[poodaddy]

Well, you have my contact information. When you are ready to start planning (say about two months out from doing it yourself), let me know. I plan on helping a lot of folks get a first-hand view into the equipment needed, what it is really like to plan a menu, iterate on the nutrition metrics, set up the specific controls for dog weight, activity level, age, etc, and take control of their individual dog’s food requirements, but, … not until the model is completed and checked by a seasoned pet nutritionist. There are two actions to complete the model: (1) input the Daily Nutrition Requirement by micro and vitamin into the model which will automatically show the variances in each micronutrient and vitamins from the menu, and (2) determine the source(s) of supplements needed (if any) to balance the variances to an optimum. Getting VERY close!

[MATT C]

Wow! That sounds like quite the project and quite the commitment. Since my wife is now working more hours (away from the home) we decided that this was not going to be the right time to transition Jasper’s diet. We’ll be looking for a time when I will be home for a stretch to deal with any digestive “issues”.

On a separate note, one of the major revelations regarding his gut issues came about a few weeks ago. We finally realized that his “flare-ups” (as we call them) have been coming a 4-5 days after his heart worm meds. So in an effort to reduce the number of things changing we are keeping his diet the same and we will omit this medicine. With luck, making this change will prevent his issues and eventually allow us to transition him to a natural diet.

We also found a fairly local raw food provider. Fortunately, we have a retailer in our area.

http://abbyschoice.com/home.html

This product (along with some supplement) will be fairly high on my list when looking at raw options 🙂

[george h]

I joined to share our experiences and suggest additional OA options because we found a vet that stays on the cutting edge of treatments.

Our 14 yr old golden retriever had mild hip dysplasia when we rescued her, so our vet recommended feeding an rx diet with high fish oil and glucosamine content. After more than a decade, our golden has only mild arthritis in her lower spine and mild stiffness/weakness in her rear legs. Now Doggo’s ancient for the breed, perhaps it’s an outlier in general.

Nevertheless, when the rx food manufacturer switched to rancid fish oils, Doggo (and the others) refused to eat the rx food. While researching new dog foods, we started feeding Doggo human grade (aka “my”) fish oil and glucosamine/msm supplements daily with a primary protein grain free diet. After four months, Doggo’s mobility/cognition was better than when eating the rx food. (Btw- Rancid fish oils actually cause inflammation in the body instead of reducing inflammation.)

And because Doggo was moving better, Doggo was playing to the point of excess. The vet recommended a short course of rimadyl, but Doggo experienced a personality change on rimadyl. The obedient without fail Doggo refused to stay in the yard or come when called. It was terrifying.

Our vet found the rimadyl side effect unusual, ran bloodwork (normal liver with slightly elevated kidneys) and offered newly available pentosan injections that lubricate the joints to relieve OA pain– without affecting kidney or liver function. We were told it may not alleviate all the pain, but Pentosan has worked wonders! We learned how to inject it (subcutaneously) so Doggo doesn’t have to endure a long ride for a maintenance dose, and at $20-$30 per dose, it was worth trying.

But Doggo played to excess again and instead of rimadyl, the vet prescribed galliprant. At first galliprant didn’t seem to be as effective as rimadyl but it didn’t cause the personality changes rimadyl did. After a few days on galliprant though, Doggo was feeling better. The dose is just enough to provide relief without allowing Doggo to play as hard as a puppy.

Again, Doggo may be the exception not having any GI issues with either rimadyl or galliprant– btw, wrapped in American cheese slices and given before the morning meal. Glucosamine and fish oil supplements (and/or pentosan injections) may have negligible effects in other dogs. The other supplements may or may not be helping: recently, we started giving Doggo vitamin C and cholodin supplements, in addition to a human Nicotinamide Riboside with Pterostilbene supplement. Perhaps even minimal dietary supplements/changes are cumulative– our current theory. Whatever the case, we hope someone else can benefit from knowing what we’ve found effective with Doggo.

