[Patricia A]

Just looked at Zignature dry but not crazy about all the ingredients advisor highlights in red being controversial.
Trout, salmon meal, peas, chickpeas, pea flour, dehydrated alfalfa meal, natural flavors, salmon oil, flaxseed, sunflower oil (preserved with citric acid), dried beet pulp, calcium carbonate, potassium chloride, salt, minerals (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, cobalt proteinate), choline chloride, dicalcium phosphate, vitamins (vitamin A acetate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, niacin, d-calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement), blueberries, carrots, cranberries, lactic acid, calcium iodate, sodium selenite, preserved with mixed tocopherols

[2doodlemom]

Hi:
I just too my 22 month old doodle to be spayed, and after doing a physical, they said he was too underweight and weak to have sugery. He is 32 lbs and his ribs and other bones do show. He has never been a good eater, eats very little. He did vomit and have diarrhea quite a bit when he was 6 months and will did some testing, but nothing was wrong. Currently he eats Farmina Puppy food with lamb, has a fortiflora probiotic every morning and I also supplement with cooked chicken. But may issue is not interested in food and doesn’t want to eat. Other then having vomiting and diarrhea every 5-7 days for 1 day, he seems to be fine.
Any suggestions on what to do at the Vet for further checking and how to get him to eat more or eat better? Thsnks.

[anonymous]

I hope this helps at least one pet owner from having to visit the emergency vet (please find a vet that you trust):
“Instead of wasting time and money on supplements, over the counter meds and creams that should never be used unless a veterinarian that has examined the dog recommends, by the way, many of these supplements, ointments, over the counter medications (not intended for veterinary use unless prescribed as off label by a veterinarian that has examined the dog) and homeopathic remedies are not only ineffective but they also are not benign and can have side effects and interaction with prescription meds”.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 3 months ago by anonymous.

[Amelia Z]

Thanks for the good wishes on Kodi. Yes we are pretty happy. OMG, let me get this straight. Were you talking to your vet or someone in the office? Horrible!!! Did you ask for the office manager or to speak with you vet about this? I hope you can get an appt at the university. I don’t think you would need a referral. I went to both of the cardiologists without a referral. I’m not sure what area you live it. But check out this link. In the lower right side of the page, enter the specialist and your area. Maybe you can find someone else. http://www.acvim.org/
I wonder if there is anyway we can email me directly instead of putting everything on this forum. But I wouldn’t want to put my email address here and I am sure you wouldn’t either. Maybe if we emailed to moderator to find out.
I am so upset over these people. Unbelievable! You are worse than me with the food. I think I weaned them over a period of 2 weeks. I tried the chicken first (of course, I thought I bought beef, but I didn’t). Anyway, at the beginning I was rushing it since I was so anxious to get them off the old food. One was vomiting and the other diarrhea. So that wasn’t good. Then I realize OMG, I bought the chicken. Anyway, after they were on the beef and doing good. I tried the chicken again and soft poops again. So forget the chicken. I have the turkey and soft as well. But I will try that again but slower this time. Yeah, the food is expensive but there’s no junk in it. My younger one has lost some weight on it, which is wierd because it is over 600 calories a cup and their old food was 400. But I guess since this food is low carbs. I do add organic blueberries, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, carrots (alternate each meal) supplements, taurine, L-carnitine, etc. It’s a half hour job just to feed them. But as you know, they are worth it. Anyway, please let me know how you make out.

[susan k]

Hi crazy4cats, thanks for your reply. I’m interested in Wellness Core Original kibble. My dog was taurine tested (I posted his excellent test results here). Potatoes and peas are on the ingredients list, but Koby is in terrific health and he is happy and healthy on his Wellness Core kibble (which I supplement with no-salt deli turkey and people food (he gets a little of what I eat, as long as I know it’s safe for him — a bite or two of chicken or salmon, a bit of banana, an occasional lick of fat-free yogurt, things like that). He’s also a Cairn terrier, and they haven’t been on the predisposed list. I just want to keep on top of all of this and of course I want to know if any dogs on Wellness Core original formula are having problems.

[Terry K]

My dog had surgery 2 years ago for SILICA bladder stones to, it is very important to make sure they are getting a lot of water to help with the Specific Gravity and get the PH to 7
Water to be given is DISTILLED only and when you fee them put in atleast a cup of water and let it it for about 15-20 minuets to absorb just to make sure they are getting tht water intake. My dog loves to drink out of a hose so I bought a BIG DOG fountain and it encouraged him to drink more.
I feed NULO and we have had PERFECT check ups ever since. I feed NULO Sr. Trout but he also will get NULO Large dog chicken or Turkey. Make sure you do not feed any supplement that contains SILICON DIOXIDE- I feed COSEQUIN CAPSULS and pull them apart and sprinkle that on his food. Any chewable or soft chew will have silicon dioxide. This dog food save my dog because when they did not have results back I was feeding him chicken and rice which RICE was the worst thing- NO RICE
I HOPE THIS HELPS.

[Patricia A]

. I now only give kibble to my 16 year old who will only eat as a topper Holistic Health Extensions but it’s only says supplemental on the can. In between she and my other two get boiled chicken, salmon lean steak etc. So I have to give some kibble and has been getting Fromm for years. Switched to Fromm Grain Free Four Star years ago and rotated the proteins but mostly kept to Salmon A la Veg because of small kibble size. But because of FDA report went back to grain inclusive . Got samples of the small breed gold which she ate. After reading what you posted I’m glad my Pet Supply store was out of the gold. Ended up getting what i fed years ago being the grain inclusive Salmon A La VEg. My other two eats rotation of primal freeze dried proteins, Stella’s freeze dried and Bixbi Rawbbles. Wish my 16 year old would eat the raw so I wouldn’t worry so much about this stupid FDA report. At least I HOPE i’m doing the right thing by feeding the raw in these brands.

