[Laura H]

Hello. Good morning all.

Yesterday,talking to a friend,we discussed several brands of food and he mentioned(will name the brands) to have tried Taste of The Wild and ANF with his dogs,to me these are the best brands available where I live (Dominican Republic) & that both caused his dogs (a Little and a Mali) loose,smelly stools.

Then he proceeds to tell me that he is now feeding Royal canin(maxi) sensitive digestion and his dogs had no allergies,diarreha and their stool was small and had little smell.

How come this is possible if the food,in my opinion,has very bad ingredients. How come some brands make it appear like the dog is utilizing it and digesting it well?.

Is it because it has many ingredients that promote firm stool?.the dogs can’t possibly be digesting it so well and having no issues with such bad composition.

Thank you.

Sincerely. A baffled owner who feeds raw and wants to educate people.

[zcRiley]

For those who don’t home cook or do raw, I accidentally came across this site while researching new “brands” of grain free dry dog foods. It’s about ingredients and what they REALLY are or mean (as if we weren’t paranoid enough LOL). Great for analyzing a brand’s quality vs. its cost if you’re not an expert yet. Yes, even high quality kibble use words as smoke ‘n mirrors. Enjoy reading!

http://www.naturalnews.com/Report_pet_food_ingredients_8.html

Table of Contents:
1. Introduction
2. Why nutrition matters for your pets
3. Pet food ingredients listed by best to worst (part 1 of 2)
4. Pet food ingredients listed by best to worst (part 2 of 2)
5. Pet food ingredients listed by frequency of use in products (part 1 of 2)
6. Pet food ingredients listed by frequency of use in products (part 2 of 2)
7. Pet food ingredients listed alphabetically (part 1 of 2)
8. Pet food ingredients listed alphabetically (part 2 of 2)
9. Worst pet food ingredients

[christine k]

I have a service dog and she attends grad school with me. Wednesdays is our long days; eleven hours straight and she mostly sits still or rest, so by the end of the day, she’s pretty restless. She is 5 years old, 18-20 lbs, and a terrier mix.

What treats can I give her that isn’t big or gets terribly soggy, smelly and gross and will hold her attention at least 30-60 minutes? She doesn’t like rawhide or Himalayan bones very much. I’ve given her Busy Bones and she likes them and they last, but they’re a bit expensive.

[Dana D]

Does anyone know when (or if) Dog Food Advisor will be reviewing the new Orijen formula now made in the US??

I am in the process of transitioning my 3.5 year old black Lab from Orijen’s Canadian Adult formula to the new Orijen Original formula out of Kentucky. She’s now eating 50/50–old and new–and here’s what I see happening.

My Lab has always had allergies but it looks like she may be scratching and licking a little more than usual. I have increased her Zyrtec to twice a day (AM & PM) so we’ll see how that goes.

The one big thing I’ve noticed is that her stool is much firmer. She’s always eaten Orijen kibble and her stool has always been a little on the loose side–sometimes more than a little. Not with this US formula, though. Her stool is a lot firmer–completely normal actually–so I can definitely see how a dog that has had normal stools could now be somewhat constipated.

Orijen Customer Service [877-939-0006 if you want to call them] told me before I ordered the new formula that the only difference in the two is that there’s been an increase in the % of protein and also in the % of raw ingredients vs. dehydrated. Now that I can compare the two bags, as others have mentioned, it doesn’t look like that’s exactly true.

I have two 25-lb. bags of the US formula and 3/4 of a bag of the Canadian formula. I’m going to finish the transition and see how she does on the new formula alone. If the scratching get any worse or if she becomes constipated, we’re definitely leaving Orijen. Between their recent big price increase, now another smaller increase (when you calculate the cost /oz. for the smaller bag) and a new and possibly inferior formula, they may no longer be worth it.

[anonymously]

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=raw+diet

More Nonsense from Holistic Vets about Commercial Therapeutic Diets

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.

[frani v]

after skin conditions, mainly scratching and inflammation we changed to raw food diet, but about 6 months later he broke out in a skin condition, we suspected that it was maybe a break in the cold chain but had no evidence. We changed him to a Scientific formula dry pellet food and after about one year his skin condition returned; we then made homecooked food

1.5 kg chicken breast
2 kg broccoli
2 kg carrots
2 kg butternut
This would last about 10days but after 7 months his skin broke out severly and it was inflamed ; the skin became flaky; cracked; like a cracked heel and skin broke open like a wound, we had a skin break out every 2months and our vet used cortisone injections….we have weaned him off cortisone and hes back on a fish/potato based scientific dry pellet food; hes on strong antibiotics; the skin biopsy revealed pyroderma; we have a specially prepared mixture of shampoo to kill yeast and bacterial infections; we changed his antibiotic after one month with no results; we now use a stronger one; we STOPPED giving him all human food; we have introduced ATOPICA which is a new drug that acts like cortisone with much less side effects – the skin condition is under his one armpit – hes an indoor dog who has cotton bedding washed with very little chemicals and no fabric softners.. ..I would appreciate all comments. thanks

[HoundMusic]

If you’ve been feeding Prey Model Raw levels of liver (5%) I’d suspect the cause of the Osteomalacia was due to an imbalance in calcium to phosphorus levels in the diet, as opposed to insufficient Vitamin D.

There is no doubt about what mineral imbalances are present, because the blood chemistry panel tests for everything. Both his levels of calcium & phosphorous were normal (Ca 9.2 & Phos 4.1), while he displayed no signs whatsoever of liver problems, which is what low ALP usually indicates. So by process of elimination, it was determined that his vitamin D levels were lacking. I have no reason to disbelieve the Vet, and my own research is only confirming what he told me.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 6 months ago by HoundMusic.
• This reply was modified 9 years, 6 months ago by HoundMusic.

[Spy Car]

If you’ve been feeding Prey Model Raw levels of liver (5%) I’d suspect the cause of the Osteomalacia was due to an imbalance in calcium to phosphorus levels in the diet, as opposed to insufficient Vitamin D.

Feeding 10% bone (as the PRM calls for) should keep Ca:P near the optimal 1.2:1 ratio. Unfortunately too many raw feeders are contemptuous of the need to maintain the correct mineral balance by carefully considering the amount of meat vs bones (and organs) are being fed, and too often too much bone gets fed as a result. Too little bone (relative to meat) can also be a problem with Osteomalacia.

I’d advise doubling down on your understanding of the edible bone content in the ingredients you are feeding with a determined effort put into balancing the calcium:phorosphus ratios in the diet, as this is the likely source of the problem.

