has shown that humans or dogs need meat as part of their diet to be healthy and whole.

Look back over my numerous post on this thread, going back to the first post, if you doubt me.

There is nothing cruel or innately wrong about not feeding your dog meat if you are providing a complete and balanced diet (all the necessary vitamins, minerals, and nutrients). Arguing that’s it’s cruel because it is not in their nature is ridiculous. They are dogs for Christ sake. Non of this was “in their nature” when we first began domesticating them (wolves) 15k years ago. Just like our children, we have to do for them what we believe is best for them based on the information we have available… not whatever is in their nature… which, honestly is a completely arbitrary statement.

[Bag of Opals]

I know there’s something with raw chicken and salmonella, but I don’t recall anything about pork. Is there a reason you stay away from it? Don’t like the stuff myself, unless it’s bacon, but the dogs go bonkers for pork sausage.

Anyway, my first reaction to your post was to be grossed out and wonder what on earth you’re thinking, but really, this is quite fascinating. I fully agree that handling matters. Like anon101 said, more time and more things done means more chance of something going wrong. What’s your opinion on ready-ground meat? It would be easier for me to work with, but I don’t want it if it’s going to harm my furbaby. I’m not sure I’d trust a grocery store, but what if I was able to get a butcher to do it?

I cant remember which state MA is (Maryland?), but I hope that law gets passed! Cage free is so much better for both human and animal. I don’t need a study to tell me that. Good luck!

[Mary V]

Kirstie M… I guess, the best reason I can think of to feed sardines is because they are so nutrient dense. High quality protein. Bones and “guts” intact – also one comment endorses feeding raw sardines, but I have no idea where to get them on a consistent basis. Freeze dried might be a good option:http://www.mycanadianpets.ca/gpage3.html.

I’m getting an Irish Setter puppy in a few weeks and I will be supplementing her kibble diet with some sardines, as well as some lightly steamed vegetables (http://dogaware.com/articles/dwveggies.html) and a little fruit. I also am thinking I will add dehydrated Green Tripe: http://ivcjournal.com/raw-green-tripe/.

I think you should relax. Even dogs are only fed med-high quality kibble seem to do just fine. I have a 13 year old Aussie bitch who’s eaten mostly Purina One dog food all of her life. She has been virtually problem free health wise, and still acts like a much younger dog. I’ve moved her to a grain free of late, and she likes it better and continues to do very well.

Hope this is of use to you.

[Cannoli]

Hi Bag of Opals,

It depends on how the animal was raised and afterwards how it’s meat was handled.. I eat my meat raw in the inside and been doing that for years and years with no issues. Hence my dog gets raw beef and bison. I also eat a raw egg in my smoothie for years…Again no issue found. For fish I only eat sushi raw grade fish and only feed that type to my dog otherwise he gets grilled fish

On the other hand I don’t eat raw chicken or pork so I don’t bother to feed those meats to my dog raw.

Here in MA we will be voting a law on election day called cage free produce. Basically mandating that cows, chickens, etc to be raise cage free. Apparently there is overwhelming scientific evidence to demonstrate that cage free animals have a much lower instance of being infected by Salmonella

[SHERRI O]

Would I be able to get the recipe that you are using for your giant breed dogs? We have our first mastiff ever, and I would like to feed him raw food, like we do for our Maine Coon cats! We have a recipe for the cats, using raw meat, vitamins, minerals, etc that is what our breeder used. We freeze it in plastic bowls, the same way you do, it sounds like. But the mastiff pups breeder just used dry food, and I CANNOT find a real recipe anywhere for the giant breed of mastiffs! St Bernards are pretty close in size, and in the same family, so I imagine the needs would be the same. Thank you so much for any direction in this search!

[anonymous]

The longer stuff is dead and the more things that are done to it, the more likely it is to be contaminated. Simple enough?
Unless it is cooked first. Consult a veterinarian/specialist for a more detailed explanation.

My dog ended up at the emergency vet times 2 due to finely ground up bone causing obstructions in the intestinal tract.
Another dog broke a tooth (not a clean break) and needed dental surgery (extraction) after gnawing on a raw meaty bone.
Another one had vomiting and diarrhea which appeared to be related to the consumption of raw food (chicken, steak) not ground.

Believe what you want, you already have your mind made up. I am not here in a professional capacity. People are just offering their opinions. Take it or leave it.

[Bag of Opals]

Anon101: Your first link is interesting, but I don’t understand maths and need it all explained like I’m five. I also don’t feel that it answers my main question: *why* is ground supposedly worse? It’s not like the grinding process magically creates bacteria.

I understand the risk vs benefit of feeding raw. Handling the stuff is gross, but I want what’s best for my little girl. You mentioned raw landed you in the emergency vet-what exactly were you feeding? Raw can be best, but also worst if not done right.

Crazy4cats: Your suggestions are great, but being Aussie, pounds and ounces mean little to me. Does the website do conversions? I don’t need to do homemade right now since I get extra from my parents, but I might look at it when the time comes that I do. I have a local butcher, so I’m possibly ahead of the game already.

[anna j]

This is an old thread, do b now I am assuming everything went well. I would feed raw food. Raw offal, meat, meaty bones. You can cheaply do so.
and also if you buy meat for yourself, buy a little bit of of her and her puppies.

I have mastiff and bully type dogs. They eat raw a a time. No problems. Our vet still plays a part, but but a consultant. Our dogs do not get sick,much.

[Cannoli]

Since Orijen is a high protein kibble your pup may be able to handle raw. I like for online services Miami Raw, Hare Today Gone Tomorrow, and Real Raw since their beef and bison are grass fed and organic.

good luck

[tonkasdad]

Well, here’s the thing. If I did raw, I would want to do it through an online service like reel raw or something like that.