[Susan]

Hi,
I posted a post the other day but it’s not here now??.. Yes go back to just feeding the Natural Balance kibble, what meat protein is in the NB formula he’s eating??
When I rescued Patch he had just turned 4yrs old, I didn’t know what he could eat & what he couldn’t eat & in the end that’s why his 4th vet put him on another vet diet that finally worked & firmed up poos but caused itchy smelly yeasty paws & skin, cause he cant eat Chicken his stomach & bowel is OK eating chicken but he gest Yeasty itchy paw & skin & carrots cause yeasty, itchy, smelly ears, you know Atlas does well on the Natural Balance formula & you know he can eat Chicken & Potatoes so that’s a pretty good start, so he Defently has food intolerances, if his gut was un healthy then he’d be like Patch was when I first rescued him, no matter what he ate he do OK poo’s then he was doing poos with jelly on them or like a condom over the poo (Food Sensitivities), then he was doing sloppy yellow poos (S.I.B.O) that smelt awful, that’s how a “GOOD” vet knows if the dog has either S.I.B.O, IBD, EPI, Food Intolerances…..when their poos are yellow it’s their small bowel that’s not working properly…Patches new vet said lets try the vet diet Eukanuba Intestinal low residue formula it wasthe only vet diet Patchhadn’t tried & finally he was doing smaller firm poo’s & only 2 or 3 poos a day then his vet wanted him to stay on the Eukanuba Intestinal vet diet for 9-12months to let his stomach & bowel heal as he probably has been doing sloppy awful poos most of his life, that’s why he ended up at a pound I’d say, his owner just didnt care, probably when Patch was Atlas age his owner didnt bother trying to work out what was wrong with him & just kept feeding him ingredients he was sensitive too & that has now caused IBD one of Patches vet said…..

I would just feed the Natural Balance for 1 month NO Kefir as this could have caused the
in-balance in his stomach & bowel, S.I.B.O, this is why you only add 1 new food or supplement at 1 time maybe every 1-2 weeks then you know 100% it’s the new food or supplement you’ve added to diet causing sloppy/diarrhea poo’s…
Look at the ingredient list in the “Kirkland Nature’s Domain” I would start doing an Elimination Food Diet start adding peas to his cooked meal start off slowly under 1/4 of a cup for 2 days then increase the amount of peas if he doesn’t have sloppy poos diarrhea in the 2 weeks chances are he can eat peas, then I would stop the peas & start adding boiled peeled Sweet Potato also for treats start making jerky treats, you know he can eat chicken so make Chicken Jerky, if he can eat sweet potato make sweet potato jerky as well or I was making Pork & beef rissoles, I was buying very lean grounded pork mince or beef mince adding 1 whisked egg & 1 teaspoon chopped parsley mixing all together & making small Pork rissoles balls or making separate beef rissoles, I’d foil lined a baking tray & bake them in the oven, they only took about 10 mins on 1 side then half way I would drain any fat & water & turn the rissoles over then cook another 10mins after you cool the rissoles I freeze, then break up a few rissoles & give as treats or I mashed a few rissole balls with some boiled sweet potato for lunch….
It does take time doing an elimination food diet but in the end you will know 100% what he can & cant eat…