[Spy Car]

What I find funny is people who (falsely) accuse others of an irrational disdain for “by-products,” but who won’t feed fresh, wholesome, and inexpensive raw chicken feet as an excellent dietary source of glucosamine, and who instead turn to expensive supplements that make his or her dog sick.

Bill

[anonymous]

Recent response to a concerned poster https://www.facebook.com/zignaturepet/

Hi ******!
Zignature is aware of the studies and articles that have surfaced in the last few months regarding Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) Including the study released by the FDA. In these studies, it states that most of the cases of DCM come from recipes who are plant-based diets with peas, legumes and lentils as the main ingredients and low in Taurine. All Zignature recipes are meat based. The first ingredient in our recipes is always meat followed by a meat meal. We offer 65% meat vs 35% plant-based protein in all our recipes except Zssential. Zssential offers 70% meat vs 30% plant-based protein. Taurine is not an essential amino acid for dogs, which means that healthy dogs can synthesize it internally without requiring it as part of their diet. However, dogs that have certain medical conditions or are predisposed to taurine deficiency, may require taurine supplementation. Those dogs require a specialized diet that should be prescribed by a veterinarian. The highest amounts of taurine are typically found in dark meats and seafood. Based on our consumer feedback, we here at Zignature, decided to add a Taurine supplement to our recipes. There has been .2% Taurine added to every recipe. Our Bags will reflect the addition as you should start seeing Taurine stickers on our bags. We hope you found this information helpful. If you have any further questions, please let us know.

[anonymous]

The first thing I would do would be to take him to the vet for a checkup and discuss medication that’s prescribed for separation anxiety.
Especially because you have a large breed that could become aggressive and bite someone (fear aggressive).

Some of these medications take a week or two to start to be effective, at that time he may become calmer, less fearful therefore becoming more receptive to training and being around other dogs and people.

However, he may always be a bit shy, some of what you are observing may be his personality. Just like people, some dogs can be introverted.

From a previous post (use search engine to look up “anxiety”)
“Medications were invented for a reason, when used appropriately under the guidance of a veterinarian and in conjunction with desensitization and gentle training techniques. they can be very helpful in decreasing anxiety levels therefore making the dog receptive to learning and getting over fears”.

“They are also very reasonable, especially when compared to dog trainers and such.
Example, Clomicalm was prescribed for a dog I had years ago, she only needed to be on it a few months”
“Excellent results. The dog never appeared sedated, she was alert, no change in personality noted, except for being less fearful. Some medications take up to a week or two to show effect, discuss with your vet. There are other medications to choose from now. Your vet will help you evaluate if this is an option for your pet”.

‘Clomicalm is a tricyclic antidepressant (clomipramine) that’s used to treat separation anxiety in dogs as part of behavior modification plans. Clomicalm makes it easier for dogs to learn new, positive behaviors. By easing anxiety caused by separation, Clomicalm controls destructive behavior, vocalization, and other negative behaviors’.
(above copied from vet depot dot com)

PS: Don’t be fooled by supplements, flower drops, etc. They don’t work.

[anonymous]

Panting and pacing look like anxiety but can also be signs of pain and discomfort.
Regarding the dental, were dental x-rays done? Before? After?
Because root remnants can be left behind causing pain/inflammation/pain.

Something is wrong….. The effects of anesthesia do not last more than a day or two.

So, I would make a return trip to the vet that did the dental surgery and discuss. Request a follow-up visit and exam (some vets won’t charge).
If he still thinks it’s anxiety, ask about treatment options. Maybe prescription medication (short-term) would help? No need for the dog to suffer.

PS: If you are feeding raw or adding any supplements, please inform the vet. This will help him to diagnose.

[Amelia Z]

No problem, Linda. Although, I am giving him meat, I still plan on supplementing with taurine. Not sure if any food would give him enough, but apparently the supplementation is helping and that I am no longer feeding him food with legumes. Has your dog been echoed? What’s his taurine level? Auggie’s was 125. I am having his taurine tested again next week, since it is 4 months since the last test.
FYI….
https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2018/07/09/link-between-dog-food-taurine-deficiency-and-dcm.aspx

This is the kibble list:
https://www.earthbornholisticpetfood…k-meal-pumpkin
Also this one, but protein is high.
https://www.instinctpetfood.com/dogs…chicken-recipe
This one has limited grains and no legumes….
https://www.natureslogic.com/ingredi…ing-locations/
ALSO, First Mate https://firstmate.com/product/pacific-ocean-fish-meal-original-formula/& Sport Dog – https://sportdogfood.com/working-dog-grain-peas-free-turkey-formula/ (they were having manufacturing issues because of an increase in sales due this the legume free issue) so if you go with this better check with them about this.
Also, Famina ancestrial grains but they told me they are adding pea fiber to their new formula (are they crazy?), hopefully they will change their minds.

[Linda K]

Thank you, zcRiley. His cardiac ultrasound is scheduled for 9/14, and I should have the result immediately. I’ll let you know. I’ll be interested in how your dogs do on the Cardio-strength capsules. It seems like a great supplement, and I hope it reverses (if that’s possible) the heart murmur and at least holds cardiac enlargement at bay. More later.

[Linda K]

After months of off and on vomiting after meals and horrendous, malodorous, runny poop, Zignature dry food brought relief. He hasn’t vomited in almost five months, and his poop can be picked up easily and cleanly with ONE bag. Then came the “new” FDA alert about grain-free foods. Drat! I stewed and stewed and finally decided I needed to get a taurine level checked. I am so glad I did! The normal range is 60-120 at the lab we use, with 40 being considered “critical.” My dog’s was 16!!! So my vet told me to start him on 500 mgs of taurine once a day and get an ultrasound of his heart. If the ultrasound showed any kind of heart irregularity, we’d have to increase the taurine supplement to 100 mgs once a day. My vet doesn’t do cardiac ultrasounds, but a vet from a nearby university comes in and does them every two weeks. We started the taurine today, and it was purchased from The Vitamin Shoppe. It comes in capsule form, so the vet told me to break it open and spread it on his food, even though the directions clearly indicate it is best to give it between meals. The cardiac ultrasound is $500, and the taurine level test was $240. This is a long story to encourage anyone concerned to get the levels checked. I bought 600 500-mg capsules today for $35.29 with tax. It’s a sound investment, and one I’ll have to repeat somewhat regularly. Hopefully for many many years!

