[samaroberoi4474]

It seems your dog is allergic to certain food. There are some food products that are toxic for dogs and cause food poisoning and allergy. For more information about these toxic foods, you can visit this link:

10 Foods Not To Feed Your Dog

Avoid giving these food items to your dog. Further, raw food is absolutely good for the dogs. But, don’t give raw food to your dog every day. Try to mix raw food with commercial dog foods or homemade dog food so that your dog gets balanced nutrition every day.
Following articles can give you more in-depth knowledge about ideal food for your dog:
/best-dog-foods/raw-dog-food/

Which is The Best Dog Food Raw, Home Cooked or Kibble?

[jakes mom]

OK C4C, not much of an update but here goes, lol.
Your new litter box sounds good! I never add used litter to a new box, tho, never had to. It seemed like somebody always wanted to be the first to christen the new one. Years ago I used a hard plastic kiddy pool as a litter box (when I had 13). I still remember Dustin working his way around the whole circle, peeing every foot or so!
I tried a bag of Stella and Chewy’s frozen raw chic for the cats, On sale, figured I’d give it a shot in case it was just Darwin’s they didn’t like for some reason. They didn’t like Instinct, either, but hope springs eternal I guess, lol. I have put it out a couple of times and it’s disappeared but don’t know who ate it. I’m assuming it was Dustin but haven’t been able to see. So I have that and a couple of Primal dehydrated raw flavors that he’ll eat. I figure I’ll pick up a small bag of those once in a while, just a little extra for him, he can use all the calories he can get.
The biggest news at my house is not cat related, tho. Poor Jake got skunked again on Monday am! We’d just gotten up, 445. He went out and came right back in, started rubbing his face all over the carpet. No, not again!!! So I had to call off work and spent the last couple of days cleaning. Tuesday was my usual day off luckily so have had 2 days to deodorize. Lots of vinegar and baking soda, lots of baths for Jake and showers for me. But he’s very pretty, lol. The peroxide in the skunk wash mixture made his white fur nice and bright!

[zcRiley]

ZiwiPeak dehydrated raw, lamb formula. One protein complete balanced diet. A food allergy testing kit might be worth your while, too!

[Michelle M]

I have a dog that has very sensitive tummy and skin – and it seems that he is allergic to anything with chicken, turkey or quail in it. Any suggestions on a good dry food? We have used raw venison and that was ok but it seemed too rich for him. He is on raw beef/bison mix and he is super itchy again so I don’t think we are on the right path. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

• This topic was modified 10 years, 8 months ago by Michelle M.

[Gracie’s Mom]

I am very familiar with Darwin’s, and I think it is the best food. I fed Gracie Darwin’s for the first 15 or 16 months that we had her, and all was right with the world. Then, one day, she refused to eat it. . . and she kept on refusing. I switched to ZiwiPeak, and she ate that for a while, then stopped. . . and on. . .and on the story goes. We’ve been through so many foods and vet visits to try to figure out what to do. I still have some of the Darwin’s in the freezer, and every now and then I offer it to her. She just growls and barks at it and won’t eat a bite. The freeze-dried, air dried, and dehydrated “raw” foods have been more to her liking, but they are so expensive, which brings us back to why I was looking for alternatives or ways to dilute those with kibble.

So, if/when I prepare her food myself, it likely won’t be raw. Hopefully, though, I’ll be able to get away with very light cooking so that most of the nutrients survive the process. I like your suggestion of working with a veterinary nutritionist. I will definitely look in to that.

[Pitlove]

Wow, really sorry to hear that all that didn’t work out. During the time that I was fighting with my dog for him to eat I tried a lot of ways of preparing his food. First I tried kibble on the bottom of the bowl with some canned on top- that didn’t work. Then I tried using my hands and mixing the kibble and canned together- didn’t work either he hated it. Then I tried feeding the kibble first and his reward for eating the kibble was a little canned- that kinda worked but there were times where he still didn’t eat. So, I thought to myself that maybe he has an issue with the texture that these combinations created so I tried canned on the bottom of the bowl with dry on top- he ate it, no issue at all! I’ve continued to do that for a long time until we stumbled on Nature’s Logic and he was willing to eat it without canned at all! Now he loves food so much that I can use canned food as a topper again and have his dry on the bottom and it saves me money and he eats no issue.

Really glad your husband is willing to let you try homecooked meals though. Thats great. Another thing to look into would be a commercial raw company like Darwin’s, so you don’t have to worry about the food being complete and balanced because it already is. With Darwin’s they do autoshipping, but you can cancel or change the order at any time and they start you off with a starter pack for 14.95$ including the shipping. If you want to go the way of making your own meals, I would highly recommend working with a veterinary nutritionist to come up with meals that would be complete and balanced. It can risk your dogs health if you feed an unbalanced raw/homecooked diet even more so than feeding a low quality kibble.

[Pitlove]

I’ve often suggested to people at work to buy the Stella & Chewy’s meal mixers and mix in how much freeze dried raw they want, instead of spending the extra money to possibly/probably not get many of the raw pieces. We sell BackCountry at work, but not NV. I used to get NV at my old job. I was very unhappy with how inconsistant each bag was.