Bill

[Susan]

Hi, do you follow Rodney Habib, Pet Nutrition Blogger on his Face Book page? he had a post about Rickets the begin of the year, he recommends adding tin sardines in spring water or oil to Raw/Cooked diet… https://www.facebook.com/rodneyhabib/?pnref=story
Sardines are suppose to be excellent & have vitamin D, B-6, A, C, B, Calcium, Omega 3 for skin, Magnesium, Iron…. & they’re cheap 69c a tin…Garlic is excellent to get rid of fleas, add some to diet, I live Australia & Garlic is added to most of our kibbles….. I hope Toby is feeling better soon…

[Karen B]

I do rescue and have had 3 large breed puppies with SIBO. All 3 have intermittent diarrhea and periodic vomiting. All 3 cleared with no reoccuramce after 6 weeks of Tylan powder aka Tylosin twice a day for 6 weeks and a raw diet. Dosage for the Tylan is:
<10 lbs: 1/16 Tsp BID on food
11-25 lbs: 1/12 Tsp BID on food
26-50 lbs: 1/8 Tsp BID on food
50+ lbs: 1/4 Tsp BID on food

As for the raw diet, Steve’s works well and they will deliver for free (rawpetfood.com)

[HoundMusic]

Thank you for sharing. Your story could be helpful to other raw/homemade feeders. Of course he decided to show symptoms on a Holiday! That’s what they do. Lol!

Ha! It’s a tradition in my household that dogs will get sick, specifically on Labor Day. My first Beagle, and two others aside from Toby, all needed emergency Vet treatment on that holiday. Not even joking.

But in all seriousness, you could have knocked me over with the ghost of a feather when the Vet said rickets. I am no raw novice and thought myself more Vit. D conscientious than that. I give raw yolks and butter along with bones specifically for the Vit. D content, and still, this happened, so I am hoping other raw feeders will read this and double check their diet plans…

ETA: Also wanted to add that I was giving cod liver oil way back when I began raw feeding, and it seems I’ll have to start doing that again, if my other sources aren’t providing enough.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 7 months ago by HoundMusic.

[Jenn H]

As much of a pain it is to deal with fleas I agree. Ticks however are another matter. They cause problems worse than fleas.
I’ve been using a homemade repellant using essential oil and almond oil. Here in the Northeast ticks are everywhere all year.
It’s been surpringly effective. The only drawback is you have to put it on every day. It takes 2 seconds. The hardest part was remembering to do it until it became routine.
I have little bottle of it at home and in the Jeep so if they go swimming I can reapply.

As for heartworm I stopped it completely. Every 4 months I bring a fecal to the vet for testing. Heartworm preventative are nothing more than pesticides that kill the parasites. If they don’t have the parasites why should I feed them pesticides? By testing samples in that interval it catches them at the larva stage. Still young enough to not need the intense heartworm treatment of full grown worms.
Part of heartworm treatment is giving high doses of the monthly preventative. I just can’t feed them poison if they don’t need it.

I think it’s important to note that a lot of the drug companies that make these products have been bought & sold to other drug companies. Sometimes they change formulas.
Another thing to keep in mind is that many pests are evolving to tolerate some pesticides. So companies have to change things to try to keep up with nature.
I’ve just decided to try to repel the pests using natural means and dealing with any that get past it only if necessary. I’m done with making my animals sick trying to keep them from getting sick.

[InkedMarie]

Let me throw a cheaper option: order grinds from Hare Today, Reel Raw, Raw Feeding Miami, etc. I buy grinds with meat/bone/organ/some have tripe…I add a scoop of tripe to those that don’t. It’s prey model raw in ground form. I add eggs 3x weekly, salmon oil & stuff for fleas/ticks and a joint supplement. All you need is a scale!

[InkedMarie]

For the OP, if you’re still reading, I have experience with yeast with one dog.
The only thing that ultimately worked was a raw diet with no produce. What kind of raw were you feeding? If you were feeding a premade raw, they looking at buying grinds from Hare Today, Raw Feeding Miami, My Pet Carnivore, Reel Raw…..you can also do raw from the grocery store (meat/bone/organ)

[crazy4cats]

Hi HoundMusic-

Thank you for sharing. Your story could be helpful to other raw/homemade feeders. Of course he decided to show symptoms on a Holiday! That’s what they do. Lol!

I’ve not heard of dogs with this issue before. I hope your Toby makes a full recovery!

[crazy4cats]

Hi Ritchy-
In my opinion, given the two choices, I would choose Nature’s Variety. The company has a very good reputation. I mix raw with kibble with no issue in about half of my dogs meals. Most of the other meals they get canned mixed in their kibble.

However, I’m not sure if your plan will fix your dogs’ health issues. What are you feeding now? Please reply back on what you decide and how they do with the change. Good luck!

[HoundMusic]

I’m a newbie to these forums, but am no novice to raw feeding – been doing raw in some form, either 100% or as a supplement for about 15yrs now. Since 2014, its been an all raw, prey model type diet consisting mostly of chicken quarters pork meat and neck bones, a variety of organ meats (but mostly beef liver), ground beef, egg yolks, turkey necks and occasional meats like lamb ribs, fish or ground turkey. They also get “extras” and leftovers that amount to a small portion of the diet.

That aside, I’ve been noticing all summer that Toby, an intact male Beagle who will be 11yrs in October, hasn’t seemed in the greatest health, but there was nothing specific I could point my finger at, so I chalked it up to age. Fleas have been plaguing him, which made me further suspect something was wrong, especially after treatment did very little to help.

Over the past few days, the fleas have been back with a vengeance untold, and this morning, out of the blue, Toby came back in from the yard, lay down in a corner, and wouldn’t get up. There were no other symptoms, just a sudden lameness that seemed to pass in a few minutes. But it was very worrying, and he seems to have lost some weight in the past few days, so I decided it was Vet time. That, and in May, he had a partial obstruction from a pork neck bone, and the Vet told me then the only abnormality of the blood test results was “elevated liver enzymes”. So of course, my first thought is possible liver failure going on here :/

It was no fun finding a Vet on Labor Day, let me tell you, but we seemed to get a competent one, for once. I did NOT mention Toby is raw fed, btw. Another CBC was done, and like before, everything came back smack in the middle of normal – except, his ALP levels (alkaline phosphatase) were once again high (@ 228). But with no other signs of liver abnormalities in the blood results, this Vet was as stumped as the first one was as to why it should be elevated, unless it was osteomalacia, which he said was odd in a dog Toby’s age.