The only other thing you can do is if you see a vet ask the vet can he write you a repeat script for some “Metronidazole” a few months worth to keep at home so if Atlas becomes unwell again or when you start introducing a new kibble you put Atlas on the Metronidazole tablets for 2 weeks while intoducing the new kibble, a few dogs in the Canine IBD group see IBD Specialist & this is what their vet specialist has told them to do, same as Patch in the end I had to so I could change his vet diet, I couldn’t handle him smelly & scratching from the chicken in the vet diet, I’d start him on a new kibble he’d be doing really well, good poos then around 2 & 1/2 months later his poos went yuk & soft again, the vet didn’t know what was wrong was his gut bacteria going out of balance too much bad bacteria again?? vet couldnt work out what was happening was it food sensitivities/intolerances as they can take anywhere from 1 day to react up to 6 weeks to start reacting, but this was 2 months later, this is why your better off starting an elimination food trial & start with adding the ingredients in the Kirkland Turkey & Sweet Potato formula or a kibble you want to feed, I’d start with adding boiled Peas, then Sweet Potatoes, blueberries as treats add to his cooked meal & see how he goes, it will be 3 steps forward 2 steps backwards in the beginning, so make sure you keep a diary, I always look back on Patches diarys when I need to rememeber something……
Patch was doing really really well most of 2016 while eating the TOTW Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb kibble & having a cooked meal Pork Rissoles & sweet potatoes he was drinking heaps of water maybe 2-3 times a week, vet did all these test they showed nothing was wrong, so vet said it could be pain related so I had introduced “Canidae Pure Wild Boar” then he started whinging after 2months of introducing the Canidae, his poos were bigger & softer on the Canidae in the beginning but got better as the weeks went by plus he was eating TOTW for his bigger meals breakfast & 1st dinner, Canidae was givin for Lunch & a second dinner the Canidae were smaller meals, he was geeting his pain right side Stomach/Pancreas area I thought the Canidae was too high in Kcals it was over 400 Kcals per cup this has happened before with another kibble so I started to introduced a new kibble Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Digestion Lamb then his poos went real sloppy again & smelly he had been eating the same kibbles all Spring & Summer TOTW Canidae no poo problems until the I added the Purina Digestion, Sensitive Stomach cause Patches pain right side, Patches American vet Sue had recommendd I try Purina months before so this is why I tried the Purina, the vet Sue blammed environment allergies & said his immune system has gone into over drive from his allergies & he’s reacting but I think it was more from when I started to add Purina Sensitive Stomach kibble to his diet it had Barley in it, I dont think he does well when the kibble has barley in it or he had an imbalance in the bowel S.I.B.O & they get abnormal amounts bacterica accumulate in the small bowel making their poos go yuk again, something he was eating put his gut/bowel floria out of wack again & causes too much bad bacteria then he starts doing very sloppy poos again, that’s what happens with Small Intestinal Bowel Overgrowth (S.I.B.O) it happens in young dogs, they can’t put on any weight they stop growing, maybe Atlas has a few Intestinal problems, he has his Food Sensitivities & he might get SIBO as well & the Kefir set off the SIBO again, Metronidazole gets rid of the S.I.B.O & then the gut/bowel is balanced again…..

It’s very hard working out your dog what agrees with him & what doesn’t, I’ve learnt more thru people in canine IBD groups who have been thru all this, there’s a good small F/B group called ” Irritable Bowel Disease & G.I Related Diseases In Dogs UK” group on Face Book, the Amercan Canine IBD group the lady who runs it just pops in & tells everyone to go & see your vet & the poor people have been & seen their vets & they still have no answers what’s wrong with their por dog, I’m noticing over the years there’s a few bad vets in America, I dont think a vet in America has to study as long as an Australian or UK vet does?? cause Patches vet Sue is American & she said when she came to Australia in the late 80’s she had to do another 2 years study to work as a vet in Australia & also in Australia vets have to follow up with yearly courses… Patches really good 2nd vet Simon he did Patches Endoscope & Biopsies, he’s very busy & very hard to see he’s always operating etc he knows heaps about the stomach/bowel, he’s the vet that isnt really into giving dogs PRObiotics to dogs, he said there’s no real scientific proof about PRObiotic work in dogs, but if you think your seeing an improvement he said then give Patch the Probiotics but make sure it’s a dog probiotic that are stored in the fridge, “Protexin Soluble”, I said Probiotics seem to make Patch feel sick, he starts his mouth licking & swollowing but only some days this would happen, then Simon said when it comes to PREbiotics he said yes he has found Prebiotics did help & work on some of the dogs he’s treated… I never saw any real improvement with Patch but I did when he was on “NAS, Digestavite Plus” Powder, its a dog prebiotic with vitamins that balances raw or cooked meals he was eating, I went thru a Naturopath with Patchto put him on a raw diet in te end before I found the TOTW & Canidae kibbles, his vet referred Patch to a Holistic Vet but shewas very expensive $180 a hour, so I saw a Animal Naturopath Nutritionist instead, she cost $60 a hour, she makes the “Natural Animal Solutions” products, the Digestavite Plus Powder has Glutimine, Inulin, Spinach leaf powder, Parsley leaf, Beetroot powder, Broccoli, Green Tea, Grapeseed extract, Ginger, Slipperly Elm, Stem Bark, Milk Thistle, Acacia Powder, then Vitamin B1, B2 B3, B5 B12,D3, Patches poos were beautiful & firm when he has the Digestavite Plus Pawder over his cooked & raw meals….
You can ask the vet about weekly Vitamin B12 injections, the B12 really helps dogs that keep having diarrhea slopping poos..
Just see how Atlas goes just eating the Natural Balance for 1 month then introduce 1 new food to his diet nothing else. Good-Luck he’s your special boy.. I’m rescueing another dog soon, Patch is turning 9yrs old, 20th November…I’m going to make sure she does NOT have any Allergies or Stomach/Bowel problems. sorry about the long posts but there’s too much information to leave out..