[Tyrionthebiscuit]

If it’s raw following 80/10/10 ratio, I don’t have a concern between a dog label or a cat label, personally. To me, I get worried when it’s cooked down, kibble labeled for a cat being fed to a dog. That’s more because of vitamin supplementation and I would worry about some being too high or too low in areas for a dog.

[anonymous]

I would take her for a vet checkup, she’s a senior, medical concerns should be ruled out first.
A veterinarian that has examined your dog, knows her history will diagnose and prescribe treatment as indicated and will discuss with you whether medication or supplements are advised or not.

Also, I would not free feed, offer meals twice a day at the same times, pick up and store in the fridg if not consumed within 15 minutes. Always have fresh water available, I add a little water to kibble as some dogs, especially seniors don’t drink enough.

Would she prefer to eat off of a flat mat? I had a dog that would not eat out of a food dish after she accidently flipped it and bumped her nose. It only happened once…..

[doginlaw]

Thank you! I’m glad your dog is feeling better on the wet food! I talked to the vet about possible allergies and I still want to get him tested for them eventually. The other thing the vet mentioned was that the last time he had blood work done, his thyroid levels were low but they couldn’t tell if that was due to hypothyroidism or something else. (He’s also had some difficulty losing weight, even with a reduced amount of the Nulo senior food, but again it’s hard to tell if that’s his thyroid or he just hasn’t been active as much because of his hip dysplasia.) They took some blood for a thyroid panel so we’re waiting to hear back about that. I have heard that hypothyroidism can cause skin issues in dogs as well.

I unfortunately didn’t get a chance to ask about the best time to give him the taurine supplement, but the vet did recommend 1000 mg twice a day and mentioned “adding taurine to his meals” so I’m guessing it’s OK to give with food. (As an aside, something I’ve learned working at Pet Valu is that they do test the nutrient levels in their private brand, Performatrin, and they add taurine to their dog food if it doesn’t already contain a certain amount. We’ve had a few customers come in worried about grain-free food and heart disease and that was the company’s answer, so I thought I’d share that too in case it’s useful to anyone.)

The other thing the vet recommended was keeping him on a fish-based food because of the omega-3s. He’s crazy about anything with fish, so hopefully no problem there. 🙂

[anonymous]

You’re welcome. The formula (Adult Classic) I suggested does not have peas or lentils.
Of course you always have to consider cross contamination.
We like it, plus, it is reasonable cost-wise.
The smallest bag is 15 pounds (at a little over $20, not a bad deal)

NGREDIENTS: Chicken, chicken meal, brown rice, pearled barley, oatmeal, white rice, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), menhaden fish meal, dried whole egg, beet pulp, cheese, flaxseed, brewers dried yeast, potassium chloride, salt, calcium sulfate, dl-methionine, l-tryptophan, taurine, chicory root extract, yucca schidigera extract, sodium selenite, sorbic acid (preservative), Vitamins [vitamin A acetate, Vitamin D3 supplement, Vitamin E supplement, Vitamin B12 supplement, choline bitartrate, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate, riboflavin supplement, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, biotin], Minerals [zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, magnesium sulfate, copper sulfate, cobalt carbonate, calcium iodate, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, magnesium proteinate, cobalt proteinate], dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Bifidobacterium longum fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, dried Pediococcus acidilactici fermentation product.

[Therese M]

I was just at the vet this week and asked about this. She said you can add a 250 mg supplement that should cover the uptake issue. She also said this is caused by the peas and potatoes blocking the conversion of cysteine and methionine into taurine. She said switch to grain inclusive food with the next bag (we’ve been on a potato based food, just because my first dog is so picky and that’s what she liked- I never bought into the grain free thing, and the vet said it’s silly and happened after gluten free happened in people, and is based on no research whatsoever). She feeds Purina Pro Plan, with corn, and said that corn is fine for dogs, what do you think the prey they eat had for breakfast? Fair point. She also said corn gluten meal is very healthy as an ingredient and gets a bad wrap because it sounds like leftover junk. So the next bag I get will have corn in it. Rich foods don’t work for my dogs anyway, so everything listed on this page as 5 star makes them terribly ill, and most the 4 star stuff does too. We do a rotational diet so it’s easy enough to switch around if something doesn’t work. Currently we have Canidae ALS and Muenster ancient grains chicken open, and no one is scarfing it down, but they’re both new, so we’ll see how it goes in a few days.

I am not a fan of how the FDA is handling this- a big announcement that freaks everyone out that isn’t a vet, and is so vague no one even knows what exactly it even means, if anything.

[anonymous]

I am glad your vet is referring you to an internal medicine specialist. I hope he quickly diagnoses your dog’s condition and starts an effective treatment.

In my opinion it is best to go by the treatment plan that your vet has provided.
Including the prescription food. Don’t add anything other than the home cooked your vet approved.
Not all supplements/probiotics/enzymes are benign, some have interactions and may interfere with the absorption of prescription meds. That includes over the counter meds.

So, I would not give anything unless your vet approves. Seriously, you can make things worse.

[Ruth C]

Hello,
I have an 8 year old boxer, and for the past year she’s had several episodes in which she doesn’t feel well for a couple of days, throwing up or having diarrhea, but switching her to home cooked meals of chicken, rice and veggies usually did the trick. A week ago she started feeling restless, not eating and throwing up suddenly, and that same day the had diarrhea with blood and also threw up with a little blood. We took her to her hospital and after ultrasounds and X-rays they ruled out any tumors and concluded it was an acute gastritis due to the sticks and stuff she may have eaten on our walks in the forest. She was given cerenia and omeprazol as well as soft diet and the next day her stools were normal again. Yesterday she felt restless again and tried to throw up but nothing came up. After another consult with her vets they think all the gastrointestinal issues she’s experienced this year may be due to IBD as all her symptoms match and we are scheduling and appointment with the internal medicine department. She’s on cerenia again and doing good. Have you got any advice as to what diet/supplements/probiotics/enzymes have worked on your pups? Thanks in advance! They also gave us Royal Canin gastrointestinal food to mix with the home cooked meal I said above.

