Article on Longevity in Dogs:
http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/features/dogs-and-life-span-which-breeds-live-longest
Life Spans for Popular AKC Dog Breeds, per World Atlas of Dog Breeds:
Labrador retriever — 10 to 14 years
Yorkshire terrier — 12 to 15 years
German Shepherd — 10 to 14 years
Golden retriever — 10 to 12 years
Beagles — 12 to 14 years
Boxers — 11 to 14 years
Dachshunds — 12 to 14 years
Bulldogs — 10 to 12 years
Poodles — 10 to 15 years
Shih Tzu — 11 to 15 years
Miniature Schnauzers — 15 years or more
Chihuahuas — 15 years or more
Pomeranians — 13 to 15 years
Rottweilers — 10 to 12 years
Pugs — 12 to 15 years
German shorthaired pointers — 12 to 15 years
Boston terriers — about 15 years
Doberman Pinschers — 10 to 12 years
Shetland Sheepdogs — 12 to 14 years
Maltese — 15 years or more
Since I have small dogs that cannot handle higher fat Raw meat right now I have started out with feeding Raw in the morning and kibble in the evening. Here is what I feed now
My dogs are 6,6,8,10 lbs. My shihtzu is the only one that requires more food because her metabolism is quite a bit faster than the other 3 Chihuahuas. So she 6lbs and could stand to gain a pound so she gets 1/2 cup of Raw Rabbit with bone and organs in the morning and in the evening we feed Brothers Turkey and Egg and she gets 1/4 cup a day of that and sometimes more if she acts still hungry. The others get 4oz of Raw Rabbit with bone and organs in the morning and 1/8 cup of kibble in the evening. We are going to slowly build up to higher Raw fats but for now we will be on Raw Rabbit for a month and then try young beef and then maybe Raw Turkey. Should I still add a Tsp of Raw sardines with the Raw meal once or twice a week since they are still on kibble too? So far this is working out but I am not holding my breath since its only been three days back on Raw but I hope it works out.
Please feel free to let me know if I need to change something I thought about adding green beef tripe too.
PS I am still giving Mercola probiotics and Enzymes and glucosamine tabs and spirugreen.
Hi Everyone,
I just want to start off by saying that I am so relieved that I found this forum.
I have a 7 year old male maltese/toy poodle mix (20 lbs) and a 1 year old male shih tzu/yorkie mix (11 lbs). They both are currently eating Natural Balance Venison and Sweet Potato. My 7 year old has always been an itchy dog and cannot tolerate poultry so he’s been on this food for awhile. They both are doing well on the food and have nice, firm stools. No complaints.
However, I’m having a personal problem with Natural Balance still being manufactured by Diamond. Thankfully, we haven’t had any issues with the food, but it’s really bothering me.
I have been on this website daily trying to figure out which food to switch them to. I’ve looked at Fromm, Canine Caviar, Regal, Wellness, Nature’s Variety etc. However, their vet wants them to stay on a food that has protein in the low 20s, which is making my search even harder. The top foods are all very high in protein. They are moderately active and my older boy puts weight on very easily.
I was all ready to switch to Canine Caviar Wilderness Grain Free, but then read on their website that that food is perfect for large and giant breed puppies.
Could someone please help me narrow down food choices? I am getting more and more confused by the day. I know I need to do better for my boys.
Thank you so much!
All the Raw is spoken for locally. My crew is being switched back to Brothers Allergy since they have went back to the original ingredients. Hopefully we will not have any more issues. My shihtzu seems to be doing much better and my one chihuahua is also doing better and both finally had firm stools. Sometimes things do not workout and I am just grateful that my girls are recovering. Thanks for all of those concerned 🙂
Just picked up my shihtzu from the vet and she not only has Pancreatitis but also Salmonella poisoning. And now one of my other Chihuahuas has runny poop with blood in it so I will bet shes got Salmonella poisoning too. We have a whole freezer full of Raw and it looks like its all going to go to waste because I am not feeding it anymore. This is horrible that my sweet girls have to go through this. 🙁
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This reply was modified 12 years, 7 months ago by
NectarMom.
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This reply was modified 12 years, 7 months ago by NectarMom.