[Cannoli]

My pup liked Orijen but I switched him to half raw half home cooked about 6 months ago.

I gave up on kibble. At the end of the day Orijen is expensive stale kibble that has sat on shelf for weeks. At the price you pay for Orijen you can make your own dog food

I only feed my pup raw organic meat or bison or tripe every other protein source I cook for him. Raw Chicken, pork, and fish scare me so I cook those. If you do the research there are plenty of organic supplements that you can provide to balance your meal. Heck you can even make your own organic supplements if you have a good blender.

Good luck

[Pam G]

On that 27 year old dog – I have nine small Poodle mutts romping around my fenced one acre lot in a ritzy subdivision and they find it against their ethics to allow ANY chipmunk on the property. Their solution is to catch and kill those chipmunks and, yep, a fair number of the critters inevitably end up as dog lunch.

If Poodle mutts can catch little varmints as mine do, you bet your britches a large, quick dog like the one that lived to be 27 could do the same and more. Maybe Vegetable Mama believed her darling was living only on lentils and rice but if that dog had access to the great outdoors, the chances are excellent the dog was supplementing that mush with mice, gophers, chipmunks, rabbits and whatever else in the way of meat that hopped across his path.

The other point you Vegetable People are missing is your insistence that as omnivores dogs can live strictly on a vegan diet without meat because they aren’t true carnivores. I will point out that if that is true, then they should be able to live off RAW vegetable matter, RAW grains, RAW beans, raw fruit, NONE OF IT COOKED. That, of course, would be the natural state of affairs omnivores would face. And I notice all you Vegetable People feed your mutts either cooked extruded dog food or cooked mixtures and mushes of various sorts.

On the other hand, dogs can lived quite healthily on a balance of meat, organ meat, bones with the occasional addition of vegetable matter. Heck, I know one hunt that used to feed their hounds by shooting an old horse or cow out in the back of the exercise paddock and letting the pack eat it down, picking up the skeletal remains and pieces of hide before leading another old cow or horse out there for the next week’s feeding.

THAT is the natural diet of dogs. As every other reasonably intelligent dog person on this forum has stated, look at your dog’s teeth. They sure as heck would never be mistaken for the teeth of a herbivore, would they? No way, because dogs are carnivores but can subsist on other stuff if it comes down to living or starving to death.

Either way, as vegans are so against anything that eats meat, why the heck do you guys even own carnivorous pets to start with? I would think dogs and cats would make you recoil in horror and send you racing to buy a rabbit or hamster – beasts that share your ideals of eating only plant material.

[S G]

Hey everybody, i just remembered something about my Shitzu (who passed away), okay i told you all that the colonoscopy confirmed severe inflammatory bowel disease and vet said he had months to live and we changed him to a raw diet and he lived another 8 years anyway, he craved coconut oil, we gave it to him as a treat, his body knew he needed it and i have read hat coconut oil kills parasites included giardia, so I’m going to see if my new rescue likes it as a treat. Anyway just wanted to pass that along and if anybody else tries it for diarrhea from giardia, lets all report back with results.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Bag of Opals-
I make a homemade meal for my two dogs now and then using a recipe I formulated on balanceit.com. I use ground beef that I buy human grade at the grocery store. (Costco, of course) The ingredients also include rice, veggies, and applesauce. Then, I add the BalanceIt supplement to make sure it has all the necessary minerals and vitamins. I forgot to mention that it is all cooked, not raw. They love it!
I’ve tried a few premixes that they also liked, but did not usually digest the ingredients very well. The site has free formulas and is run by a veterinary community. They, however, do not recommend feeding raw. Give it a try if you are interested in making a cooked homemade meal!

• This reply was modified 9 years, 5 months ago by crazy4cats.

[anonymous]

Also: “Raw diets are another popular option on the market today. Studies have shown that 20-35% of raw poultry and 80% of raw food dog diets tested contained Salmonella. This poses a health risk for your pet, but also for humans. This is especially true for children or immunocompromised adults, whether exposed to the raw food directly, or the feces of the pet eating the raw food. Additionally, there is increased risk of other bacterial infections and parasitic diseases when feeding raw diets. And the bottom line is there is no reason to believe raw food is healthier than cooked food”.

Excerpt from:https://www.mspca.org/angell_services/choosing-the-right-diet-for-your-pet/

[anonymous]

http://www.homeovet.net/dynamic/php/downloads/dog-c8470f2c75dbe4b683205c3919ee2310/dog_diet_complete.pdf

I tried raw a few years ago and ended up at the emergency vet X 2. The above link gives a brief explanation as to why ground meats are not recommended. The diet is a few years old and I don’t agree with a lot of it, but then, I am not a veterinarian.

I now believe mostly in science based veterinary medicine. This site has been very helpful to me http://skeptvet.com/Blog/

[SummerRainAussies]

I wont touch anything that has any relation to Purina. I personally don’t understand why its still on editors choice list. I feed raw and Now Fresh. No one can beat the company “PetCurean”.

[Bag of Opals]

At risk of looking ridiculous, I would like to inquire if there are contaminants found in ground beef that aren’t found in other such meats. I’m asking because I’ve been reading the comments on reviews, and come across several under the raw foods saying one shouldn’t feed their dog ground beef.

Why beef, and why ground? Is there something wrong with this specifically, or is it just the go-to example when advising people to feed a balanced diet instead of throwing any old thing at their pooch? I’m confused.

Another quick question: What do the more knowledgeable folks think of the grain free and puppy/adult premixes listed here?
http://www.vetsallnatural.com.au/category/products/complete-mix/