[Nate D]

Thanks for the information. I’ll check those all out.

Instinct and Primal Pets both wrote me back and Instinct has some raw formulas at 10%.
Primal Pets has 3 I could use. Venison and Rabbit are the lowest in fat at just 5% fat. The Turkey & Sardine formula is 7%.
I like the simple ingredients in them too. I just dont like the cost, but they are low carb as well so I might give them a try. I’ve been using Dr. Jone’s Ultimate Canine Formula as an added supplement so it would actually work well with it.

[anonymous]

Do you have a regular vet? If so, give him a call and leave a message for him to call you back when he has a minute to discuss what you observed.

Has she had vaccinations recently? Flea/tick preventives? Been exposed to chemically treated lawns?
Keep an eye on her, if it happens again I would take her to the vet.

There are many types of seizures, some are mild and only a trained veterinary healthcare professional would see it. If it happens once a month or more or the seizures are severe, prescription meds may be recommended by the examining vet.

I would be careful about seeking veterinary medical advice online, facebook and such.
Lot’s of misinformation.

Only a veterinarian that has examined your pet can diagnose and treat. They will not nor should they give medical advice online unless they know your pet and it’s history.

There are no veterinarians affiliated with DFA.

PS: Did she get into something toxic? Was the kibble old? Anybody drop a pill or supplement on the floor?
However, seizures can have many triggers, impossible to speculate. Avoiding triggers is only part of treatment, see what the vet thinks.
Let’s hope this was a fluke….
Good luck

• This reply was modified 7 years, 4 months ago by anonymous.

[Dee D]

I have a 12 yr old male chihuahua with pancreatitis with severe pain and loss of weight and additionally he also has a problem with leaking urine. I really hope when I get the pancreatitis under control permanently, this issue will go away too like member Kay stated she experienced. I have him currently on the Hills I/D low fat maintenance the Vet had on hand but I am questioning whether my dog will get enough protein in his diet and being this should be the major part of a canines diet, it worries me because that supports their muscle mass. I did the DM calculation for this canned food (stated 5%) to determine the DM protein percentage and it’s only 22% DM plus the first 2 ingredients are water and rice including Cellulose which can be saw dust. It does have an egg and liver organs it in but I hardly think this is quality RX food for a sick animal at the high price they command. Very despairing how the world works. I’ve looked at the brand Wellness Core Grain free which has 5% min crude fat on the can (15% DM which is consider medium amount) but has 11% stated protein (50% DM) now that’s more like it and the source ingredients read high quality including Omega 3 which is great for inflammation. Still not cheap but at least you’re getting something for your money. This maybe to much fat during an initial attack but long term I like it much better for my dog. I also have wondered like an earlier member posted, if supplementing digestive Enzymes would help since pancreatitis by nature means the enzymes produced are not processing correctly to the intestines to digest and absorb the nutrients from the food as it is broken down so it just goes through their GI tract out the other end and this could contribute to over all poor health and lost weight. FYI, Enzymes should be given with food to work for this purpose. My vet is saying no too. I have learned eggs are the #1 excellent source of protein at 100% but for my dog I will remove the yolk and just give him the white portion which has no fat content but better to add cooked to avoid possible Somalia. I just gave my dog a a little of the white of a hard boiled egg and he loved it and I just bought a dog digestive enzyme supplement, so wish me luck!

[Nate D]

I have 2 Dachsunds. Both have had pancreas issues in the past. One has cushings and may have cancer. I have been feeding both of them Hills I/D Low Fat Natural dry food, but want them off of the kibble.
I have tried The Honest Kitchen Fish, but dont care for the garlic in it. It also seems to be to high in protein for them causing gas and upset stomach even with small amounts. I was hoping to use it because people rant and rave about it for their dogs who have had pancreatitis and/or cancer.

I have been looking for something else. Either dehydrated, frozen, patties, fresh, etc.. and am having a hard time finding anything low in fat.
Anyone know of any?

I know I can do homemade, but have no idea what complete supplements I need. I would however prefer already made.

[joanne l]

That is good levels of phosphorous and calcium. I would not add the supplements you are adding to your first post I read. Unless you told your vet about it. Well I guess you can ask him why the RX diet was not on recommended by him. I know some people don’t like science diet or royal canine. However, though in this situation these diets may be better. Just b/c other foods have better ingredients doesn’t mean it is better for your dog right now.

[Lori H]

You might want to look at the following website. I have a dog that has had so many medical issues including calcium oxalate bladder stones which he had surgery for to remove. He was so unhealthy at the time. He also was in liver failure almost two years ago and my vet was preparing me for his death.

Rick helped me and Buddy is now healthier than he has ever been. If anything, read what Rick has to say on his website. It sounds like you are open to something that might not be traditional medicine through your vet. The change in Buddy’s food as well as the supplements, changed his life.

http://www.doglivershunt.com/bladder-stones.html

Good luck on your search for information and I hope you find a solution. Buddy is 11, but has a new lease on life. I can’t imagine being just under two as a dog and dealing with this.

If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Lori

[anonymous]

@ Ryan
No worries. It’s just that as someone who has worked in healthcare for decades (humans not animals). It frightens me to see some of the bad advice that is given out on forums.
I have admitted too many folks from the emergency room that came in with shopping bags full of supplements and over the counter meds that were causing them to be ill.
Best of luck

PS: Maybe you could return that supplement and use the money toward testing as recommended by the examining vet?