Thank you Weimlove. Pancreatitis is brought on by high fatty diet. We maybe switching just our shihtzu back to kibble due to she was only given 1 teaspoon of raw when we got back home and I ended up rushing her back up there, she blew out basically nothing but watery diahrrea and was trying to throw up the teaspoon that I fed her so it is not looking good for Raw for her in which I really hate it. Shes going back in tomorrow for more test and I guess they enjoy trying to see how many times they can stick her to get blood 🙁 Poor baby, Vet said once again no food for 24hrs….shes going to starve to death and I feel so bad while everyone else is eating and shes sitting there licking in the air……….. 🙁
Weimlove, how is your baby today?
Don’t beat yourself up Weimlove, you could not have known this would happen and it can happen feeding dogs anything these days. My husband is giving me grief over 2 of ours getting Pancreatitis from feeding Raw and now I am scared to death that if I get my shihtzu cleared up that giving them it again will be even worse and my husband isn’t helping matters. I hope your baby will be ok, did they run a test for Pancreatitis on your baby? Its so very painful watching your babies hurt 🙁
Alright just a few questions because I am noticing things since my dogs have been on just Darwin’s meals and nothing else. They still have acid reflux and they are eating grass again like when they were on kibble? I give them Nyla bones to chew on and when they were on kibble they rarely chewed on them and now since being on all Raw Darwin’s meals they are tearing into the nyla bones. What in the world are they lacking? My shihtzu also threw up her morning meal of Darwin’s and then a couple of hours later I offered her more and she ate it without throwing any up. This is the first time she has done that in 5 weeks so seriously I am stumped on it and wondering why she is walking around now like she does not feel good and keeps sniffing her own behind? They all 4 are licking their feet like crazy once again and eyes are tearing really bad so I am wondering if this is still a detox that they are going through after being on Darwin’s for 7 weeks now? My one chihuahua has made her webs inbetween her feet raw and red from licking so much. What in the world??
My shih tzu Leo goes through this every late summer into fall, and I have yet figure out why. My vet suspects seasonal allergies affecting his internal systems. Hes been thyroid tested had all kinds of bloodwork done etc. When this happens I have to give him a acid reducer half a pill in AM and half at night before bed. She also prescribes Metroclopramide it helps slow down the emptying of the stomach. Has he had and allergy testing done skin scratch testing done ? When my guy starts vomiting he can only keep down Wellness chicken or turkey and sweet potato canned food other brands make him throw up. He can only eat kibble that is super small. Is the food whole when he vomits ? Is it immedietly after eating maybe Mega Esophogus ? I’m sure they would of found that out by now, poor guy he sounds miserable. I know what its like to clean up vomit everyday its awful. I know the allergy thing is way out there but you never know. Good luck hope you find answers soon
I am looking to add more moisture to my dogs diet he’s been eating Natures Variety Prarie Dry he does not do well on grain free foods. I want to add canned to his diet or a premade raw for variety and a little more protein without all the extra fat. I cannot decipher these canned labels ( I try but am not very successful) I would like to have something in the mid-fat range hes a shih tzu and gains weight very easily. The canned food reviews Ive been looking at are 20% and higher do I need to worry about the fat levels if it is not his main diet ? Even the 4 star foods are really high in fat. Am I missing something, I would feed him canned all the time if I could figure out how not to turn him into a blimp in doing so I know canned/raw is a healthier option for him. Any advice to alleviate my confusion would be helpful Thanks
HDM, I did indeed watch your videos and that is what made me want to get my dogs some Raw Dental Chews of some sort. I lost my last shihtzu to cancer and I am quite sure it was from something in kibble. Her parents were show dogs and lived to be 15 and 17yrs, she passed away at only 10yrs old but we battled the cancer until we finally had to let go. If I can help these I have now live longer by feeding them at least the best that I can then I will do whatever it takes. These 4 girls are my children.
Has anyone heard of or bought from http://www.moesmeats.com/shop_meat/, they have bulk chicken feet and I was just wondering if those are safe for small dogs that inhale the raw meals and chews? If you have not heard of them can you recommend a safe place to buy chicken feet? I want to test my shihtzu with something in raw chicken to see if she would be allergic to it like chicken in kibble.
I am avoiding chicken because I know whenever my shihtzu eats it she starts chewing on her side really bad. I am venturing out on a limb here and trying other types of protein in hopes that I can rotate between proteins. Next I think in the Darwin’s meals I will try duck but slowly mix it with the turkey and see what happens. I might give Trachea a try since it has no bones.