[Susan]

Hi Dana,
Scroll up to the 2013 posts, read “Hound Dog Mom” post, she recommends cheaper joint meds that are good..
Go on Chewy site & get some “K-9 Natural” Green Lipped Mussels 50g, they’re freeze dried excellent given as treats 1-2 mussels a day, the shell in the mussel has Glucosamine & Chondroitin, the mussel meat is high in Omega 3, low fat & wont cause any stomach pain/acid reflux like alot of these joint meds can cause… If you ask vet or vet nurse they may know of a human grade supplement that has same ingredients as Dasuquin Advance, read ingredient list to the Dasuquin Advance write it down then take to a few Pharmacist/Chemist & ask the Pharmacist is there a joint supplement that has these ingredients….. Green Lipped Mussel are excellent to give especially when your dog has Panreatitis IBD stomach problems….

[anonymous]

@ Dana

Thanks. I often encourage posters to check the search engine at this site.
Example: /forums/topic/senior-chihuahua-mix-needing-joint-supplement/
But, I think folks are maybe hoping for some new and fresh ideas.

Can your Yorkie have an occasional bite of cooked skinless lean chicken breast?

[Susan]

Hi Panya,
I can’t stop laughting, Patch does the same his farts scare him when he’s sleeping & he farts he jumps up & runs off my bed lol when his farts are loud, he’s the same he doesn’t fart now he’s eating the right diet….
Go on Face Book & in the “Search” bar put “Canine Pancreatitis Support Group” join then look on your left & click on “Files” then click on first link “Low Fat Foods” you’ll see all low fat dry & wet tin foods, scroll down look at the wet canned low fat foods, I would be feeding a low fat wet tin food instead of dry kibble or feed low fat wet tin for 1 meal & dry low fat kibble for other meal…. Wet canned or cooked diet is heaps better for dogs who have suffered with Pancreatitis as kibble is harder to digest & is higher in carbs, the fat% has been converted in all these wet tin formula’s, the fat % is to your right, the fat % in raw & wet canned food hasn’t been converted to dry matter (Kibble)….Hills convert their fat % in all their vet diets but the other vet diets brands are not converted, so stay around 1-3% fat in wet tin foods when looking to buy any…
If you still want to feed a dry kibble look at “Canidae” Pure Meadow Senior, it’s low in Fat at 10.80% max, very easy to digest & has all the supplements for an aging dog…
always email the pet food companies & get the accurate max fat % & protein % in wet & dry food your thinking of feeding. I’ve already emailed Canidae & got the fat % in the Pure Meadow Senior, it’s a really good kibble it has No Prebiotic “Chicory Root” you will see a big improvement in your dogs skin coat & health while eating te Canidae Pure Meadow Senior formula there’s also Pure Resolve weight management but teh Senior has all te supplements to a senior dog & te fat % is the same..
Here’s Canidae’s site scroll down a bit & click on “VIEW ALL” on your left, click on page 3 has the Pure Meadow Senior & Page 5 has the Canidae All Life Stages Platinum Less Active kibble its low fat easying to digest & good for dogs with Pancreatitis. https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

[Panya V]

Our Jackaranian will be turning seven this month and he just had his first bout of pancreatitis. He had been slightly overweight at 18 pounds before his illness, but is now back to his ideal 16 pounds. I’ve read that pancreatitis can reoccur, and that it requires a low-fat food. He’s had Halo Spot’s Stew Wholesome Chicken Recipe ever since we rescued him at six weeks of age, and the adult formula had 16% fat [min.; 18% DMB]. We had been thinking we could simply continue to feed him a lesser amount of this kibble and supplement with whole foods [he loves fruits and vegetables] to reduce the amount of fat in his diet; on the advice of his vet, this is what we did to get his weight down when he was overweight a few years ago. FYI, he also gets a bit of flax oil almost every day [he and our cat think it’s as a treat]. But now Halo has reformulated most of their foods and we can’t buy it any longer due to new allergies; we can’t have anything with fish, seafood, pork, and preferably no chicory. That is making it extremely difficult to find a kibble of good quality which isn’t too expensive for our budget [Halo was already at the top]. He’s always done so well on the Halo — regular, solid, drier BMs, no gas [only when he’s had too much fruit, and then the farts scare him because it happens so rarely! lol], shiny coat, lots of energy, etc. — the weight gain was usually due to my husband inadvertently over-feeding by rounding over the measuring cup. 😛 I’m positive we wouldn’t have to worry about the mental side of a food switch, since he’ll eat just about anything if we let him, though I am worried about how his gut will react to a different food, especially since we’re quickly running out of his supply of Halo. This very site helped us research foods when we had our first dog [whom we had to put down a few years ago due to a brain tumor] — so we’re hoping that we can find some help again.