[Ryan K]

Anon…I have appreciated your help. Please don’t think I am ignoring or not being receptive. Everything I give my dog I definitely run by my vet first. I am incredibly aware of certain medications being problematic when taken with other natural supplements. I am very much a “call the vet to ask first” type of person. I just like getting as much info and tips from people as possible to see what worked for them. I don’t want you to think I have been irresponsible with my dog or have been ignoring anything you mentioned. My main problem is that I can’t get the expensive testing to truly get the best diagnosis for what is really happening so I want as many suggestions as possible from people experiencing the same thing with their own pets.

I have been really grateful for every post made. Susan has posted a lot of helpful info that seems likely to help my dog if I apply it. I definitely will ask my vet if he can take whatever I may want to give him. I am too paranoid to not do that. 🙂

[anonymous]

Please (again) do not give any over the counter medications, supplements, or make dietary changes that your vet has not approved. Please try to refrain from self diagnosis or listening to opinions on the internet and taking medical advice. This is a recipe for ending up at the emergency vet.

Many supplements and over the counter medications have interactions with prescription meds and side effects.
I would only listen to veterinary healthcare professionals that have examined your dog and know his history.
This is my last response to you as I feel you have not been receptive to anything I have said in my prior posts. Best of luck.
Example:
/forums/topic/dog-ravenously-licking-floors-carpets/#post-120272
/forums/topic/dog-ravenously-licking-floors-carpets/#post-120250
/forums/topic/dog-ravenously-licking-floors-carpets/#post-120124
/forums/topic/dog-ravenously-licking-floors-carpets/#post-120071

[Karen H]

Hi there, I would like to clearly state that I do provide customized dog nutrition products, premium foods, supplements and other items!

As mentioned by previous members, have you had her checked for things like leaky gut etc.?
1st ensure there are no current physical impairments.

2nd, I’d love the opportunity to help you in anyway that I can. I do have foods that might help and several products. I have had 100% success thus far getting picky eaters gobbling up their foods. I have also had success with decreasing digestive discomfort and increasing health and vitality.

I’m not sure how one reaches out to another via this forum as this is my first post. But, feel free to do so if you know how.

Also, rest assured that I am NOT in the business of pushing products. I am however interested in helping pets and their people. This may or may not include the items I have to offer, but I’m 100% investing in helping!

[susan k]

Hi Susan, thanks! I feed Wellness Core Original — thought I mentioned that somewhere. I don’t think the data — at least the data I’ve seen (the UC Davis study) show any clear patterns re: is is legumes, is it potatoes, is it low taurine caused by high legumes, etc. But yes, some dogs are predisposed, which is a large part of the problem. Cairns are nowhere on the list, luckily for me, and while some Wellness Core varieties are mentioned in the UC Davis data I think it’s only two or three times, and all the dogs with problems are Goldens.

Here are the ingredients in Wellness Core Original — peas and potatoes are fifth -seventh on the list, which seems like a lot (maybe they’ll get rid of some of this since several of us have called or emailed them):

Deboned Turkey, Turkey Meal, Chicken Meal, Peas, Potatoes, Dried Ground Potatoes, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Tomato Pomace, Chicken Liver, Natural Chicken Flavor, Ground Flaxseed, Salmon Oil, Spinach, Vitamin E Supplement, Broccoli, Carrots, Choline Chloride, Parsley, Apples, Blueberries, Kale, Sweet Potatoes, Taurine, Mixed Tocopherols added to preserve freshness, Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Chondroitin Sulfate, Calcium Carbonate, Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Beta-Carotene, Vitamin A Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Chicory Root Extract, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Calcium Iodate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Dried Lactobacillus plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus casei Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Rosemary Extract, Green Tea Extract, Spearmint Extract.

the other Susan

[susan k]

Thanks, crazy4cats! Koby is the apple of my eye — I would do anything for him! Best wishes to you too, and to all your kitties!

I think they don’t really know what’s causing the increase in canine DCM cases. The New York Times article as well as other things I’ve read tend to say the common thread is grain-free, but actually on the UC Davis spreadsheet it’s clear some of the dogs with DCM are NOT on grain-free. And some grain-frees (like Wellness CORE) add taurine. Most dog and cat foods these days have added taurine, but a lot of them have it as a very minor ingredient, way down at the end of the list. CORE does have peas and potatoes (which obviously aren’t preventing Koby from absorbing taurine, though that may not hold for all dogs) right after the meat, but taurine is the first of the added vitamins/supplements after the food ingredients.

I hope the dog food companies subscribe to this list — I think they should see how panicked everybody is about the state of pet food these days!

[Mark C]

Since the grain free revelation I switched to Nutro Ultra low fat. Not great and while it does have some pea protein it is supplemented with some Taurine. Perhaps this and more excercise is all they need. Previously they were eating Merrick Healthy Weight and I and Love and You naked essentials. I decided to try a grain food and they seem to be doing ok on Nutro. I am considering switching them to Fromm Classic mature. Low protein, but I can deal with boosting that. I will also look into a good wet food to take the place of fiber to fill them up as the doc suggested. I am limiting the sweet Potato to err on the side of caution. I know a lot of people think I’m silly for “jumping the gun” by switching to grain inclusive food. But, it’s my responsibility to keep my 4 guys healthy so I’d rather be silly than sorry.

[crazy4cats]

A week or two ago, Anon, you said the FDA alert was BOGUS. Followed up by Legumes Rock! Of course the post has been deleted along with many of your other posts on the review side of this site. It’s not a rumor, Acana was named in a report from UC Davis and I saw Acana and Zignature along with several other foods on the Diet & Taurine Table. Actually a few dogs fed Fromm are also on the table as having low taurine.

http://mckeevervetderm.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/543/2017/09/TaurineDef.Goldens.pdf

Susan K- If you join the Taurine-Deficient Dilated Cardiomyopathy FB group, you will see the most up to date spreadsheet for the Diet & Taurine Table. I know someone posted it on this site, but they ask not to republish it. It has been updated since it was posted here.

They are not saying the food has caused the low taurine levels yet. They are just collecting data so far. You might be right, it could just be Goldens tendency to have it. Or could be coincidental that a lot of dogs are just eating grain free foods these days. Who knows?