We so need an edit on here LOL!
Thanks Patty , That gives me an idea of how much to feed. darwin’s wasn’t sure because like you said each dog i different. The good news is we have decided after our next batch arrives we are going all Raw with all 4 of our girls. JRT are a bit more active than chihuahuas and shihtzu’s so I think 1/4 twice a day will be fine. My husband sees the difference in our two problem girls and he agrees lets go all Raw but he says no way are we feeding chicken bones or any Raw whole bones because one of our chihuahuas inhales her food and she has almost choked before on pig ears (we fed those a long long time ago and read up how bad they are and stopped. He does not want any of the dogs choking and dying from eating a chicken neck or wing (rolls eyes) but at least he has agreed to all Raw. My freezer will be here tomorrow and just in time for me to fill it with my new 20 lbs of Darwin’s .
Question, has anyone tried mercolas gentle chews? Are they safe for dogs with allergies?
Patty how do I know if I am feeding my dogs enough Darwin’s at each meal? I don’t want the ones that I have worked so hard to get the weight off of gain it back. I have 3 chihuahuas and a Imperial Shihtzu, none weighing over 11lbs. Right now in the morning I am feeding 1/4 of one of the squares of Darwins in the morning with enzymes on it. Then I divide up they’re evening dinner of kibble and can topper. They get 1/2 at 2pm and the other half at 6pm with probiotics mixed in. They are never excited with the kibble and can topper but they eat it. I think they are wanting all Raw but I want to make sure they are getting the amount they require to maintain weight and not loose or gain. I am confused on the eating amount. I just called Darwin’s today and went ahead and told them to send my next order because these foo foo dogs of mine are loving this food so much. I cannot get over the acid reflux is very minimal right now and my girls seem much more active than they have in a very long time. WOW
I was at the store today picking up some can pumpkin and I was telling the Nutritionist there that my dogs were on partial raw and the reason I was asking him is because my vet claimed that I was so worried about salmonella poison from kibble and now here I am feeding RAW…He didn’t get it. Now the nutritionalist there at the store said that the raw they carry has been prepared against salmonella? Does Darwins also do this? I have found that my shihtzu has been puking in the futon where I couldn’t see it so I called Darwin’s and they are suppose to call me back tomorrow with some suggestions.
Marie, everything seems to be falling into place. It is nice not to have to hand feed every little piece to my Shihtzu to make her eat she eats right out of the bowl and the only problem I am having is keeping each one out of each others bowl LOL. But I think thats a good thing. For now I think we will stay half Brothers Allergy and Half Darwin’s since we have seen improvement with both. And of course I will continue giving Mercola enzymes and Probiotics. Yesterday all stools were firm and no issues so I am real hopeful. Thank you for asking Marie 🙂
Yes we are on turkey. I think in my situation it is best that I do not over load my dogs with raw meat on a bone due to they are so sensitive to change in anything in a diet. I am currently having issues with my shihtzu after day 2 on just mixing a half a teaspoon of Darwin’s turkey. Shes eating and no temp but shes very sluggish which is surprising due to my one with intestinal issues is fine and my shihtzu is following me around like there is no tomorrow and shes never like that. My shihtzu’s stool was a bit soft but not runny but I don’t like the way she is acting and nothing else has changed in her environment but the Darwin’s. I do things slow with them since they have had alot of issues with diet change. I am super parinoid of introducing any type of Raw with my dogs so I am taking baby steps to do this transition if it even works. Thank you both for your wealth of info and just to let you know it has been taken in and I really appreciate the advice.
Thank you Patty I will try that this morning. HDM , I have seen the dog grass sprouts. I sprout beans all the time for my parrot. I will see if I can find the website again where I bought the bird sprouts. I believe it was called The Sprout People. I just cannot get over how well my Shihtzu is eating her food out of her bowl every time and seriously I have never seen her so excited about eating..ever!
Can you recommend which raw bones I should start out with that are safe and small enough for tiny dogs?