When I asked what precisely that was, the Vet told me I already knew it by a more common name. Rickets. Or rather, it’s technically called rickets before the growth plates close, and osteomalacia is the adult version.

I may have emitted an expletive, because how else can a dog get rickets, save for a home made diet that has been lacking in Vitamin D? I haven’t had the greatest luck with Vets in my life, but I was grateful that when I did mention raw feeding, all I got was the Knowing Look, an admonition that Toby would not be the first raw fed dog he’d seen with rickets (!!!), and a prescription for Vitamin D tablets for dogs. He did not try to push kibble on me or say another word about raw… he didn’t need to 🙁

Don’t have the faintest idea where we’re going from here, but Toby is on his Vit D and does not seem to be holding the incident against me. I’ve had my stumbling blocks with raw in the past, which is why I usually limited it to supplementation, but this has to be the worst problem I’ve ever had diagnosed. And honestly, if not for the strain put on his health with the fleas, I would never have noticed anything out of the ordinary with this dog. He seemed perfectly healthy otherwise.

So. Just blowing off some steam at the day’s events, my own stupidity, and thought this might be interesting fodder for other raw feeders. And btw, I am told that bad teeth can be a dead giveaway symptom of rickets, as well, and yet, Toby has the best teeth out of everybody…

• This topic was modified 9 years, 7 months ago by HoundMusic.

[Ritchy]

We’ve got two Cocker Spaniels that we would like to convert to a raw diet to address health issues – primarily skin, joint and teeth.

One is 13 and the other a rescue that we think is probably 8 now. Both are right at 34 lbs.

I don’t think I have the time/knowledge to make my own, so looking at commercial options.

I have a budget that allows me to afford $200/month, and I’ve narrowed it down to two options (I’m open to other suggestions), and wonder if I can get opinions from experienced raw feeders?

1) Go with a 50/50 mix of Nature’s Variety Instinct frozen raw and Nature’s Variety Instinct kibble.

Or

2) 100% Raw using Steve’s Real Food

I like the bite sized frozen option with both, which seems to make feeding easy.

I can find nothing but good reviews on Nature’s Variety Instinct, but just can’t afford the $400/month it would take to feed 100% raw.

Steve’s Real Food seems to get a few bad reviews here and there. Poor customer service notes, and the product seems to possibly be less consistent, and maybe doesn’t have the real bone that Instinct does. Also, it has higher than recommended fat.

Any suggestions – better to go with a 50/50 mix with good quality, or really, is Steve’s Real Food actually very good, and better to fully convert?

I’m not sure if a mix, really digests well and realizes the benefit of raw…

Any feedback/guidance is greatly appreciated!

[Susan]

Hi Joseph, have a look at “Canidae” Pure Formulas, Pure Sea is suppose to be excellent for dogs with skin problems… http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products
also Baths are a must, twice a week, I use Malaseb Medicated Shampoo on my yeasty, itchy, red paws boy but since he’s been eating “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb & a cooked meal for dinner, he hasn’t smelt or itch over 6 months now, but I still bath him every fortnight…. I have finally worked out what foods he’s sensitive too & don’t feed those ingredients no more…..
For dinner Patch gets, Lean Beef Rissole with broccoli, kale, parsley, Flax & Almond Meal, Turmeric powder & a whisked egg, all blended in a blender then mixed thru the lean beef mince & made into 1 cup size rissoles & baked in the oven, cool then freeze….I also boil peeled & cut up sweet potato, then cool & freeze in sections… I take out 1 rissole & a piece of sweet potato for Patches dinner, I sometimes use lean pork mince instead of the Beef Mince… I also give apple pieces as a treat, yogurt thats sugar & fat free, raw almonds 3-4 Almonds a day as a treat.. Follow Rodney Habib on Face Book he just posted a raw/cooked balanced recipe made by Dr Karen Becker & Steve Brown..

[Joseph w]

I have a 4 year old bull terrier names Bodger. He is normally 65lbs but the last year he shot up to 72lbs. We lowered his food intake to 1 cup a day but he wasn’t losing any weight so we took him in for a blood test thinking he had a thyroid issue but it turned out negative and we suspect he has iiatrogenic Cushing’s from off and in use of prednisone for use with his skin issues. Now that we can no longer use prednisone we are trying to figure out a good diet for him. We use to use homemade raw which possibly worked better than what we have him on now but if it did it was slight. Before raw his normal food was Arcana or Orijen. It is now Avaderm which is the best he’s had since raw but we are no longer able to afford raw. One if his main skin problems is yeast infections on his feet constantly, ears somewhat often and around his anus sometimes and very rarely around mouth and eyes. I need a non yeast/starch/sugar/grain/ low carb kibble, with probiotics Which I plan in supplementing with a whole slew of home remedies and iver the counter products I’ve been researching. I was looking at wellness Tru food and it meets almost all the criteria except has about 40% carbs. Any ideas?

[Susan]

Hi Mandee, I cook Patches dinner meal separate then some nights when cooking for myself I add a extra potato & veggies for Patch as well & thenadd a tin of tuna or tin salmon in spring water drained & give 1/2 to Patch for dinner & put the other 1/2 in the fridge for the next night dinner…. I follow Rodney Habib on F/B he’s a Pet Nutrition Blogger. http://www.facebook.com/rodneyhabib/?pnref=story
Rodney is always posting excellent post he just posted a raw balanced recipe made by Dr Karen Becker & Steve Brown that you can feed raw or cooked & buy all the ingredients at
supermarket… I sort of make the same recipe for Patch minus the ginger powder & hemp oil cause Patch has IBD 3-4 yrs ago if I feed what Patch is eating now he’d probably have diarrhea, its taken a few years for his stomach & bowel heal, I’m glad I didn’t listen to vets cause poor Patch would be stuck on a vet diet that made him smell itch & have acid reflux..
I buy lean beef mince then the next time I buy Pork mince I use to buy chicken but Patch has food sensitivities to chicken & gets red paws & itchy skin, I have a mini blender, I add some raw broccoli, parsley, kale, almond & flax meal about 1 teaspoon, turmeric powder about 1/2 a teaspoon & blend in the blender then add & mix thru the mince meat & add 1 whisked egg & mix thru then make 1 cup size rissoles & bake on a baking tray in oven… then I freeze them all when cooled & I also boil a cut up sweet potato, then freeze the boiled pieces as well then take out in the morning for dinner… I have to feed Patch 4 meals a day, at 7am he gets his 1 cup TOTW kibble then I give him a snack around 11am either some peeled apple or yogurt that’s sugar & fat free, then at lunch time, I either feed 1/2 cup kibble or scrambled egg on toast or today I tried Peanut Butter on toast for the first time, dogs love peanut butter..
but I have to watch his weight it just drops off so I have to make sure I keep his calories up he needs 1000-1100 calories a day… then at 5pm he gets his cooked rissole & sweet potato or 1 cup of his TOTW kibble, then at 8pm he has 1/3 a cup TOTW kibble…if he was a normal dog & didn’t have IBD I’d probably just feed 2-3 meals a day & I’d feed a raw diet….if he keeps doing well I was thinking of trying Raw Diet again its easier there’s no cooking….
There’s a few healthy cooks groups on F/B there’s, Monica Segal called-K9 Kitchen, Cooking For Dogs, Home Cooking For Dogs, Queeniechi Says Cook Homemade dog food & Canine Nutrition & Natural Health run by Cat Lane its more healthy supplements to feed when dog has illness..
.. but I love Rodney Habib the best & most of these people follow Rodney.. Good-Luck