It’s always been thought that dogs made their own taurine from other amino acids and didn’t need supplementation like cats do. I wonder what is going on with these dogs??? I hope they figure it out soon!

[susan k]

I think some of our alarm over this may be premature. Most of the dogs who’ve presented with DCM are Golden Retrievers. A few others are in the mix who aren’t typically prone to DCM like Goldens are, which is what triggered the alert. The common thread seems to be grain-free and/or exotic diets (kangaroo and quinoa, things like that). I considered home cooking with a good vet-approved supplement, but home diets aren’t ideal — it’s hard to get them right. Most vets recommend AGAINST home cooking and ARE recommending a big-brand grain-included food (Royal Canin, Iams, Purina, etc.) — but 1) most of those foods do have pea/legume ingredients and/or potatoes somewhere in the mix, and 2) most of the cases of DCM (though not all) have taurine deficiency. Low taurine has been pinpointed as the culprit in DCM in cats for many years, and many dog foods now have added taurine. It’s important to note that most dietary taurine comes from meats, not grains — it’s not the lack of grains that’s the problem with grain-free foods, though added potatoes and/or legumes may block or diminish taurine absorption. I feed Wellness grain-free Core (chicken variety) and Koby and I both like it — it’s not full of chemical additives like the big-name brands are (which may be carcinogens), its protein level is high, Dogfood Advisor gives it 5 stars, and it does have added taurine. I have just had Koby (who shows no signs of heart failure or any other health problem) tested for taurine — I don’t have the results back yet but they should be in this week and I will post them. In the meantime, while we wait for more information on what’s really going on here — and unless Koby’s taurine level comes back low or he shows signs of DCM — I’m continuing to feed Wellness Core because it’s AAFCO tested, human grade, good protein level, taurine added, and Koby likes it and has always been very healthy on it. He’s about 4 (he was a rescue and a stray before that) but I’ve had him over two years and he’s been on this food since I got him (and when he was in foster through Cairn Rescue he was on another grain free, don’t remember which) — so he’s been grain-free for quite a while.

One or two of the Goldens with DCM in the UC Davis study were on Wellness Core — but Goldens are much more likely to develop DCM than most other breeds. I don’t recall whether these Goldens were taurine-deficient. Someone on this thread posted the link to the spreadsheet from that study, or at least I think I got it from this thread, but I can’t find it now. I would very much like to find it again — if anyone out there reading this is the one who posted the link, PLEASE post again!

[anonymous]

I would not give over the counter meds, supplements (especially those not intended for veterinary use) or make diet changes (your pet is on a prescription diet) unless instructed to do so by a veterinarian that has examined the dog. For example, antacids are known to interfere with the absorption of other meds.
Please try to refrain from self-diagnosis. It’s a dangerous game and you could make things a lot worse. Work with a veterinarian. There are no veterinarians affiliated with DFA.
Didn’t your vet give you a treatment plan? I would go by that alone. Nothing else!

PS: I am becoming concerned. Please listen to your vet! Like she said, if you want an exact diagnosis have the testing done, everything else is just guesswork.
I suggested you make a video to show the vet, not for you to try to self-diagnose.
Best of luck.

[aimee]

Hi Bobby dog,
If you come across others questioning No Hide please post links here. There are a few of us that regularly are in contact with each other but always looking for others to share information.

I heard of some interesting events at the AAFCO meeting in regard to “No Hide” but too early to say.

New labels are coming into the stores in my area and all I can say is WOW! They corrected the weights, changed the ingredient and ingredient order and added and replaced other information. In a prior post I reported that the weights were incorrect and I alerted my state feed control official of same. The smallest chew was labeled 51 grams and now is 34 grams, the middle sized was labeled 85 the largest that was labeled 255 grams is now 99 grams. This change validates that they have been over reporting their weights. The word “safe” has been removed from the label and replaced with the word “healthy”. They added the word “recipe” after the protein flavor. My state feed control official told me that they were in violation of the 95% rule. Some minor changes in ingredient name, banana is now banana powder and vegetable gelatin is agar agar, they added AAFCO statement for intermittent and supplemental feeding. So it appears they have cleaned up a lot of problems.

For me this was the real WOW. They changed the order of the ingredients. The ingredient order used to be protein flavor, gelatin, brown rice flour and now is protein flavor, brown rice flour and gelatin. This is a huge game changer! As it is now written and using the company’s information there is no way to make a “No Hide” Here is an example. Earth Animal reports that the carbohydrate content in the chews are very low. Today their website reports 2% carbohydrate in the case of the Pork Chew, so in a 100 gram chew 2 grams are from carbohydrate. Which would mean no more than ~3 grms of brown rice flour in the chew and every ingredient following rice flour must be 3 grams or less. In essence then Earth Animal is claiming that they made a 100 gram chew using only 15 grams of ingredients. Magical ! Also found this odd because Ryan Yamka their chief science officer, in response to being asked how the carbohydrate content of the chews be so low responded that there is very little brown rice flour in the chew. What are the chews made of then if the lead ingredient is only present in small amount?

[Sheila H]

Acroyali:
I agree with you. The home cooked diet I use includes potassium chloride and calcium powder with rice and cottage cheese. To that I add the G.I. Balance Digestive Blend Supplement for Dogs and Cats due to her issues.

[joanne l]

I think vegetarians diets are not good because they don’t contain taurine unless the company supplements it in the food. But dogs need meat for the natural occurring taurine. This is a vital nutrient. They only way a dog should be feed a veg diet is if the vet says so for medical reasons.

[Sheila H]

So sorry for your trouble. Our dog has long had occasional diarrhea and loose bowel movements, so apart from other ingredient changes to our home cooked food, (protein change from boiled chicken to cottage cheese) I bought “G.I. Balance Digestive Blend Supplement for Dogs and Cats” on Amazon. It is working very well for her. I make a three day (3 meals each) supply for her and add 1/8 tsp to it. She has done quite well since June. Good luck.