[C4D]

I agree with you Pitlove. The raw addition is not a lot and you could probably just buy some freezed dried raw and add the amount you want. I use NV, but only in rotation and I prefer adding wet/fresh instead.

[C4D]

I do use Nature’s Variety Raw Boost in my rotation. It’s funny that Merrick and Natural Balance came out with similar versions. The raw boost is not a lot, but I haven’t tried the Merrick Backcounty or Natural Balance versions yet so I can’t offer input on the comparison between the 3. Nature’s Variety costs slightly less per pound that Merrick per Chewy.com’s prices. Merrick is $62.98/22 lbs, Nature’s Variety $62.74/23.5 lbs. I don’t use Natural Balance as it has always been too low in protein in the past. They’ve upped the protein levels on the raw inclusive one, but I’m not too sure about Smucker’s ownership of the company, so I haven’t bought it.
I agree with Pitlove, Orijen is a great product and I used it on a regular basis in the past. It got too expensive for me with large multiple dogs and since I now add canned and fresh, I’d rather put my money into those items as opposed to more expensive dry. Just my opinion. Hope it helps.

[Pitlove]

It’s gonna be more expensive, but Orijen is one I would look into. Champion Pet Foods is an excellent company out of Canada and all their ingredients are regionally sourced in Canada and manufactured by Champion in their kitchens.

26lb bag of Orijen Adult on Chewy.com is 78.99$ and the 25 lb bag of Merrick Back Country is 62.98$ plus you get free shipping and Orijen is much more worth the money. The problem I have with foods that use these freeze dried raw pieces in them (I’ve fed Nature’s Variety Instinct Raw Boost which has them) is there is a lot of inconsistancy per batch of how many freeze dried pieces you get, which IMO makes it not worth the higher price tag compared to the regular Merrick.

[Kristen H]

I want to switch because of the Purina nonsense… any suggestions on a dry food that is similar to Merrick? High protein (I was feeding the Backcountry with the freeze dried raw pieces), meat based, grain free, local ingredients, manufactured by the company (not outsourced to an outside manufacturer), similar price? I feel like this is impossible =(

[Pitlove]

Hi Cindy- I work for a couple who own a small pet store and they have 2 senior greyhounds amoung other dogs. They also work closely with greyhound rescues. They feed them everything from multiple different brands, to different types of food (kibble, canned, dehydrated raw) and even expired food we take off the shelves. As far as they have told me they have no issues with their stomach’s being sensitive. Sensitive stomach to me has never really been a “breed issue” as a sensitive stomach is more likely to occur by being fed the same food for too long. If you are feeding a variety of foods and still having GI issues you may want to consider seeing a vet, if you haven’t already. Could be more than just a sensitive stomach.

[Dixie W]

I’m trying to switch my 12 year old boston terrier from kibble to raw as he has been diagnosed with Cushing’s. He has gained 5 lbs which is because of the Cushing’s and I am trying to help him loose that weight so he will be more comfortable. I am reducing his kibble to 1/2 cup and adding salmon , frozen veggies which he has always loved, fish oil and kefir for his tummy. He licks the bowl every time. Does anyone have any suggestions on a more permanent diet for him .

[jakes mom]

The easiest thing to do would be to buy treats made by a good 4 or 5 star dog food brand. If they make quality kibble I think I’d assume they’d make quality treats. Also fruits and vegies (most are ok) in small pieces. Or use a different flavor of your usual kibble as treats. If he usually eats chicken dog food, for example, buy a small bag of beef or lamb or whatever, and toss a few to him for a treat. No hot dogs, lunch meats, etc. Lots of chemicals, nitrites, in that stuff. You could also buy a small bag of cat food or treats. Cat food is very high protein and most dogs I know love to steal cat food, lol. Buying a small bag of a totally different food is an option, too. Try raw, freeze dried or dehydrated dog food. Anything new and different will be a treat as far as your dog is concerned.

[Karen Barbara L]

I am also looking for a review of dog treats, like you give for dog foods. I was giving my dog Purina Alpo Variety Snaps and I think they are making him sick. I threw them away, but he still looks for his “reward”. I am trying raw carrots and green beans, but he doesn’t seem impressed. How about Hebrew National hot dogs in little slices? Are they OK to give as rewards?

After my experience with the Variety Snaps, and now looking at the recall lists, I am afraid to give him snacks unless I know they are safe. Any suggestions on safe snacks?

• This reply was modified 10 years, 8 months ago by Karen Barbara L. Reason: Didn't finish before

[Anonymous]

Consider making an appointment with a dermatologist for skin testing IDT, maybe your vet can refer you to a specialist .
Environmental allergies are more common than food sensitivities/allergies.
If you use the search engine you will find many posts on this subject. /forums/search/allergies/

Helpful article below:
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.