Patty I will try the partial defrost Thank you both so much , Jennifer
I got my Darwin’s Turkey order Wed and it was packed so well and still very frozen so I put all of it (which was ALOT) into the freezer and kept one pack out for in a couple of days ( Today). Darwin’s called me the day the shipment came in and walked me through how to make a hopefully smooth transition start. I can honestly say I was very very nervious about starting a raw diet for my dogs since I hate meat with a passion ( I do not eat it)
Day one: Per advice from Darwin’s – Feed my usual mix and add in just half a teaspoon with each dogs meal of Darwin’s and mix in enzymes ( Mercola Brand) Now I have a VERY picky Shihtzu that will only eat out of my hand her kibble and can food but not this morning, she was trying to eat everyone elses and when I put her bowl down ( shes always last eating because shes so picky) Everyone else would eat her food before she got a chance but not this morning she actually ate all of her mixture right out of the bowl…OMG …I have not ever seen her do that in 2 1/2yrs she was born.
My short coat Chihuahua ( GiGi) smelled the Darwin’s in the bo as soon as I brought it in and put it on the floor. She was litterally climbing the walls wanting what was in that box ( Frozen Darwin’s LOL! I truely believe she would have eaten it frozen she wanted it that bad..hehe!
Now this is just the first day on it and the first feeding so I am hoping we do not have issues and I guess my only concern is the sweet potato since we are on a potato free diet. Time will tell if it agrees with GiGi since she is the one with intestinal allergies to what we do not know yet but for sure she is allergic to insect bites but that is not food related. Keep your fingers crossed for us. This is going to be a very slow process and we hope to make this work for our girls. I love the extra container they send to keep the raw in but I just for right now wish the porportions were a bit smaller since I am sure within 48 hrs I will be throwing some away.
Hi shihtzumom –
If your dog was passing undigested veg – the veg wasn’t processed properly. Veg needs to be cooked and pureed before adding to the food. I wouldn’t advise feeding a diet without veg as it provides trace nutrients, antioxidants and fiber. You could feed the all meat variety amd prepare your own veg or use baby food (there are many “pouch” baby foods available that contain only fruit and veg). My dogs get fresh cooked and pureed veg at breakfast every day – broccoli, spinach, carrots, squash, parsley, etc. I used to add fruit occasionally, but now I just give them each a capsule of a freeze-dried fruit concentrate daily – it’s the antioxidant equivalent of a serving of fruit without the carbs and sugars.
ShihtzuMom, so glad things are going well with the raw! I’ve had that happen with a couple raws (the veggie part). I’m switching to Hare Today grinds, which had no veggies so I won’t be seeing that anymore!
I am curious also because I am thinking of ordering some of the raw Turkey. How long did the mucousy stools last? How many Pattys should I start out with when I get it? I have small dogs. 3 Chihuahuas and a Shihtzu. The Shihtzu weighing the least, 4lbs.
Well I could only find Wellness Turkey 95% so I bought 2 cans. I only mixed up just a tiny bit to coat the regular Brothers Allergy formula and I have not seen my dogs eat like that in 6 months. Seriously my very very picky Shihtzu that will just about starve herself wanted more than what she was suppose to get. She is only 4lbs but shes probably a lb under weight IMO but my vet thinks shes a perfect weight. I just hope we don’t have no runny stools. I even added mercola probiotics in with it. I am shocked at how it made me feel seeing them beg for more, it made me feel like I have been starving them 🙁
I may try Darwins next but it is just so expensive. I tried raw instinct before ( The medalions and all 4 threw it up so I am hesitant to ship some in and have the same thing happen. HDM , The only concern I have with Brothers Allergy is that if there is indeed a detox period and I have been on this since Sept and my one with intestinal allergies has not shown any signs of problems except the last couple of weeks she has been chewing on her ankles and now there is a bald spot where he has never done this before even before switching to Brothers Allergy. All 4 have been shedding more than normal too and that started right after the switch but I assumed it was a part of the detox but I don’t know. My one chubby Chihuahua was 17.5lbs before starting Brothers and now she is 11lbs ( shes big boned) So I think her normal weight should be approx 10 lbs. We will see how the Wellness can turkey goes even though I am not a fan of Wellness.
I read an article on here that it was good to rotate your dog’s food for various reasons. So that’s what I did. I changed my Shih Tzu puppy’s food after every bag (about 3 weeks) and recently she’s started to become a VERY picky eater. She used to like Blue Buffalo but when I tried to switch her back to it, she wouldn’t eat it. So I started adding various things to it, like bits of cheese or peanut butter, and that’s the only way she would eat it.
Today I bought Wellness, a brand she’s never tried before, and she wouldn’t eat it either.