[anonymous]

Did you check the search engine? /forums/search/gulping/

As you can see, some ridiculous responses. Please have a talk with your vet, ask him to call you back when he has a minute. Don’t be foolish, food won’t fix this.

Your dog needs the expertise of a veterinary healthcare professional and real medication (not supplements)
I know how frustrating it is, I have the credit card bills to prove it. :-/

PS: Ask your vet if you can just treat the symptoms? Anticonvulsants? If your priority is care and comfort rather than diagnosis and treatment, tell your vet..

[Reese B]

I feel your frustration. I feel the same way! I feed some homemade meals ( not all because I don’t trust that I’m feeding a balance diet) but the supplements I use are
– Dr. Diobas green min, (I’m going to try his mulivitamin called soul food too next time)
– carna 4 sprouted seed supplement
– animal essentials seaweed calcium (I’ve also used crushed egg shells for calcium)
– feel good omega 3 supplement.

For my recipes ill cook a big batch of whatever meat is on sale, and a little liver (usually chicken because it’s the cheapest), then i add a little cooked spinach or broccoli, some squash or pumpkin, some scrambled eggs, coconut oil, sunflower seeds, cottage cheese, and a little bit of fruit, then i blend it really well and freeze it in individual portions.
I defrost it as needed and then i add the supplements to it, give it a stir and serve. My dog really seems to enjoy it.
Hope you find a recipe that works for you. Please share if you do.

[ThisDogHunts]

Hi, I’ve seen questions about collagen supplements surface recently and I’d like to know what the general consensus is on incorporating collagen into a senior dog’s supplement regimen to treat hip dysplasia.
My dog already gets healthy doses of Ark Natural’s Joint Rescue, CBD, and some other hip and joint supplements on rotation.
I know my dog gets some collagen from our homemade bone broth, but it isn’t as highly concentrated as what’s available in supplement form.
The tricky part with some of these collagen types is they are often packaged as protein supplements and I’d rather not add more protein to his diet, I just want the collagen.
Then I’m trying to isolate it to the type of collagen. Type 1, 2, 3 or some combination of them?
There seems to be a lot of hype building up for type 3, egg shell membranes.
Anybody here have any success incorporating a collagen supplement into their senior dog’s diet?

[ThisDogHunts]

Well crap. So this is why all those bags of Castor and Pollux Organic freeze dried Grain free Pristine Free-range Chicken dog food were slashed in half at PetCo. and on their clearance shelves.
I bought like 5 bags. Dang it!
I haven’t been feeding that exclusively to my dogs, but I’ve been using a small amount of it as a topper on top of their Wellness Complete + homemade quinoa mix. Sometimes I like to use a piece or two of the freeze dried kibble as a treat, because the freeze dried kibble quickly absorbs CBD oil and MCT oils and helps to deliver those kinds of supplements without any getting lost.
Should I exercise extreme caution and cut out the Castor and Pollux of their diet completely or is it still okay in moderation?

[Lori H]

Hi Linda,

My dog Buddy has been through a lot, much like your dog. He is now 11 and during his life he has had surgery on his spleen, surgery for bladder stones, been diagnosed with Diabetes and I was told by my vet that he was suffering from liver failure and was preparing me for the fact that Buddy was going to die. The liver failure diagnosis was over two years and today, he is healthy, happy, looks amazing and has so much energy. I just had him into the vet for blood work and his numbers are almost perfect (350 is perfect, he is sitting at 351)! It has been an amazing turnaround so I know how you feel. I basically had to get him healthy myself. My vet did not support my decision to do what I did, but he is healthy and that is all that matters!

I now believe wholeheartedly that most vets know nothing about nutrition. They are told to carry a line of food in their offices by one of the large pharma/dog food companies because most of these companies go out and recruit at the vet universities across the United States when vets are in school and provide them with a kickback when the sell either Science Diet or Royal Canin in their clinics, up to 40%. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE my vet, I just don’t believe he knows much of anything about nutrition. He has been great to me, my dog Buddy and my three cats. He is good at what he does, diagnose and perform much needed surgeries and procedures. He did Buddy’s bladder stone surgery which has complications.

I was at my wits end as well and thought that I was going to lose Buddy, but I was not willing to give up so I did a Google search and found an amazing person who brought Buddy back to the healthy dog he is.

Buddy is on a very special diet and he has made huge strides in the last 10+ months. He is a very healthy dog to what he was 6 months ago.

I worked with a man named Rick Scheyer. He has an amazing website http://www.doglivershunt.com He has helped many dogs with liver shunt, kidney disease, bladder stone problems and much, much more become healthy dogs again. I would suggest reaching out to him for a free consultation. It might be the answer you need.

If you choose to go with his program, it is not cheap, but I believe that over time, I will save money by not taking Buddy to the vet time and time again because I don’t know what is wrong and having a battery of tests run and racking up bills in the thousands, I have been there!

He was slowly weened off of his processed food Science Diet U/D and placed on a diet of fresh veggies and meat based on a very slow transition to follow with Rick’s help.

Buddy’s diet is a balance of ¾ veggies to ¼ meats. Dogs with liver issues do not need as much protein as you would expect. He gets lots of yellow veggies (squash, tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, celery, carrots, Brussel sprouts, snap peas, etc.) along with hemp oil and nori blended with goat yogurt into almost a smoothie consistency. I then add meats, liver is great as it helps to detoxify the liver (funny that you feed liver to a dog with liver issuesJ) and then he gets a variety of supplements. He receives three gut supplements in the morning (Acidophilus, Bifudus and a Spectrabiotic) along with an Enzyme and something called Whole Body. In the evenings he gets the Enzyme, Whole Body and a Mushroom supplement. The process to make his food is not that time consuming and if you are at your wits end like I was, I was ready to do anything.

He also gets to have as much goat yogurt as he wants with coconut oil. He also gets sweet potato chews and coconut slices.