[Stephanie M]

My dog (1.5 year old Terrier/Korean Jindo mix) has been fully on raw since we returned from Korea in May (my husband is military, and we adopted him from a shelter who rescued him, his mom, and his siblings from dog meat truck!) We started the transition from the middle of April until the beginning of May, then tried Stella and Chewy’s for the month of May, but he wasn’t having much of it. He turned his nose up at the stuff most of the time.

We then transitioned to Primal, and he seemed to really enjoy Primal (we rotate proteins every week) and was doing quite well on it for the first week or two. During that time, we moved from Kansas to Colorado (friend’s house). He started shaking his head a lot more, biting at his paws, and scratching his face (mostly snout and chin) and neck. I assumed this to be an environmental allergy/stress symptom because of the grass and moving from Korea to Kansas to Colorado in such a short amount of time. About three weeks ago, his excrement began to have a lot of mucus in it, and two weeks ago, he had some projectile diarrhea. It was so bad that he cried when it came out. I immediately took him to the vet and she put him on antibiotics and a probiotic powder. He finished the antibiotics last week, diarrhea gone, but scratching, biting, and head shaking still persist.

I still have him on the probiotic and raw goat’s milk at the recommendation of a local “healthy pet store” manager.

We moved into our permanent home about a week and 1/2 ago, and his bowels started to have mucus again yesterday, so I haven’t fed him mostly because he’s eating grass again and won’t eat the Primal patties. I understand it could be stress related, but I am inclined to think that it is an allergy to the food (my previous dog was not picky and had very minimal health issues, so this is all new to me).

Is there anything I can do for him at home? The vet suggested I cook up some chicken and rice for him to see if he can eat that for about 8-12 weeks to eliminate any food allergens, then re-introduce the ingredients in Primal one by one. He’s never liked rice, so I can’t imagine that he’d enjoy that, but I guess if he’s hungry enough, he’ll eat it, right?

Any and all advice or suggestions would be helpful! Thank you!

[olive1015]

Dori – good info on the frozen ..raw. And chicken…my Olive – Yorkshire Terrior 10lbs…approx. 18 mths …loves boiled chicken but I’m worried too much chicken isn’t good for their skin. Something about histamines or something in them. I’ve made Olive ..turkey meatballs and just hamburger meatballs with an egg and some oatmeal. She loves these.
Anyone mix chickpeas w/carrots in their dogs kibble?

[olive1015]

thank you…thank you for the great feedback. I know the Purina One isn’t so great but my neighbor gave me some when I 1st got Olive and I tried to get her to just go for the Nutrisca but she wouldn’t. Then I couldn’t find the Nutrisca at Petsmart or grocery. There’s been a recall this summer..just discovered. Have so much of both I just decided to supplement with chicken, beef and veggies on the side 🙂
Blue Buffalo was too rich and heard little doggies have sensitive tummies …so..
She loves raw carrots…so I give her as treats vs biscuits all the time. Will try the recommended shampoo…and give her bananas & blue berries. She’s a wonderful doggie. She’s now spayed and chipped and warming upto my cat. I love her so! Terriers are so entertaining I can forgive the wild temperament. I had a big lab ..chow mix that was magnificent and silky years ago but lost her to old age and Olive has filled the void. I’m childless …so she’ll be spoiled rotten like the cat when I get educated on her breed.

[sharon b]

HDM, I realize all these post’s are old, so not sure if you are still posting here. I just started feeding my two dogs raw. I like your meal plan, however wondering why so many supplements? Do your dogs suffer from any health issues? I have a Newf puppy 7 months and an 8 y/o husky and only adding coconut oil, salmon oil, and right now some Pumpkin as he is a bit constipated at the start as I am awaiting getting more meat alone from next order. he is getting a ground mix that is a 80/10/10 mix, so should be complete, yet even with a lot of water added he needs the pumpkin and stools are now good.

[zcRiley]

Orijen puppy food was a hit in my boys’ 1st year. They liked warm milk, too, between meals. ZiwiPeak is a raw dehydrated food that is easy to digest & easy to chew (tiny thin squares like soft jerky). Good for the night time feed. Side dish of soft canned would be Weruva or ZiwiPeak, like a few spoonfuls.

[weezerweeks]

I have a yorkie but he weighs 7.3 lbs. I feed mine canned freeze dried and I cook for him too. I love wellness stews, weruva go fit , fromn. I give him for treats blueberries, raw carrots, bananas, apples. I give him Nordic natural fish oil(3days a week) and organic coconut oil 3 times a week. I ‘venever had much experience with one that large. Good luck with ur new baby. They are my absolutely favorite breed. This is my second one and I’m trying to talk hubby into a little female.

[olive1015]

I’ve brought in a little Yorkshire terrier I saved and I’d appreciate any advise in getting her good vitamins and grooming products. Vet says she’s approx. 16-18 mths / 15 lbs. I’ve had her spayed and chipped as of May. I’ve been feeding her a mix of Purina One and Nutrisca along with raw carrot chips (she loves loves loves) …and of course boiled chicken and canned salmon now and then but her coat doesn’t yet have a nice sheen to it.