[Jane E]

what about a prepared raw food?

[Eve R]

Does anyone have suggestions for a Low Sodium Dog Food for a Cavalier in Congestive Heart Failure? The dog is 8 years old, on three different drugs and likely won’t live long. The vet said low sodium foods but couldn’t recommend anything in particular.
If anyone has any experience or thoughts, or suggestions (besides raw) I’d appreciate it…
Thanks,

[Theodore L]

I wrote to ZiwiPeaks about their food since we have a dog with IBD. The following is their email to me: Hi Theodore:
Thank you for your inquiry. We are thrilled that you are looking into feeding ZiwiPeak. We are passionate about pets, and strive to produce the best foods available for our furry friends! Many pet parents with dogs (and cats) suffering from IBS / IBD have found ZiwiPeak to be the perfect diet for their fur babies, due to the lack of fillers, preservatives, grains and other ingredients completely unsuitable to a carnivore’s digestive system. One of the ingredients that is included in ALL ZiwiPeak recipes is cold-washed green tripe. Green tripe is a powerhouse of nutrients, is extremely digestible and palatable and contains probiotics/prebiotics and digestive enzymes which help establish a healthy gut. I will be asking our Office Assistant to mail you a sample packet, and I’ve attached a guide for transitioning your dog. Please refer to the feeding calculator on our website’s homepage for the recommended daily serving. http://www.ziwipeak.com

Here’s some basic information about ZiwiPeak:

All ZiwiPeak recipes and formulas are complete and balanced as a daily diet for ALL breeds, and for ALL life stages. To determine your pet’s recommended feeding amount, please use the feeding calculator on our website’s homepage: http://www.ziwipeak.com

ZiwiPeak gives your pet the equivalent of a raw, wild prey diet and is made from over 95% raw meat and organs, including natural fat and bone. Our food contains no rendered meats or meat by-products. We add no artificial colors or flavors, no carrageenan, no chemical preservatives, no grains or potatoes, and no added salts, sugars, gelatin or glycerines or cheap filler ingredients. These ingredients cannot be efficiently utilized by a carnivore’s digestive system and can contribute to various health issues, including skin & coat problems, itchy skin and ears, yeast infections, allergies, obesity, kidney disease, IBD/IBS and diabetes. ZiwiPeak cuisine is over 95% digestible and extremely palatable to even the most finicky dogs and cats.

ZiwiPeak uses free-range, grass-fed meat raised on traceable, approved New Zealand farms, and seafood caught using ecologically-sustainable practices under New Zealand’s stringent, government-controlled, fish-management system. All meat and seafood we use must be free from added hormones, antibiotics, growth promotants and GMOs. Our added vitamins and minerals are sourced from reputable, traceable suppliers in the USA, Europe and New Zealand and Japan. We do not source any ingredients from China.

We add New Zealand Green-Lipped Mussel to all ZiwiPeak formulas to provide high levels of natural glucosamine, chondroitin, and omega 3 and 6 essential fatty acids, and cold-washed green tripe, which provides important vitamins & minerals, digestive enzymes and probiotics needed for healthy digestion. We are relentless in our commitment to quality and care, operating under the most stringent health and safety standards. Every batch of ZiwiPeak must meet both our own in-house specifications and the highest international benchmarks. All ZiwiPeak products meet or exceed industry standards.

Please let me know if I can be of additional assistance,
Regards,
I did not write her name since I don’t have her permission. I have been transitioning one healthy guy to this food. I am not ready to do the IBD guy yet since he just had a setback and the Vet (Internist does not want any changes). I received a very fast response – I liked it!

[InkedMarie]

This is an updated list of grain & white potato free foods. I included dry food only, no wet, raw, dehydrated or freeze dried. I included no part of white potato. Some foods on the prior list have been discontinued and a couple I can’t find ingredient lists for. I used the foods websites, not a pet food sellers website.

ACANA-Meadowland Regional
Wild Atlantic Regional
Appalachian Ranch Regional
Heritage
Heritage Freshwater Fish
Lamb & apple singles
Pork & squash singles
duck & pear singles
Wild Mackerel singles
Grasslands

AMICUS-small & mini breed adult
small & mini breed senior & weight management
small & mini breed puppy

ANNAMAET-Salcha Poulet

ARTEMIS-Osopure salmon
Osopure bison

AVODERM-senior health
joint health grain free chicken
Revolving Menu-all

BACKWOOD-buffalo & field pea
chicken & field pea
salmon & field pea

BROTHERS COMPLETE-all

BY NATURE-grainfree turkey & sweet potato
grain free ocean whitefish & green peas

CALIFORNIA NATURAL-all grain frees

CANIDAE-PURE Land
Pure Wild

CANINE CAVIAR-grainfree puppy
Leaping Spirit
Open Sky
Wild Ocean

CHICKEN SOUP-grainfree beef
grain free lamb

DAVES-both grain frees

DOG FOR DOG (formerly Freehand) both grainfree’s

DOGSWELL-Live Free salmon
Live Free chicken
Live Free turkey
Live Free lamb

EARTHBORN-Great Plains Feast
Meadow Feast
Large Breed
weight control

EVANGERS-grainfree whitefish & sweet potato
grain free chicken
grain free Meat Lovers Medley