He is also allowed to eat fruits, not during his morning and evening meals since they digest differently than veggies, but he has not yet warmed up to them yet. I don’t know if he ever will.

He is doing great! He has so much energy and the numbers don’t lie! I got a glucose meter and I am going to start checking his levels daily. I would really like to get him off the insulin if I can. I believe the medicine is what causes the blindness, not the actual diabetes, my vet believes otherwise.

My vet has not said much of anything. I explained I was taking him off the prescription food and putting him on this program and he never responded. When I took him in the last time for blood work, I think he was surprised Buddy was doing so well, but did not ask me further about what I was doing. He is a pretty straight and narrow vet and I don’t think he looks outside the box. If Buddy’s glucose numbers continue to decline, I will take him back and back off on the number of units he is given. Now it is just maintenance and keeping a spreadsheet and monitoring how he is doing.

I suggest reaching out. I think Rick saved Buddy’s life. I took him to the vet in October to have blood work done and he is perfectly healthy!

Let me know if I can be of anymore help.

Good luck on your search and reach out if you have further questions or concerns. It was hard to take the jump and trust someone other than my vet with my dogs nutritional health, but I am so glad that I did.

Lori

[HoundMusic]

“Has anyone else dealt with hookworm? My vet says that hookworm can play a number on the gastrointestinal tract and cause a lot of inflammation and it may take many months to recover.”

I had a litter almost wiped out by the little devils, and on a very rare occasion had a hound or two contract them from wild rabbit.

And they are half impossible to get rid of. Hartgard is useless for the prevention or treatment of hooks, as the medications are only effective for heartworms and roundworms. For hooks, you need fenbendazole (panacur), and regardless of negative fecals, which can be misleading if worms or eggs are not present in that particular stool sample, you MUST continue to de-worm on a regular basis for the next several months. Believe me, they will never go away otherwise.

Hookworms wreak havoc on the GI tract, so you might want to consider giving anti-inflammatory meds or supplements (turmeric in small doses is helpful sometimes), and forget the yogurt because an overwhelmed digestive system does not need more bacteria or irritating milk proteins. Also, for certain types of digestive issues, lowering dietary fat sometimes works because higher fat = more lubricated bowels :/

If you want my unorthodox recommendation for foods, I’ll say this. My litter with hookworms had not only ongoing digestive upsets, but a skin condition that caused open, bloody, purulent sores. In that instance, I had excellent results switching off “designer” food and onto Purina ONE, which cured the sores and internal damage in a matter of days. However, any dog I’ve ever owned with any sort of digestive issue, from mild maldigestion to inability to handle food due to starvation, to a life threatening case of ulcerative colitis, have all responded beautifully to Pedigree. My 2 cents.

[Gabrielle G]

I have a 55lb, “mature”, German shepherd mix of some kind that was rescued off the streets. I’ve had her for about 1.5 years now. She’s been great except about 4 months ago she began having diarrhea and she was diagnosed with hookworm (despite being on Hartgard Plus but whatever).

Fast forward to now, about 4 months after treatment for the hookworm, I seem to be able to keep the diarrhea at bay with a probiotic supplement, but she still will have diarrhea if I forget to give her the supplement one day or she gets a little taste of the cat’s food (she stole it off the counter one time). Really bad diarrhea she can’t control and will often go in the house because she has to go so often when it happens.

Has anyone else dealt with hookworm? My vet says that hookworm can play a number on the gastrointestinal tract and cause a lot of inflammation and it may take many months to recover. So I’m just biding my time and hoping for the best and hoping the probiotic continues to work, but has anyone else had experience with the aftermath of hookworm?

I’m also thinking to start switching her off the royal canin LF/gastrointestinal health formula to something like a low fat but better brand of food. She also gets boiled chicken and rice once a day. She had been getting Fromm classic supplemented with a Stella and Chewy’s frozen patty before this all happened. I was thinking to go back to the Fromm but maybe the senior or weight management one. She’s not overweight but I think it would be better to keep the fat and fiber content low for her digestion…

[Mark C]

I’m curious if anyone has heard of or has experience with Pinto Canyon? http://flintriver.com/catalog.asp?catid=10&ID=194

Marketing hype makes it seem like a quality food minus peas, potatoes, etc. I’m seriously considering giving this a try and would love some opinions.

Here are the ingredients for the chicken grain inclusive:

Fresh deboned chicken, Chicken meal, Ground brown rice, Oatmeal, Ground dehulled barley, Ground whole flaxseed, Dehydrated alfalfa meal, Chicken fat (naturally preserved with Mixed tocopherols and Citric acid), Calcium carbonate, Natural flavor, Sea salt, Potassium chloride, Zinc proteinate, Iron proteinate, Dried Bacillus coagulans fermentation product, Vitamin E supplement, Beta-carotene, Inulin, Copper proteinate, Monosodium phosphate, Spinach, Manganese proteinate, Apples, Bananas, Blueberries, Broccoli, Cranberries, Dried kelp, Sweet potatoes, Niacin supplement, d-Calcium pantothenate, Vitamin A acetate, Riboflavin supplement, Calcium iodate, Vitamin B12 supplement, Thiamine mononitrate, Pyridoxine hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 supplement, Sodium selenite, Folic acid, Rosemary extract.

[Amelia Z]

Well, here’s an update. I found a food with no grains, no potatoes, no legumes, low carbs and it’s 90% meat. It is in between raw and freeze dried. I just started it so we’ll see how they do. It’s called the Real Meat Company. (http://www.realmeatpet.com/) It looks and smelled good. Here are the ingredients in the beef:
Ingredients
Beef, Beef Lung, Beef Liver, Ground Beef Bone, Vegetable Glycerin, Pumpkin, Inulin (from Chicory Root), Mixed Tocopherols (used as a preservative), Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Parsley, Rosemary, Selenium Yeast, Copper Proteinate, Niacin Supplement (Vitamin B3), Manganese Proteinate, d-Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Vitamin A Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Iodate (source of Iodine), Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Vitamin D3 Supplement.