I just checked my Nutrisca to make sure it wasn’t a part of their salmonella recall and thank goodness it wasn’t. Any advise for this darling would be so greatly appreciated.

[Jonathan S]

I’m switching my dogs to Acana. I chose to go to Acana rather than Orijen because of their varieties, especially the single protein source versions they have.

Have you considered making your own raw or cooked food and actually have that lovely food come from your own hands? I do that and it makes me feel very in touch with my dogs.

[Jonathan S]

I have two border collies… 9 months and 11 months. They’re very fickle about their protein sources… Both are intolerant of bison and venison, one can handle beef but the other cannot. Both are sensitive to changes in fats in their diet… too much fat causes them some nasty stools, but too little and they get dry and itchy.

I had them on Taste of the Wild for a long time, but they get really twitchy moving from one mix to another. I’m starting them on Acana Sport and Agility this week. I feed them half raw food as well.

Remember with borders that their metabolism tends to run hot due to their need to work and possibly work long past exhaustion. If you normally feed once a day you might want to consider twice a day for the BC.

[Carter S]

Thanks for taking the time to reply and for sharing your thoughts!

Bamm-Bamm is 7 and has been on and off of Orijen a few times. It was the first food I fed him but when his stools failed to solidify (the best it got was something between diarrhea and soft serve ice cream), I switched him to a brand that I’m having difficulty remembering but it was much like Acana. Unfortunately, after a few years, it was bought out by one of the large companies (Hills or such) and some change occurred that I’m just vaguely remembering. I then had him on Acana for a couple years.

In the beginning he liked it. Then he’d eat it for 2 weeks and then start skipping meals. Then I’d change meats and he’d eat that for a week or two before sticking up his nose, until finally I switched him to NOW. It’s been great because the kibbles are big, the profile looks good and he loves it. Unfortunately, it is tied directly to the degree of build up in his ears.

I’ve tried a few others here and there over the last couple years but they’ve been worse insofar as the ear build up or GI distress to the point of liquid stools and constant audible stomach gaseousness prior to severe and ongoing flatulence.

As of right now, I’m thinking of going back to Acana and supplementing it with a raw frozen or freeze dried or canned equivalent for taste but will look into options you suggested.

Thanks again!

CS

[Anonymous]

“I don’t know what’s causing my poor puppy to be sick like this constantly. I want to find the cause and get him treated ASAP. I heard from a vet tech friend of mine that raw diet will cause bladder and UTI problems. I asked my current vet and they said it is possible. Is this true? Why can other dogs thrive on it but not mine?”

If it’s not the diet…his problems may have a genetic component. We can’t control genetic, but we can make changes regarding diet, exercise (external things) and see if that makes a difference.
I would consider asking your vet for a referral to a specialist, if he can’t get to the bottom of it.
BTW: Maybe you know this already, but corgis are high energy working dogs (herding). They love to eat and tend to put weight on easily. I had to walk mine 5 miles a day to keep her in shape. Hope this helps.

[Lori J M]

When I decided to switch my dogs from Orijen, I took months researching and deciding on Merrick. My dogs love it and variety is terrific. I’m so disappointed! Back to the drawing board.

[Pitlove]

Eh I use a prong collar for Bentley (I exhausted all other options first for his pulling), however I took the time to watch proffessional trainers show how to properly put them on. Aside from that I had the same idea of SkeptVet lol. Not to mention he doesn’t actually post scientific evidence stating the raw diets are pointless, he simply says there is no scientific studies showing the benefits. Not to mention science is changing all the time, therefore, as all my human bio, psych and regular biology teachers have told us, there is no absolute truth in science. Not to mention all the feeding trials that people want to see to prove whether or not a food works successfully do not show long term (5+ years) effects of use. It would be impossible to have a feeding trial last that long. Thats why despite it not being “scientific”, people’s experiences with prolonged longevity in their dogs based on whatever diet they are feeding has to be taken into account.

[Pitlove]

I have. He is extremely against raw diets. All he talks about is how there is no evidence stating the need for a raw ancestral diet and there is too much risk of bacterial contamination. The OP doesn’t need someone who isn’t going to objectively say ‘ok lets try to figure this out and not jump to the conclusion that it’s the raw diet’.

Third article down in that link and the next 2 prove my point.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 8 months ago by Pitlove.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 8 months ago by Pitlove.

[Pitlove]

My dog had the same thing happen on Sojo’s freeze dried. Very very weird. He normally poops 2 times a day MAYBE 3 if he ate something that is causing loose poop or diaherra, but normally 2. All the sudden on Sojo’s he’s pooping 3-4 times a day. They were small compact solid poops, but he was going way more frequently. Another poster on here, Dori, mentioned that her dog did the same thing. It’s got to be something with freeze dried raw. Personally I’m stopping the Sojo’s to see if there is an improvement. I know you don’t want to change foods again, but you might need to look into something else for his diet.