Am I rotating foods too often, causing her to be a picky eater? I assume adding things to her food is definitely making her picky, so I won’t be doing that again.
But what about rotation? I’ve read on another website that rotating foods is pointless and that you should just stick to one food.
I’m confused. Should I stick to one food from now on, and should I just not rotate as often?
Advice would be cool. Thanks.
The associate was very wrong, puppies espcially need a good amount of protein and fat they are both essential to a growing puppy. Both are good foods the Core I thought was an all life stage food and the kibble is quite large for a small puppy if he’s a gulper like mine is. My shih tzu Leo would swallow them whole and throw it up a half hour later gross. Earthborn holistics, Blue Buffalo wilderness Innova prime, Natures Variety Instinct are also all good products. When you transition him over to a different food do it slowly because some of the grain free foods are also high in fat and can cause loose stool. I never feed my dogs anything with protein under 28 to 30 % if I can help it. I also will give them Natures Variety Instinct canned at least once a day mixed in the kibble to boost the protein levels. Have fun with puppy good luck
AnonymousInactive
You didn’t say what food & treats you were feeding. So many health problems are food/treat related.
My Shih Tzu had pancreatitis at 12 yrs. Plus terrible allergies with both my dogs & getting steroids. I started studying dog nutrition. I decided to try Blue Buffalo as this was the only company to write back out of 3 others I contacted.
Within 3 weeks all allergy related problems started going away. in 2 mo. the pancreatitis was GONE and she has never had another bout. She is now 15 1/2 and the boss of the house. no steroid shots or pills for over 3 yrs.
Hound Dog Mom is very knowledgeable so you might also ask her.
Hi Shihtzumom20 –
I just checked out Big Country Raw’s website – I’m jealous that you can get this food, the price is great! $2.50/lb. for pre-mixed food is very reasonable. I’m not too far from some of the retailers (I’m on the Canadian border) unfortunately I think a law was passed recently making it illegal to transport pet food across the border.
I can’t find a statement of nutritional adequacy on the website and it does appear there are a few things missing that you will need to supplement to make the food balanced. First of all, yes you will want to add omega 3’s as there aren’t any added to the food. Follow the dosage chart I posted previously. Second, after reading the ingredients for each of their foods I can tell you that there are inadequate levels of vitamin e and vitamin d. Vitamin e is difficult to supply in adequate quantities through food alone and therefore should be supplemented. It will be especially critical that you supplement with vitamin e once you start adding omega 3’s as consumption of omega 3’s increases the the fat soluble antioxidant requirement. As a general rule supplement about 50 I.U. vitamin e per 20 lbs. If you get capsules with a high dosage (most come in 200 IU or 400 IU) you can just give one whole capsule 2-3 times per week. For the vitamin d, there is some vitamin d in beef liver (about 50 IU per 4 oz.), but not all of the formulas contain beef liver and even for the formulas that do, I doubt that there is enough to fulfill vitamin d requirements. Vitamin d can be added in supplement form or (more preferably) in whole food form. Some foods that are rich in vitamin d: cod liver oil (~400 IU per tsp.), cage free eggs (~30-50 IU per egg), Kefir (~100 IU per cup), oily fish (amount of vitamin d present varies on the type of fish but sardines, mackerel and salmon are generally considered good sources), some varieties of plain yogurt and cottage cheese are supplemented with vitamin d (check the label). Your dog should be getting about 200 IU vitamin D per pound of food consumed. Also, rotate between all their protein sources – don’t rely on one – this will provide him with the greatest balance. You may also want to consider adding another whole food supplement, I see kelp is is added to a few of the varieties. Kelp is great and supplies a lot of trace nutrients but the more variety the better, especially when a dog is deriving all of their nutrition from whole foods and not relying on synthetically added vitamins and minerals. My dogs get kelp and they also get things like spirulina, alfalfa, wheat grass, bee pollen, chlorella, etc. I switch up their supplements frequently. It says they offer a vitamin/mineral supplement but it doesn’t list the ingredients, you could check that out.
Yes, RMB’s are a wonderful source of glucosamine and chondroitin. Because he’s young and he’s a small breed not prone to joint issues, RMB’s should provide all the joint support he needs for now. I wouldn’t worry about a joint supplement until he’s a senior.