[anonymous]

Per the search engine: /forums/search/bladder+stones/
See my posts
Also regarding prescription food:

More Nonsense from Holistic Vets about Commercial Therapeutic Diets

I have used Royal Canin SO for a dog for a dog with bladder stones with good results.
Zignature is a quality food, copy the ingredient list from Chewy and show your vet, maybe the dog could have that? Or, 1/2 and 1/2 with the prescription food? Check with your vet.
Whatever you feed, add water and maybe soft food, presoak kibble and add water.

Dogs that get bladder stones often have a genetic predisposition (struvite and calcium oxalate are the most common), not enough water is another contributing factor.
Has she had an x-ray/ultrasound to rule out bladder stones? Because, they can have more than one type of stones. This also. can result in recurrent urinary tract infections.
Add water to the kibble, and you can also presoak the kibble in water overnight in the fridge prior to serving.
Offer frequent bathroom breaks/opportunities to urinate, keep the bladder flushed. Stagnant conditions in the bladder are conductive to stone formation.
Don’t free feed, 2 or 3 small meals a day is better and always have fresh water available. Maybe add a little plain chicken broth (no onion) to the kibble.
A blocked urethra is a medical emergency and can result in surgery to save the dog’s life.
Did the vet talk to you about prescription meds for stubborn cases? Don’t confuse supplements with medication.
Work with your vet, prescription food and all, when the dog has been stable for 6 months to 1 year you can discuss diet changes.
Use the search engine here to see more threads on this topic.
This is not veterinary advice; consult your veterinarian.
Ps: You may find some helpful information here http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=urinary+tract+infection

[Susie]

I want s to add, maybe your pup is low in vitamin b and or folate? It can cause or be the cause of GI issues. My boy was low and he is doing better after supplementing. We did a GI panel thru Texas A&M.

[InkedMarie]

Do a google search on your subject. A few years back, the Whole Dog Journal had an article with supplement suggeststions. At the time, Neutricks worked for the senior dog I had.

[poodaddy]

This thread is old (2014) then jumps to 2017. If anyone is tracking on this subject, and wants to collaborate in a specific “area” of this site, who can help understand how to manage a forum or subject, concerning the pursuit of and finishing of a raw dog food system that is complete from create the menu, crunch the numbers, determine the supplements (from the science of nutrition), let me know. I am into this in a big way, have been cataloging the personal journey from knowing nothing to gaining 100% control of the data, have the background in model development, and have the interest in using science to demystify it all. And it is all driven by my love for my two cockapoos and nothing else.

I am on a quest to find a group (of one or more) who have this interest as I am at the 90% stage on completing the project.

[poodaddy]

Here is my “3 cents” on the “raw dog food” subject: (1) there is the observation aspect of positive change in stool, gland secretion, in some cases behavior, athletic performance noticeable by all those I am associated with in the transition of commercial to raw (not cooked), (2) there is the science aspect of knowing through nutrition science what the menu actually is from researching/collecting the food data and analyzing it for macro, micro, vitamin, fatty acids data, and (3) there is the analytical aspect of comparing the menu results from (2) above to industry standards for minimum daily requirements adapted to your dog’s lifestyle/function and supplementing the raw menu to meet that standard.

I have completed (1) and (2) in an open Excel system and am working toward (3) at this time. I am interested in collaborating with a group of people who are highly interested in the above, and in so doing move the raw food discussion to a far higher level.

[poodaddy]

Michael B,

For about 5 months now, I have been developing an integrated system using Excel as a complete nutrition model specifically targeted at total visibility of all elements/variables for raw dog food preparation. This initiative is not for commercial sale, is for my use to control every aspect of planning, designing, shopping, manufacturing, and feeding my dogs. The system has two items remaining to be complete before I am comfortable starting to share my knowledge, and the software development: (1) industry recognized source of canine MDR (wet) or MDR (dry with conversion methodology to wet) for all micro-nutrients and vitamins and (2) sources for concluding my research into supplements to finish the balancing.