[Pitlove]

It’s unlikely the raw diet is causing the UTI’s, but it isn’t impossible. Raw diets have extremely high moisture content and should be flushing the kidneys out enough to stop the formation of crystals. That being said, perhaps there is an ingredient in the diet or another cause that is forming the UTI’s.

Consulting and working with your vet is great, but like with humans sometimes one persons opinion is not enough to solve the problem and one person might not have all the info. I would highly suggest contacting other vets and possibly even a nutritionist to make sure the raw diet you are feeding is appropriate and doesn’t contain anything that could be causing these frequent UTI’s.

Edit: For the record, SkeptVet is not the only source on the internet and he already has a bias opinion about raw.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 8 months ago by Pitlove.

[CornchipCorgi]

My puppy is now an 8 month old corgi. Shortly after getting him from his breeder we transitioned him to a raw diet. However starting in January when he was about 2 months old he’s had recurring UTIs. Since then we have visited the vet 3 times and had him on 4 different antibiotics. From what they told us he has crystals in his urine because his urine has a very low pH. We feed him cranberry powder with his raw.

I don’t know what’s causing my poor puppy to be sick like this constantly. I want to find the cause and get him treated ASAP. I heard from a vet tech friend of mine that raw diet will cause bladder and UTI problems. I asked my current vet and they said it is possible. Is this true? Why can other dogs thrive on it but not mine?

[crazy4cats]

Pitlove-
You’re welcome! Yes, I always have it in fridge for two days. I feed them fresh foods or frozen raw on their kibble for the afternoon meal and canned for morning meals. I have kept it just fine for three days when I forget there is already one open in the fridge with no issues. Lol! Shoot, sometimes my human family eats left overs that are in there much longer than that! You’ll get your routine figured out.

[Pitlove]

I was thinking coconut oil as it is high in calories, however it’s so high that I’d be concerned about it being counter productive to her weight loss.

Hopefully a more experienced raw feeder can help you, as I’m not. Mainly just wanted to come in and say how awesome it is that you decided to switch to all raw for your girl! Much more appropriate for a senior dog 🙂

[Jonathan S]

Are you giving her raw meaty bones? That would add some calories. You could go with turkey necks, lamb shanks, chicken wings, duck feet, etc.

[Kona]

Hi all. I have been transitioning my dog (11 years old) to raw food over the past month. I have been feeding raw for breakfast and kibble at dinner, mainly because of the costs. However, she’s doing so well on the raw I’ve decided to suck it up and go completely raw (if it means I have to eat out less then that’s what I have to do). I have her on AllProvide turkey and beef. I have a couple questions and was hoping some of the more experienced raw feeders could help:

1) AllProvide packages in 16oz pouches. According to her “ideal” weight (she’s 75 lbs now but I’d like to see her down to 68-70 lbs) the food chart says she should have 22 oz per day. I’d like to keep her on one pouch per day. Any ideas on how I can supplement the additional 6 oz? I feed raw goat’s milk so there are some calories there. She also gets a few “treats” – cucumbers, sweet potato biscuits, but maybe only 100-150 calories. I bought some grass-fed beef organs – liver, kidney, heart. Should I add some of this to her food (AllProvide already includes these though in the food so I wasn’t sure if that would be too much)? Anything else I can add to reach her 22 oz?

2) She seems to digest it too quickly, which on one hand is good since i know she’s digesting it better than kibble but the problem is by late afternoon she will throw up a little bile (ever since she was a puppy this happens whenever her stomach is empty for too long). I’ve been having to put a little kibble in her kong when i leave for work to prevent this. I’d hate to keep adding kibble to her diet since I’ll be going completely raw. Anything I can add or suggestions?

Thanks!

[Jonathan S]

I’m sure this has probably been covered before, but I’m looking for a recommendation for a supplement to help cover itchy, dry skin on my dogs.

I’m in the process of rotating my dogs off their current kibble (they’re on the last of their Taste of the Wild) and on to Acana/Orijen, so I’m hoping that the change in food will help. This bloom of dry skin comes with a combination of changing the TotW mix from fish to lamb, and some hot dry weather here in Seattle. I’m also feeding my dogs raw food as half of their diet and they’re doing well with that.

I’ve experimented with a number of food supplements. The most recent that seems to work well for them digestively is Flora4. I do include coconut oil in their diet, but sometimes the additional fat can have some effects on their stool quality. I see commercials on TV for Dinovite, but I’m pretty sure that’s not where I want to go.

Anyone have any suggestions?

[Taylor C]

Hi! I have a boxer/pit mix with severe skin allergies. About 6 weeks ago, we switched her over to Grandma Lucy’s Pureformance food and within a week saw a difference in her skin condition. While we’ve been very happy with the food and results, our dog has been pooping a lot more (3 – 6x/day, very soft) and has lost some weight as a result. And feeding her larger amounts only seems to make her poop that much more. She’s also had a lot more gas than usual. We’ve tried so many different foods, raw diet, countless rounds of steroids and antibiotics prior to discovering Grandma Lucy’s and nothing has worked. We love Grandma Lucy’s and really don’t want to switch foods again, so I’m wondering if anyone knows of a supplement or food we could add to her meals that may help her absorb the nutrients better and reduce the number of poops. I’ve recently begun adding chia seeds and apple cider vinegar, along with a little plain Greek yogurt here and there. Thanks in advance!