Hi Shihtzumim20 –
Krill oil is great because it’s low in contaminants and contains a very potent naturally occuring antioxidant called astaxanthin. If the food already has added omega 3’s (fish oil) use the krill oil sparingly because, yes, you can give your dog too much of a good thing. Here’s a dosage chart for fish/krill oil:
-250 mg. daily for toy breeds and cats (1 – 14 lbs.)
-500 mg. daily for small dogs (15 – 29 lbs.)
-1,000 mg. daily for medium dogs (30 – 49 lbs.)
-1,500 mg. daily for large dogs (50 – 79 lbs.)
-2,000 mg. daily for dogs 80+ lbs.
When your dog is on a raw diet that includes bones and cartilage there won’t be as much of a need for a joint supplement because bones/cartilage are full of naturally occurring glucosamine and chondroitin. If you have a senior dog or a dog with an orthopedic problem, however, a supplement may still be necessary. After heavy activity my senior gets a few capsules of Wysong’s Arthegic (my favorite joint supplement). It’s marketed as a human supplement but great for dogs too. Wysong even includes a dosage chart for dogs on their website. It contains boswellia, sea cucumber, turmeric, ginger, devil’s claw, yucca, red pepper and cetyl myristoleate.
I personally vaccinate my dogs as puppies (parvo/distemper at 8 weeks, 11 weeks, 14 weeks and a rabies at 16 weeks) and then I vaccinate 1 year after their last puppy booster. I don’t vaccinate again other than rabies every 3 years to comply with law. This is something you need to research yourself and decide what you are comfortable doing with your dog. Some people vaccinate every year, some every 3 years, some like I do, some only do puppy shots and others don’t vaccinate at all. Check out healthypets.mercola.com- Dr. Becker has some great information and videos on vaccinating.
Hi kyle6286,
It literally could be many things other than a UTI. The urinalysis should help to diagnose a UTI. A blood test is always a good idea to see the red blood cells, platelets, white blood cells, kidney and liver values, etc. When your Vet examined your Shih Tzu they should have checked his prostate and examined the genitals and belly for any signs of trauma such as bruising, purple or dark colored patches or spots, scratches, etc. Familial history is also important as blood in the urine can run in your dog’s family.
I hope it is nothing, you and your pooches will be in my thoughts.
James
I really want to go grain free with my 9yr old shih tzu Leo but I am having a problem finding a “middle” of the road type food I did try Wellness core reg he immedietly gained a pound even though he was only eating a 1/4 cup twice a day so I switched to the low fat. It was too low in fat even with supplemental canned food his skin got itchy and started thinning out the kibble was just too large he was throwing it up. He would throw up California Natural too, anything that has a larger kibble size it a no go. I switched to Natures Variety Prarie Chicken and brown rice and his weight has been stable for a long time now and he looks great. So it seems like anything over 16% fat is bad and anything aroung or under 10% is bad NV Instinct is 22% which is too high. I do worry about long term health risks of using a grain based kibble, I do have him on coconut oil supplement for his skin and coat, cant do fish oil it soaks into his beard and you cant get near him he stinks like dead fish LOL Maybe I should just switch him over to canned but its so expensive. Any ideas on a good kibble low carb good protein middle of the road fat would be helpful. Ive been looking at all the reviews but my mind is reeling, too many choices and what about Dehydrated UGH I dont know.
I am ever so glad my dogs eat anything in their bowls. One of mine gets cranberry, in pill form. She just eats it in her food.
We’re currently feeding our two shih tzus Acana Grasslands topped with Merrick canned. We’ve been mixing water into their bowls for the last two weeks to help them get some extra water.
Also, having water around constantly isn’t an issue, since they’re both only 15 and 23 lbs. We make sure they both always have access to fresh, cold water.
I read online about cranberry extract and how it can be beneficial for a dog’s urinary system. We picked some up and we’ve been adding it to his food. He doesn’t seem to like it, so we have to figure out a way to mask it.
Thanks for the help
Prince Poodle had 2 UTI’s a couple years ago. Since I switched him to all wet/moist food (4 or 5 star rated only) and some homemade food (recipes from Feed Your Best Friend Better by Rick Woodford) and bought him a circulating pet fountain, the UTI’s have not returned. Definitely try that out. I just had him blood tested again (they tested him for diabetes after the 2nd UTI) and his blood tests has improved quite a bit.