EVO-all

FROMM-4 Star lamb & lentil
4 star pork & peas

GO! Sensitivity & Shine LID Duck
Sensitivity & Sine LID salmon
Sensitivity & Shine LID venison
Sensitivity & Shine grain free turkey

GRANDMA MAE’S COUNTRY NATURALS-grainfree only

GREAT LIFE-Dr E’s LID buffalo
Dr E’s LID duck
buffalo
salmon
chicken

HALO-Vigor turkey, chicken & salmon

HEALTH EXTENSION-grainfree buffalo & whitefish
grain free venison & chickpea
grain free duck & chickpea
grainfre salmon, herring & peas

HI TEK NATURALS-lamb, sweet potato & herring
chicken & sweet potato
Alaskan fish

HOLISTIC BLEND-Marine 5

HOLISTIC SELECT-grainfree adult health

HORIZON-Pulsar: fish
chicken
turkey
Legacy: salmon
adult
puppy

I AND LOVE AND YOU-salmon & trout
Nude: Simply Sea
Poultry Palooza
Red meat medley
Naked Essentials-lamb & bison
chicken & duck

KASIKS-Wild Pacific Ocean
Free Range lamb
Free Run Chicken

LOTUS-oven baked grain free turkey

MERRICK-grainfree rabbit & chickpea
grain free venison & chickpea

MUENSTER-grainfree all life stages

NATURAL BALANCE-Wild Pursuit: Trout/Salmon/Tuna
chicken/turkey/quail
lamb/chicken/guinea fowl
LID: legume & duck
legume & Wagyu Beef

NATURAL PLANET-rabbit & salmon
duck & whitefish

NATURAL PLANET ORGANICS-all grain frees

NATURES RECIPE-grainfree chicken, sweet potato & pumpkin

NATURES VARIETY-Instinct: all

NRG-Optimum line

NULO-all

NUTRISCA-all grainfree

NUTRISOURCE-grainfree chicken & pea
grain free seafood select
grain free lamb & pea
grain free small breed chicken
grain free Prairie Select

ORIJEN-all

PET BOTANICS-Healthy Omega chicken
Healthy Omega salmon
Healthy Omega lamb

PET KIND-all

PINNACLE-grainfree trout & sweet potato
grain free duck & sweet potato
grain free chicken & sweet potato

PIONEER NATURALS-all grain free

PRECISE-both grain frees

SOLID GOLD-Mighty Mini
Lil Boss
high protein with duck

SPORT DOG FOOD-Elite Beef
Elite whitefish
Elite chicken
Elite venison

TASTE OF THE WILD-Appalachian Valley
Pine Forest
Southwest Canyon

TUSCAN NATURALS-Ocean

UNDER THE SUN-All grain frees

VICTOR-grainfree active dog & puppy
Yukon River
lamb
chicken
Ultra Pro
Hero

WELLNESS-Core Wild Game
adult chicken
Tru Food: adult salmon & turkey
adult lamb
adult chicken
puppy

WILD CALLING-Rocky Mountain Medley-all
Western Plains Stampede all
Xotic Essentials-all

WYSONG-Epigen 90

ZIGNATURE-LID trout & salmon
LID kangaroo
LID turkey
LID lamb
LID duck
LID whitefish
Essential multi protein

ZOIC-all

4 HEALTH-puppy
small breed adult

[Susan]

Hi Kelli, I’m curious why didn’t you try the Canidae Pure Sea instead of the Pure Land? dogs with skin problems seem to do better on a fish protein then red meats, also Canidae is money back or you can change formulas, maybe change to the Pure Sea there’s also Pure Wild its Pork…
Inked Marie has suggested raw diet, Raw diet is the best to feed, start with a novel protein your boy hasn’t eaten much of or never eaten before…If your worried you can’t balance the raw diet properly then start looking a Pre-made raw diets..
Pitluv is also correct about yeast , its not the sugary carbs causing the yeast, you need to find out what food sensitivities he has & what in the environment he’s might be allergic too, that’s what causing his yeasty skin problem. Some dogs can eat rice, oats, barley, potatoes, peas chicken, beef etc & have no problems, then there’s dogs like ours that can’t eat certain starchy carbs, they start to react too whatever they’re sensitive or allergic too & start to smell like a smelly yeasty dog…
I also have a yeasty, smelly, itchy boy & I’ve finally worked out when Patch eats a kibble with barley, oats, wheat, corn, chicken there’s probably a few more foods as well, he starts to smell itch & have red paws-(chicken & wet grass), it’s sooo hard to pin point what foods are causing this when they’re eating a kibble.. Foods I thought were the problem years ago I have re-introduced this year & Patch is OK with them, your best off doing an elimination diet & not feeding a kibble unless you can get a kibble with just 2-3 ingredients, there’s “California Natural” Lamb & Rice it has just 3 ingredients.
http://www.californianaturalpet.com/products

Environment Allergies is way too hard to work out but there’s a test called “Intradermal Skin Test” here’s a video showing what’s done. this test is best done after you’ve tried eliminating foods on a raw or cooked diet, bathed twice a week & if he’s still having problems then its probably environment allergies.

As time goes by you will start to have an idea, what he’s sensitive/allergic too, keep a diary & write down times, dates & months when he’s having a flare, my boy has Seasonal Environment Allergies fine thru the winter months as long as he doesn’t eat any food/ingredients he’s sensitive too & then Summer months come & he’s a mess with hive like lumps all over where his fur is white & where his fur is white the skin goes red……
Baths are the best to relieve their itch & calm down the skin, I use Malaseb medicated shampoo, it works the best for Patches yeasty itchy skin & creams, I use Hydrocortisone
1% cream when his paws are red & around mouth & chin is red.. Every night before bed I check his whole body & apply the cream…
Also start adding tin sardines in spring water/oil to his kibble add about 1 spoon a day, make sure he’s getting his omega 3 fatty acids & vitamin C is suppose to work as an anti- histamine.. http://naturalanimalsolutions.com.au/Shop/2016/03/22/skin-allergies/

[Susan]

Hi, from another aussie, love her name Opal……We have a few Australian made foods, there’s “Meals For Mutts” & “Stay Loyal” both Australian made premium kibbles…..Stay Loyal only makes the 1 kibble & doesn’t sell thru on line pet stores or thru Pet Shops you have to buy from the Stay Loyal site, I think their kibble is an All Life Stages formula, you’d have to email Stay Loyal & ask….
“Meals For Mutts” is Gluten, Dairy, Sugar & Potato FREE, excellent for dogs with food sensitivities & skin problems & they have excellent treats with no added ingredients like Ivory Coats treats have….MfM treats are all natural, MfM also make, Omega 3 6 & 9 Oil, Probiotic & a new Tripe powder has just come out, you add to your raw or cooked food, follow MfM on their Face Book page to keep up to date, they are always bringing out new things..
here’s their site http://www.mealsformutts.com.au/index.html