[InkedMarie]

At the cost of canned, you’d find it cheaper to feed raw grinds. Companies to look at are Hare Today, Reel Raw Dog, My Pet Carnivore and Raw Feeding Miami. If you happen to be in the northeast, Pawfectly Raw NE.

I buy grinds with bone, add a little boneless (from the store), weigh it, add the few supplements I use and feed.

[Jonathan S]

There are lots of great recipes out there… here’s a great video I found on it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9o_IOwiCN2I What these people do for their pups is amazing. I don’t have quite that capacity.

Most experts will tell you to feed raw separate from kibble because of the time it takes to digest (kibble burns faster than raw). I found with my dogs when I feed the raw separate from the kibble, they get very sick… one of my pups vomited within two hours of me feeding straight raw. I went back to serving raw at the same time as kibble and they were right as rain… I think the raw was just too rich for them.

I don’t see anything wrong with just feeding ground meat, but remember that there are other nutrients they need that they won’t get there alone. Just look at the ingredients on this website and where dogfoodadvisor.com praises 5 star foods for their good ingredients, and more importantly WHY they praise them. Personally, since getting on this site I’ve been reading reviews and where possible I’ve been including those beneficial ingredients in my mix. Currently my recipe is 2 lbs ground rabbit with bone(expensive!), 2lbs ground chicken or turkey, 1 pound ground lamb, 1.5 pounds chicken hearts/gizzards, 1 pound of reconstituted dehydrated lamb green tripe, 4 raw eggs, 2 cups of blueberries, two apples shredded, three carrots, some small peas, half a mango, mix of greens (I use Green Juju or the local equivalent), hemp seed hearts, pumpkin puree, coconut oil, turmeric. I also play around with some other additives like Firm Up just to see how they perform. Anything not already ground goes through the food processor to break it up for the pups to digest. That recipe gets me approximately 20 x 12oz containers which is enough for 10 days for both my dogs. No, it’s not cheap.

I like feeding half raw to half kibble because the kibble gives me a safety net in case I’m missing some vital piece of nutrition. As I continue to refine my mix, I’m hoping to change to 75% raw to 25% kibble. Going to wait until after their next vet visit to make sure I’m on the right track.

You can do it cheaper than I do. Just find the things your dog likes (apple slices, carrots, blueberries) and throw them in their with the meat… see how he does. The best recommendations for portion size I have seen is 2 – 4% of the dog’s body weight in raw per day if you’re feeding 100% raw. If you’re going to do half and half, cut the amount of kibble you’re feeding in half, then cut the amount of recommended raw in half. For me, that comes out to 1 cup of raw and 1 cup of kibble per day, per dog. I feed them twice a day.

Also, don’t feed raw raw if your dog is a grazer… they need to finish it when you put it out. Don’t want raw meat sitting around!

[Pitlove]

C4C- When I started giving him canned I gave him a whole can with his dry food on top because he wouldn’t eat any other way. I didn’t want to fight with him anymore about eating and was worried about him going days without eating. I cut back on the dry food to make sure he didn’t gain too much weight and he hasn’t which is good. Now that he is on Nature’s Logic he will eat without canned which is something that impressed me about the food as I mentioned on the NL review. I’ve thought about stopping the canned or the dehyrated raw, but I can’t bring myself to only feed him kibble. Thats why I thought about adding the ground beef or turkey. But you’re right. I never thought of how much kibble he would need to balance the raw. The recommeneded amount on the bag for a less active dog, which he is right now because of the humidity, is 2 cups a day. I’ve been giving him 1/2 a cup of the Sojo’s and 1/2 of the Nature’s Logic. But does that actually equal out to 1 cup considering they are different types of food? I watch his weight constantly and he gets weighed pretyy frequently. He’s still at his ideal weight so I haven’t changed the way I’m feeding him.

Just looking for a more affordable way to feed him and keep him healthy. It’s so hard 🙁

[crazy4cats]

Hi Pitlove-
It does get expensive, doesn’t it? I remember reading one of your posts and was surprised/impressed at how much canned you were feeding your pup per meal! I thought, wow, lucky dog! I only give my dogs a couple of spoonfuls of canned per meal. For two 80 lb. dogs, the can lasts for two meals each. So, you could cut back a little on how much topper you are using to save a little money. The joy of the canned and dehydrated raw is that they are both balanced “add-ins”. If you start adding ground meat, it isn’t balanced and you have to be careful with how much you add.
I have thought exactly about what you are thinking many times because it does get expensive and I get real tired of so MANY cans between my dogs and cats, but haven’t quite figured out yet either how much to add per meal to avoid feeding them unbalanced meals.
Another option could be to mix some ground meat with a base or premix such as THK and use that as a topper. I was contemplating that as well, but my dogs, unfortunately, do not like The Honest Kitchen recipes! Good luck! I hope you get some good ideas!