There is one type of rare bladder stone that does not appear on x-rays. When I took Prince in for his 1st UTI, my vet told me he had only removed 2 such stones in his whole career. And he has them in a baggy and showed them to me. 😛 I’m assuming your vet is aware of that and is investigating it.
Solid Gold brand also makes a product called Berry Balance, for urinary health. Don’t use it at the same time as prescription dog food (I’d avoid most RX dog food if you can help it).
Hi Shihtzumom –
Being nervous about balancing your own homemade raw is understandable – I wasn’t comfortable doing it when I first started feeding raw. Once you get the hang of it, however, it’s really very simple. A pre-mix would be your best option if you’re nervous about preparing it yourself. If you start using a pre-mix you can even experiment by preparing some from scratch recipes for a few meals a week until you become comfortable enough to do it all the time. Home preparing is really the only way to get the best quality, nothing pre-made is going to be the same quality as something you make yourself with fresh, high quality ingredients (you do need to prepare it correctly though!). When going with a pre-mix any meat you can buy at the grocery store will be MUCH better quality than anything in a pet food. The best meat would be grass fed/cage free and free of hormones/antibiotics/steroids (this is usually noted on the packaging but ask the butcher if you’re not sure). Even if you go with conventionally raised meats that aren’t grass fed/cage free or free of hormones/antiobiotics/steroids – it will still be higher quality than any kibble or canned food. Most grocery stores sell liver (all that’s required for Urban Wolf). I order harder to get organs (lungs, kidneys, pancreas, etc.) from hare today and my pet carnivore but these organs aren’t necessary for a pre-mix. I generally use 90% lean (sometimes 85%) – you don’t want to use the super lean stuff because dogs need some fat but you don’t want to use super fatty meat either or your dog might not get enough protein. When using poultry I’d avoid breast meat and go with dark meat (it’s more nutritious and has a better fat to protein ratio) – gizzards and heart are great too if you can get them both count as a muscle meat (not organ meat!) and they’re generally much cheaper than ground meat. I’d also recommend adding a little fish oil to a meal prepared with a premix even if it doesn’t specifically say to do so on the package.
I’ve dealt with many a UTI in dogs. I can tell you if its something that continues, to make sure the dog gets enough liquid: canned or dehydrated food mixed with kibble (if he eats kibble) and/or warm water added
Hello,
Our two and a half year old shih tzu started showing blood in his urine last night. My wife and I noticed this last night because there’s snow on the ground, so we immediately realized it when the snow was a little red. It’s not a lot of blood. Instead, he urinates fine for the most part, and then when he goes to squirt out the last few drops, it’s blood. We looked online and the most common cause of this is a UTI. We brought him to a vet today to be safe and she ran a urine analysis. Initially, the test came back negative for a UTI, but she was sending it out-of-house to get results. Not sure if they analyze the urine differently at a lab. Since our little guy isn’t showing any signs of pain, she said she wouldn’t worry about it. We had the option to wait until Wednesday for the lab results to come back and then go from there, but we were nervous so we had the x-ray done today. The x-ray came back fine, with no stones or anything, but she said the urine analysis could come back with a minor UTI or small bladder crystals which can turn into stones. If either of those happen, we will treat him accordingly. Our biggest concern about this is cancer. As I mentioned earlier, he’s less than three years old, and we’re terrified that something could be wrong. We’re nervous wrecks today, and we’re willing to do anything to make sure he is ok. Has anyone had any experience with this before? We appreciate your help.
Kyle
Hi again guys,
I know you are probably very sick of me by now, and I completely understand, but I am hoping you can help me out one last time. (my disqus was just shihtzumom, sorry for the confusion) I have been looking at all the commercial raw diets, mostly the ones I like are Carnivora and K9 Naturals(any thoughts?). I really do like these and am hoping my local pet store can order them in, as other stores that are further away carry them. I am definitely not impressed with NV and would like to stay away from their foods.
But I have been looking at pre-mixes. I am worried that Dawson is not getting quality ingredients with NV. Where do you get meat from? I mean I could just go to the grocery store and pick up some meat, but is that good meat? Like it won’t necessarily be antibiotic or hormone free and grass fed. Do you buy lean meats? Where do you find the organs needed for the urban wolf pre-mix?