Also try the Ziwi Peak air dried raw you can use as treats for training, Ziwi Peak rung me yesterday, I have just got a 5 month old kitten from RSPCA & I sent Ziwi Peak an email asking is their cat Air Dried food an all life stages formula & can it be fed to kittens, the man that rung said, yes it can, the cat Air Dried can be feed to my kitten & they will have a freshly made samples next week & he’ll be sending me out some samples, send them an email & tell them about your new pup & ask for some samples to see which flavour she prefers of all their Air Dried formulas my boy loves the Venison & Fish, also send MfM an email they also will send you out some samples, so Opal will have a heaps of healthy training treats…. http://www.ziwipeak.com

[Susan]

Hi Peter, I have the same problem with my dog Patch that has IBD & food/skin allergies, tooo many big poo’s on certain kibbles…..Look at the Protein % as well, too much protein can also make poos bigger & softer, when my IBD boy eats a kibble with 30% & over in protein, he does 4-5 poos a day & when he eats kibbles with fillers like corn, gluten meal, barley, oats, millet, he gets itchy smelly skin & does big sloppy poos.. when I feed a kibble with under 30% protein around 26% protein & grain free with limited ingredients, my boy does only 2 poos a day…Taste Of The Wild, Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb seems to suit him the best out of all the kibbles I have tried & Canidae Pure Land, he does 1-2 small poos a day. Both these kibbles have limited ingredients…

Just keep rotating different brands of kibble until you work out which brands your pup does the best on, then rotate between them, never just feed the same brand for years & years also start adding some fresh whole foods to his kibble as well…

Finally people are telling these pet food industries, we’ve had enough, we love our pets & we want the best for them & don’t want to feed a kibble with maize, corn gluten meal, beet pulp, tallow, by-product meats, preservatives, food colouring etc…..
Back in the 1940-1980 dogs were feed table scraps & those dogs were much more healthier, they were not feed processed kibbles with maize/corn, gluten meal & by-product meats, they ate what we ate…then in the 90’s Hills & a few other pet food companies started saying, Don’t feed foods we eat, it’s not good for your dog, your dog needs a well balanced diet dry KIBBLE & people followed like sheep & still to this day, there’s still some un educated people who say “Oh no, you can’t feed your dogs & cats foods we eat”…..
50 yrs later finally people like Rodney Habib (someone you should follow on F/B) is saying enough is enough to these pet food companies & educating people to feed fresh meats, fresh fruits, fresh veggies again like our parents did…..Back in the 50’s 60’s & 70’s, dogs didn’t get cancer & have all these food & skin allergies, dogs didn’t have as many health problems as they do today, why??
Watch a video Rodney Habib put together called “Maggies Story the Oldest Dog in the World” Maggie was a kelpie X Cattle dog that lived on a dairy farm, Victoria Australia, she wasn’t over vaccinated, she only had her puppy vaccinations, she wasn’t desexed until she was 14yr old cause a dairy worker brought his dog with him & Maggie fell pregnant, she lived till she was 30yrs old & just passed away in her sleep this year…she wasn’t feed kibble, you have to watch the video to see what she ate & drank…

Your on the right track, you’ve know about ingredients in kibbles, now start looking at healthy foods to add to the kibble, they did a study & found dogs that were feed 1 tablespoon of fresh foods added to kibble just 3 times a week reduced their chances of getting cancer, the post is on Rodney Habib F/B page, there’s lots of excellent info on Rodney F/B page https://www.facebook.com/rodneyhabib/?pnref=story

Have you tried Ziwi Peak Air dried raw?, I use the Ziwi Peak as treats when I don’t have any fruit like apple, water melon or raw almonds & I have just started my 5 month kitten on the cat Ziwi Peak & then when she loses her teeth I will be giving her a chicken wing once a week to clean her teeth, look after your pups teeth, small breeds are prone to teeth problems, give a raw chicken wing once/twice a week for breakfast, peel off the skin so there’s less fat…also email kibble companies & ask for samples..Ziwi Peak sends out samples http://www.ziwipeak.com Good-Luck

[Rachel W]

We have a 7 month old german short haired pointer, and he has been on raw food for around a month now. He’s done really well on it. For fun (!), we’ve measured the height of our puppy every week since we got him, and he was growing ~1/2 an inch each week. He hasn’t grown a millimeter since we started with the raw. Can anyone tell me if this is normal? Or coincidental? Or anything else? Any advice or anecdotes would be greatly appreciated!!

[InkedMarie]

If the dogs raw diet hs meat/bone/organ/tripe in it, feed that food only. You don’t need a dry food.

[InkedMarie]

I too have a yeasty dog; paw licking & ear infections were his issues. We were ear infection free for a number of years; back they came. For my dog, the only thing that worked was a raw diet with no produce. He has had one ear infection in years two weeks ago; we think it was from the humidity but that’s just a guess on our part.

[HoundMusic]

Would you be willing to offer a raw knuckle bone? Those, IMO, do WAY better than CET chews for teeth

Knuckle bones are a great way to fracture teeth, especially in small/medium breeds. Just with pork necks on 25lb (ish) dogs was enough to break molars, and cause a stress crack in the front canine of a 65lb Shepherd mix. I remember about 15-16 years ago, when raw was called “BARF”, some owners used to feed knuckle or marrow bones as recreational bones, and they soon developed the nickname “wreck bones”, for all the damage they did to teeth.

[HoundMusic]

It might be the protein levels in the food are too high. Phosphorous is a mineral that “tags along” with protein – i.e., the higher the protein levels in a feed, the higher the phos. will be. And if that is the case, it could be affecting the dog’s kidney function, which is a major cause of inexplicably bad teeth in young dogs.

Some dogs do naturally have a tendency to build up tartar, but there is plenty that can be done with diet to prevent it. Try a lower protein feed or one that specifically has been formulated for dental health. Several years ago, I had to put an older dog on Science Diet Oral Care, because at 2yrs old, her teeth were practically rotting out of her mouth after whelping a litter. Still don’t know the underlying cause for it, but I gave her the kibble pieces as treats, and it did help. I don’t care for the SD brand and wouldn’t recommend it, but there are certainly other brands that do make similar foods.