[losul]

Hi Red. I do think it’s important to use caution with these things. Even if a vet were to give instructions to give antacids/inhibitors to my dog (or even a Doctor to me) on any kind of regular basis, I would be asking questions and investigating, is it acid reflux? what is causing it, how do I get to he root of the problem, and not just treat symptoms, what could/would be the consequences, could it actually be caused by low stomach acid, etc..
———–
Hi Sue, I’m sorry couldn’t respond sooner, my time is limited lately, and having internet troubles on top of that.. I don’t find much about lymphocytic gastritis in dogs, or at least searching those 2 particular words alone. In humans, “Lymphocytic gastritis is a rare gastritis primarily diagnosed by the surgical pathologist. There is a peculiar infiltration of benign lymphocytes into the glands and surface mucosa. It may be associated with celiac disease and Helicobacter infection of the stomach. There are case reports of clearing of the disease by treatment for Helicobacter infection in the stomach.”

http://www.thedoctorsdoctor.com/diseases/stomach_lymphocytic_gastritis.htm

In dogs, most of the hits I came up as canine lymphocytic-plasmacytic gastroenteritis and is still of unknown causes(idiopathic). “Canine lymphocytic-plasmacytic gastroenteritis(LP) is one disease in a group of idiopathic, chronic intestinal diseases collectively termed inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and is considered to be the most common cause of chronic vomiting and diarrhea in dogs. LP gastroenteritis is characterized by a diffuse infiltration of lymnphocytes and plasma cells into the lamina propria of the stomach and/or the small intestine resulting in diffuse mucosal inflammation. Lymphocytic-plasmacytic is the most prevalent form of IBD.”

https://www.addl.purdue.edu/newsletters/2007/Fall/clpg.html

Kind of a side note, and really just a curiosity, I found this study to be of interest, specially the apparent surprising resolution of the disease state, after all the numerous testing and therapies failed, and when the client was finally discouraged by no improvements, stopped all of it.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1082873/

The “fundic region” would be the upper main portion of the stomach and should generally be much less acidic, especially at the beginninh process of digestion than the the lower portions. I think that would likely be why Patch’s diagnosis comments read that Helicobacter was usually more prominent in the fundic (less acidic) region.

“•The fundus, which is the main upper portion of the stomach. Fundus means
“enlargement” and refers to the rounded enlarged area at the top of the stomach.
Food gets ground, mixed, and held in the fundus. It is in the fundus that enzymatic
digestion takes place, assuming there are live enzymes present with your meals (or
if you are using digestive enzyme supplements). Although stomach acid will be
released into the fundus, IT IS ONLY AT ABOUT 30% CONCENTRATION and will not affect
enzymatic digestion. After about 40-60 minutes in the fundus, the chyme will move
on into the body of the stomach.”

“•The body, which is the large middle section of the stomach. It is a primary area
of digestion, and it is here that hydrochloric acid and pepsin begin to work full
bore, and at levels sufficient to stop most enzymatic digestion.

•The antrum, which is the last part of the stomach before the pylorus, the gate
which prevents food from entering the intestine before its time. Actually, the
major portion of digestion takes place in the antrum as food is held a long time
and parceled out to the duodenum in a very slow, methodical manner. Incidentally,
antrum means cave and pylorus means gatekeeper.”

Your Stomach, Part 1

I think there’s some REALLY good articles/summaries on that site, especially
pertaining to human digestive/gastric systems, but most of it would be relevant to dogs
also. He does deal with alternatives/naturapathic/holistic, and does also sell
supplements, I don’t necessarily agree with all he says, but I think it’s one of
the most comprehensive, complete, and easiest to understand articles/primers on
digestion I’ve seen.here is the article “your stomach, part 3” , which may most
pertain, especially to the significant importance of acid in digestion/health, but
be sure to read all parts 1,2,3. and the overview on digestion also. In fact most of the whole digestion series is a good read.

Your Stomach, Part 3

http://jonbarron.org/article/overview-digestive-system#.Va1zwGd0w5s

Digestive System

I’m not sure where the “water” would be coming from after Patch ate his raw. Not
excessive saliva? Did you add water to the raw food? Adding water would dilute his
acid production. I’m not sure if you are saying that he threw up the raw or just
water? The enzymes i think should be even more important/purposeful on cooked
foods more so than raw. What kind of enzymes are they? Just go very slow on them at first. I would think Patch’s bio-fauna is much out of whack, and needs to be re-established with good bacteria. He may have mineral/vitamin deficiencies also. I was a little surprised that tha naturpath wanted to immediately switch Patch to raw. I would be a little hesitant to go full force raw right away, knowing Patch’s condition, which is why it’s important to be upfront with the
naturopath as much as possible. Has the naturpath seen Patch, or was it just a
consult? Is it Lew Olson?