And with home-made I was looking at the transitioning to raw thread and it had some great information! But I find it confusing when trying to translate the amounts for a 13 pound shih tzu! The menu Hound Dog Mom posted sounded fairly straight forward, but I still worry I would somehow mess up the balancing. I really do want the best for Dawson, but am just so confused. I don’t want any carcinogenics in his food or other questionable ingredients, basically I am wondering what you think about the two commercially made, and then where you find good quality meats. I am very worried over what I am feeding him and want him to live the longest, healthiest life possible. Thanks for all your information!
I just got home with 6 cans of assorted 5 star foods. I will try that route again. The only reason I switched to the chicken was because they would turn their noses at the dog food and I would end up throwing some away. At nearly 4 dollars a pound (12 oz cans @ $3 each) and chicken at 99 cents I thought I’d try it. If there is some simple additive and other grocery store items like eggs hamburger, ground turkey, I would cook them stuff but I am not going to get as elaborate as some of you folks with a dozen items.
My dogs are a Maltese and a half poodle half shih tzu mix. The Maltese weighs about 10 pounds and is the finicky eater. Some times he won’t eat for a couple days. But since i started the chicken he eats every day and has gained a couple pounds for sure. The poodle /shih tzu mix is not nearly as finicky an eater, he weighs about 19-20 pounds. Both dogs are over 10 years old. I bought a senior dog vitamin today too. The poodle mix gobbled his down but the Maltese didn’t. So I may look for a liquid version I can squirt down his throat.
Thanks gals! I wrote them all down to run by hubby. Karmella was my hubby’s rescued pygmy goat that recently passed, and Rose we inherited when her owner died-she herself passed this year due to an embolism-she was 16yrs old. Lacey was our 17 yr old schnauzer who passed last year due to heart problems. Love all the other suggestions!
Valerie-Thanks and a big Thank you to you as well. While my heart goes out to the seniors, we have had other pups recently. The shihtzu in my icon has a heart condition that requires a visit to the cardiologist every 3mths and she is just 22 mths old. I figure we have a few younger ones that will still play with and enjoy a puppy(not the old cranky ones, lol) so its now or never since I can’t see me raising two pups at once again!
I give enzymes on their food in the morning 1/8 cup of food and in the evening I give probiotics on their food 1/8 cup of food. Each one comes with a tiny scoop and I give 1/2 scoop of each on the food every day because their food already has some of each in it. It is working well for all 4 of my girls. I have 3 chihuahuas and an imperial shihtzu so small dogs. I even bought myself probiotics and enzymes from Mercola ….great products!
I feed Brothers Allergy to 3 out of my 4 dogs. The only one of my dogs that can eat the White meat formula from Brothers always does fine on most anything except shes still scratching like mad on her sides but it could be environmental also because even my other 3 on the Allergy formula are scratching and right now my skin is really dry. We have been on this brand for 6 weeks , maybe a bit longer and I am giving extra Enzymes and Probiotics to all 4 every feeding and they all had horrible gas before and now none of them have gas but all 4 have acid reflux and they never had that before. My one with intestinal allergies sometimes will walk through the house and spit up watered down kibble. I limit how much they get each feeding. I feed 1/8 cup morning and 1/8 cup evening. I have 3 Chihuahuas and 1 Imperial Shihtzu. It is like pulling teeth to get them to eat the Allergy formula but they have to like it and thats all they get because my one hadn’t had any bloating and discomfort in quite a while since switching to Brothers Allergy formula but she cannot eat the white meat recipe nor any of the biscuits from Brothers. Intestinal allergies are very painful for a dog and I can tell almost immediately when something does not sit well with her. All 4 of my dogs ate the Original Allergy formula much better than since they added the Menhaden fish to it now. I wonder if they ever plan to switch back at all. I don’t mean to be a downer about this food but when 4 dogs do not want to eat it unless they are just so hungry then it must taste pretty bad.
If you cut back on the amount of food fed at each meal does she still have the vomitting? My 7 pound Shih Tzu mix would be OBESE on 1/2 cup of food per day. However I know a dogs metabolism, and therefore amounts needed, can be very different. One half cup may be the right amount for your girl.. If it is not the amount being fed I’d have her checked for thyroid or other issues that cause weight gain.
As far as Wellness Reduced Fat, I think it’s a good food. The only thing that would be better is one higher in protein still with moderate amounts of fat. If you’re feeding higher calorie or carb heavy treats it might be worth trying small pieces of boiled chicken too.