And just as an aside, in a bad case, the “bumpy” Nylabones and rawhides might also be of some help.

[Dick W]

Thanks, I forgot to mention he can’t have rice either…I looked at all the PetSmart labels and they either contain peas/rice/potato or a combination of the three. Maybe he’s destined for raw food 24/7.

[Dick W]

My mother-in-law has a Jack Russell/wiener mix that is allergic to just about everything. We’re looking for a dry food that is grain free (tons of those) AND potato/pea/garbanzo free. She feeds raw food in the morning but would like a dry with a better variety of nutrients.

Dose anyone know of a dry that meets these restrictions?

[jakes mom]

The best idea would be to switch to raw foods, little to no carbs. For dry, I like Wellness Core.

[jakes mom]

I agree with Marie, give her anything she wants. Make sure whatever you give her has a good amount of protein. Some people say older dogs need less but unless she has kidney problems you don’t need to decrease the protein as they age. You may want to look into some raw foods. They come frozen but are nice and soft once thawed. Some brands are Stella and Chewy, Primal, Natural Instinct. Another thought would be Honest Kitchen foods, they’re dried into a powder and you mix with water. They would be nice and “mushy” for Coco Bean to eat. Same for Primal dried foods. Comes in a bag of chunks and you crumble up as many chunks as you want, add some water and serve. You can vary the chunkiness to her liking by the way you crumble it up. I used that for my 20yo cat who also had bad teeth and too frail to put under for a dental. Good luck!
PS, kibble doesn’t clean teeth, that’s a myth. You wouldn’t skip brushing your teeth because you ate some crackers, would you? Same idea.

[anonymously]

It sounds like it could be environmental allergies which would have nothing to do with the food. If it has been going on for a while and the regular vet hasn’t been helpful I would suggest making an appointment with a veterinary dermatologist and see what diagnostic testing he recommends.
Have you used the search engine here?
Example: “If the symptoms have been going on for more than 1 year/4 seasons and have not responded in a significant way to treatment by a veterinarian. Consider making an appointment with a dermatologist”.

This subject comes at least once a week. People are reluctant to go to a specialist because they are concerned about the cost, and yet they end up spending much more going back and forth to the regular vet and trying all kinds of gobbledygook remedies.

Environmental allergies.
excerpt below from: http://www.2ndchance.info/Apoquel.htm
“Food Allergies are probably over-diagnosed in dogs (they account for, perhaps 5-10%). Hypoallergenic diets are occasionally, but not frequently, helpful in canine atopy cases but you should always give them a try. Food intolerances are more common – but considerably more likely to result in digestive disturbances and diarrhea than in itching problems”.

Mail-in hair and saliva tests do not test for allergies and tend to be inaccurate. Food sensitivities fluctuate. Food allergies are rare.

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

[Marissa B]

My puppy Harvey is one year old, and ever since May he has had pretty bad allergies. From when he was a puppy we had him on blue buffalo chicken and rice large breed puppy and then he got bad itchy welts with diarrhea. Then we switched him to Zignature salmon (limited ingredient diet). That seemed to work for about a month or so, the welts came back, his hair started coming out and diarrhea also followed along with vomiting. We took him to the vet, chest and stomach xray came back normal, blood levels came back normal in his cbc and LFTs. They gave us a medicated shampoo, started him on Hill prescription zd and started him on steroids. Needless to say reading the ingredients on this hills I’m not overly impressed, seems like there is a lot of fillers and its 90$ a bag!!! I don’t mind paying if it works, but now it seems like his welts are back, he won’t eat the food unless we put sweat potatoes on top and his shampoo isn’t helping. I’m lost at what to do, every time he comes off steroids he gets the welts back. I don’t have enough money to keep taking him to the vet every few weeks for tests and drugs and food etc. I’m considering a raw diet possibly because every time we put him on the bland diet he is completely fine with no itching and welts and long term steroid use at his age scares me. Any advice is greatly appreciated! 🙂

[Suzanne F]

Yes dogs can eat pork, according to my very astute vet. My dog eats PRIMAL raw food. He suggests the pork and nothing else. My dog has a sensitive stomach and environmental allergy issues. So we need to stay away from chicken & beef as much as possible, because those with allergies are more susceptible to developing food allergies, chicken & beef #1. Lamb is too rich for him and some of the more novel proteins are too rich. I told him that he turns away from salmon and krill oil on his food so I need to give it to him in a pill pocket. My vet suggested I give a small fingertip taste of lard. He’ll get the omega 3’s he needs and his coat will be shining.

[Bag of Opals]

I’m calling her Opal, and will be bringing her home this weekend. She’s a toy breed mix and the cutest little thing. Opal is going to be fed raw during the day and some Ivory Coat (an Australian dry food) at night. I’ve read about rotation feeding and agree this is a good idea. However, there’s already going to be a lot of variety in the food, so should I leave everything as is or still try to find something new to swap in every now and then? This is what I am seeking suggestions on. I’ve lived with pups, but not actually raised one myself.

The raw food is possible thanks to my parents. They make it for their Sheltie and Irish Wolfhound (the latter managed to steal a chicken wing last night!) with some extra to give to me, so I’m not exactly in a position to dictate what ingredients go into the mix. It’s ground up and contains:

-Lamb mince, liver and heart
-Pork tongue
-Sardines
-Chicken wings
-Crushed eggshell
-Peas and carrots

Very nice, but is there still a risk of developing food sensitivities because these proteins are all being fed at once? I’ve considered purchasing something like the Ziwipeak beef and venison canned formulas, but they’re not cheap and I’d like to avoid that expense if it’s not necessary.

As for Ivory Coat, their puppy formula is chicken-based. I plan to rotate among the other formulas in the brand when Opal’s grown up. I know a lot of folks here advocate rotating between brands as well as flavours, but I want to support an Aussie company, plus this seems to be the only dry food here with a protein % in the 30s. That’s not to say we don’t have good imported choices, but they just don’t compare.

Reactions to chicken are probably as common as they are because so many puppy foods use it… The only non-chicken food specifically for puppies that I know of and is available over here is TOTW Pacific Stream. Diamond, gah. Opal should be fine with just Ivory Coat, but I’m a paranoid lady and want the best for her.