If it were me, I would take just baby steps, but I’d give the Naturpath’s advice a
fair shot, and keep her/him informed. Not make too many changes all at once, or
expect too much all at once. Build up very slowly on everything, the probiotics,
the enzymes, the cooked or raw foods.Has Patch been weaned off antacids since the
Helicobacter treatment and fairly stable most of the time with what he’s eating
now? Can you try to introduce just a snack size meal of cooked along with
appropriate small portion enzymes or maybe later raw in between those regular
meals, and just very gradually increasing while decreasing the regular? I’m not
familiar with Roo meat, how easy to digest, how much fat, saurated fats, etc. I
think in the U.S. it’s thought that lean chicken is one of the easiest proteins to
digest, along with well cooked white rice. Vets often advise this temporarily for
gastric distress (provided they don’t have a sensitivity to chicken) and it works
for many dogs. I’ve heard you say that Patch and grounded rice don’t get along? I
don’t understand what you mmean by grounded. In the U.S. white rice is milled and
has the husk, bran and germ removed, leaving virtually only the starchy interior,
it’s usually then “enriched” with some vitamins/minerals. Should be fairly easy to
digest by most dogs. Eventually though I would want to get him off all that starch,
and get him on a more balanced diet. Are you giving him any vitamins/minerals at
all?

On another note, there are a couple of U.S. vets now using fecal matter transplants
for dogs, from only verified healthy donor dogs of course. For humans, it’s
catching on a bit more now, even in a few hospitals, with very promising results from persistent or recurrent IBD, SIBO, colitis, that is usually caused by
persistent, pathogenic, and resistant overgrowths/infections.

Sue, Maybe Patch can’t be completely cured, but I believe with the determination
you’ve shown and continue to show, he WILL get better. There’s alot of people
rooting for you and Patch, I know that I’m one of those!

P.S. I might not be able to write back for a while again.

———————
Hi weezerweeks, y/w.

I understand your concerns with Bailey. Best wishes for his best health!

Let us know how the vet visit goes.

[Pitlove]

Hey all-

I usually feed my pitbull dry kibble with canned. Recently, I’ve been feeding kibble with dehydrated raw. Both are costing me a lot of money because of how quickly a 68lb dog goes through canned food etc. I was considering getting raw ground beef or turkey and adding a small amount of that to his dry kibble as a topper. I’m thinking with sales etc, it could be most cost effective than buying canned or dehydrated raw. Any thoughts on that?

Also, is it really just as simply as taking the raw ground up meat alone and using it with an already complete and balanced kibble? Or do I need to be adding something to this mixture?

Oh also, how long can that be left in the freezer for so I can know how much to buy

• This topic was modified 10 years, 8 months ago by Pitlove.

[Kristin C]

Well thanks for not slamming me pitlove, I kind of gathered it was a little more fierce weather down there:) I think giving heartworm during mosquito season is a must, which is what we do up here in CT.

From what I understand fleas and ticks are most likely to gather on a compromised host, a pet with a weakened immune system. Since our dogs eat raw liver, liver treats, and they are currently getting B-complex vitamins each night, I am finding it has worked so far and just wanted to mention it. I understand the need in the south will be more aggressive than what i do up here.

[Kristin C]

If those are the 2 you are deciding upon I would say start with Acana and move up to Orijen. Although, Orijen sounds like they are changing their formula next year since they now have a Kentucky plant.

Have you looked at Farmina?

I feed mostly raw, but I feed kibble a few times per week and have been rotating the brands for variety. If I fed kibble exclusively I would probably change the brand with each bag to give the most variety.

[Kristin C]

Hi-no one has mentioned this so I will. I live in CT so I know the circumstances are different, but I do hate treating my dogs with chemicals. We use Advantix on our 2 pups every 6 weeks normally. For their last treatment, instead of a full dose, we gave them half of a dose PLUS I have been giving them B-complex in their food each night. No ticks, no fleas. If it continues we will eliminate the Advantix, but I am sure we will not be able to eliminate it completely, we always treat them with a full dose of Advantix before we travel.

I will also add that they eat mostly a raw diet so they get B vitamins through the liver they eat, which is apparently what naturally repels the fleas and ticks.

[Kristin C]

I have tried the trial size on the Better in the Raw products and although my dogs did fine on it, by my calculations it can be expensive to use on a regular basis. Has anyone else found this?

[Jon K]

Hi,
today I posted what is to follow in the wrong place (budget friendly thread) so I’m now posting it here. Sorry for the confusion.

I’m new here. Have a 2 yr old Boston who eats Vital Essentials Frozen Raw Beef. She seems to do very well on it.
I joined this group because we just got a new Boston puppy and I wasn’t sure that the same food was ideal for a puppy.
So because of the editors list, he’s now eating Stella’s Super Beef and seems to be doing great.
My 2 year old tried the Stella’s before and I’m not sure why but we ended up with her eating Vital Essentials.
So thanks for this list because I was very confused and conflicted as to what to feed the puppy and this gave me the info I needed.
So I was surprised not to see Vital Essentials Frozen Raw on the list for adult dogs though. I’m curious as to why it is not. Any info would be appreciated.
thanks!