[anonymously]

Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea is a small size kibble with limited ingredients, check reviews on Chewy.com.
Also, don’t leave food down, feed twice a day and pick up anything not eaten and store in the fridg, offer at next meal time. Make sure she is drinking water, maybe add a splash to her food.
Keep your eye on that pruritus, it could be environmental allergies which would have nothing to do with the food. Use the search engine here to search “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.

[DogFoodie]

Hi Jenny,

My sensitive boy has both food and environmental sensitivities. His environmental challenges have been worse this year than ever, as have mine. I’m located in the Chicago suburbs.

I can’t speak as to the histamine in raw foods. The only raw my dog will eat and does well on is Answers, which is fermented.

[anonymously]

If it were my dog, I would make an appointment with a veterinary dermatologist as soon as possible. Your dog’s symptoms may have nothing to do with his diet.

Have you used the search engine here?

For example: /forums/search/allergies/
and /forums/search/raw+diet/

PS: Be careful, regarding listening to homeopathic vets, a lot of them are quacks and do more harm than good.
For science-based veterinary medicine, go here: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/

[Jenny C]

I’ve been Googling this and can’t find any research, but wondering if anyone here has any information on histamine intolerance in dogs? Not food allergies, but histamine intolerance. I, myself, have histamine intolerance and have to be very, very careful about the meat I eat. It has to be as fresh as possible, and quickly thawed (either in microwave or water), cooked and eaten immediately. No leftovers- the reason for which is that bacteria release histamine (and other amines) as the flesh decomposes. So the longer it’s been since meat was butchered, the higher the histamine content.

My 2 yr old shih tzu has been having very bad itching this entire summer. I’ve tried adding ACV to his food, fish oil, quercitin/bromelain, and switching to “cool” foods via TCM/Yin-Yang theories. So far, no success. I read somewhere that histamines in dogs are released mainly into their skin (whereas in humans, it can affect SO many different parts of the body). I’m wondering if he has seasonal allergies due to pollens, trees, grasses, etc and it’s been exacerbated by the raw food I feed him. I get my food from a local raw food processor, it’s mostly ground meat/bone/organ- and just the act of being ground at the butcher and sitting out in their deli case or freezer means that it’s not as fresh as a cut of meat would be, therefore the histamine content is already higher. Then I take it home, thaw it, portion it out, refreeze, then thaw again the day of feeding, adding more to the histamine content. So even though it’s fresh, local meat- it’s not actually “fresh” in the sense that it’s probably been at least a few weeks since it’s been butchered, and probably has higher histamine content by the time I feed it.

If you’re not familiar with histamine intolerance, they often talk about a “histamine bucket” whereby every little bit of histamine put into the body (food, stress, pollen, etc) builds, until it spills over into a reaction. So that is why I’m wondering if summer pollen plus the “not the most fresh” raw food I’m feeding could possibly be causing his severe itching. Start googling “histamine intolerance”- it’s really interesting and it was the answer to a lot of my own chronic illness issues.

Has anyone here experimented with feeding their dogs the absolutely freshest meat possible with the lowest histamine content and had any success with cutting down on allergy symptoms?

I’m wondering if there’s really a good way to feed raw and extremely fresh at the same time- I’m not really into the idea of buying huge parts of animals from local farmers and butchering them myself! I might try feeding my dog the fresh/cooked meat that I eat for a few days and see if I notice any difference in his itching.

In this sense, there’s probably no kibble or prepared raw food out there that would be considered “low histamine” then, right?

[Acroyali]

What an asinine excuse for a vet.

I’m sorry, but whether or not she supports or advocates raw feeding, saying your abusive and she will have your dog taken away is unprofessional, cruel, and screams “ballistic.”

I’d print this out and leave it on her desk, personally.
http://leerburg.com/vets.htm

[Breann A]

Hi I thought I’d add my review about Raaw energy.

I’m a poor college student. Look the meat in the grocery store are expensive per pound, and need to feed balanced, so Raaw energy is cheaper pound for pound, plus gives the variety. Kit, who runs the deliveries, has always been courteous. He does mess up on orders though and makes no excuse for it except “it happens”. He will try to fix it though. I have not had a problem with any of that.

I’ve ordered tripe, chip’s agility, organ blend, terrestrial blend, etc. I feed it frozen or my dogs would eat too fast, and they actually prefer it frozen.

My dogs have done very well. I feed them Raaw at night, and Sojo dehydrated raw in the morning, and I add Springtime Inc.’s Longevity for extra nutrients.

One problem, which I’ll update if this gets fixed, and why I’m writing here: Kit packed my car and gave me a wrong box of food. It was a $40 error. My order was given to someone else, and what I got is a cheaper product and one that I don’t care to feed. I’ve contacted him and not heard back yet. I’ll update if he does fix this though.

However, if you need to save money, Raaw energy is a great way to do it and still feed your dogs quality and variety. No it’s probably not as good as Hare Today which is a lot more $$ but while I’m in college I have to sacrifice on many things, and am just thankful I can give my dogs balanced raw food.

[Jessica K]

Hey everyone! Thank you for all of the replies!

Dog foodie:
Before I went to this new vet, yes, he was still being raw fed and perfectly fine on it. His skin reactions had completely subsided (with the exception of whenever he ate something off the floor, sigh) and he has not had an ear infection since. I live in the middle of nowhere so I don’t think there would be a holistic vet in my local area, but I’m sure there’s one not too far from where I live. I’ll look into it, thanks!

Shawna & Inked Marie:
After posting, I spoke to a couple of other local vets in the area who have all told me the same thing you guys have – chicken is fine but not on its own and that I would need to rotate proteins.

Anonymously:
My dog is only a year old. He was being monitored for his allergies and diet change from November to April by my former vet. His labs after we made the change came back normal and was given a good bill of health. His weight and condition has not changed since. The new vet did not even give him an exam – I only went in for this vaccines. She asked about his diet, refused to give me any advice on making adjustments to his diet, and then claimed I was abusing him. I do understand what you mean about taking advice from other strangers online but I just wanted to see if anyone else had a similar experience. I am already working with another vet and we have a consult tomorrow morning.

[DogFoodie]

She switched her dog to a raw diet as a recommendation of, and under the guidance of her former vet.

[InkedMarie]

I’d ignore the vet. If you must keep this vet, just tell them if you are happy with what you’re doing. I have one vet that was persistent but I finally told him that I did my research and am comfortable with my decision.

Chicken is not enough….find other proteins. Red meat (beef, venison, goat, pork, mutton) should make up more of the diet than white meats. Hare today and raw feeding Miami have a good selection of proteins.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 7 months ago by InkedMarie.