So,… if you want to start a dialog on this, let me know.

[Susan]

Hi Atlas,
slow & steady in the beginning with Patch, I used the new kibble as treats for 2 days then on the 3rd day I only added under 1/4 of a cup for 3 days to 1 cup old kibble then if poos looked good then I started to add 1/4 of a cup, I gave 1/4 cup with each meal for 3 days, the I added 1 heaped 1/4 of a cup for 2 days & just kept look at his poos making sure poos were good, then I stay on 1/2 new kibble & 1/2 old kibble for 1 week before I introduce any more of the new kibble… 3-4 years ago 1 year after I rescued Patch he was having skin problems from the vet diet kibble he was eating for his IBD his poos were firm but it wasnt grain free & he must of been sensitive to an ingredient causing itchy yeasty smelly paws & skin so I tried a vet diet Eukanuba FP Fish & Potato, all I added was under 1/4 of a cup for 2 days to his other kibble then 2nd night Patch was up all thru the night with really BAD diarrhea every 2 hours the vet & I thought he cant eat potatoes & for 2 yrs I couldn’t try any kibbles that had Potato, then one day I was at a pet shop & the lady at the pet shop said why can’t he eat potato, I’ve never heard a dog getting diarrhea from potatoes, I’m a breeder I breed Border Collies & show them, I had a dog with IBD & potato firmed up his poo’s, she was a very pushing lady lol then I told her what had happened & she said it could have been the fish or a supplement in the Eukanuba FP kibble you dont really know, she said start adding a little cooked boiled potato with Patches meal cause he might be able to eat potato & he was fine, so I went back to the pet shop & tried the TOTW & Patch did really good firm poos the first time in 2 yrs his poos stayed firm & didnt go soft some days, like they were doing on teh vet diet the vet wanted him on & now after seeing Clean Label Testing I think it could have been the fish, it was probably high in toxins or something else was wrong with the Eukanuba FP kibble, I have never seen Patch that bad since he had pooed blood all night & vet said stop all food for for 24-36hrs & let his stomach bowel rest, then he was put on another vet diet with Metronidazole for 21 days that made his skin itch & smell.. Sometimes some vets don’t have a clue & just put the dog on vet diets & meds (steriods) I didnt have a clue & thought they’re a vet they’d know more then me about diarrhea, now finally Patch has 2 really good vets one the lady vet is more a holistic vet & the other vet he specializes in the stomach/bowel & does Endoscopes biopsies & few other things..

My vet told be it’s OK if their poos are softer some days as long as they don’t stay sloppy/diarrhea… If Patch is eating the same brand kibble & I’m not introducing a new kibble & he’s was doing well on his old kibble then all of a sudden his poos startéd to go sloppy I wait 2 days & see if poos go good again & if on 3rd day Patches poos still look sloppy smelly awful I put him back on the Metronidazole tablets for 14-21 days, something has put his good bacteria out of wack & he has more bad bacteria then good bacteria….

[Susan]

Hi Erik,
have a look at “Canidae” Pure Formula’s, Petite Pure formula’s & the All Life Stages formula’s rotate between a few different formula’s with different proteins, all the kibble size are nice & small & as soon as teh dog bites the kibble it crunches & breaks, breaks very easily..
I do the kibble test for my boy cause he has IBD he needs an easy to digest kibble, no hard kibbles that just sit in his stomach & don’t digest then he vomits them back up 6-8hours later, you get a glass/cup of warm water & drop in about 2 kibbles in the glass of water, a good easy to chew & digest kibble will float to the top of water & only take about 15-40mins to go soft all the way thru, Canidae only take 20mins & the kibble swells & is soft all the way thru…
if your other dog is around 7yrs old the Canidae Pure Meadow Senior is a really good kibble it has 3 meat proteins, 1st ingredient-Chicken, 2nd-Chicken Meal, 3rd-Turkey Meal, then 4th-Sweet potatoes + all the supplements needed as they age…or look at Canidae’s other “Pure” formula’s, click on link below scroll down a bit & on your right you’ll see “View All” click on the pages…
https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

[Susan]

Hi Darlene,
He sounds like he has a lot of life left in him & has a exciting little life, going on daily walks, chasing squirrels, I’d say the Wellness Core Small Breed isn’t agreeing with him anymore it’s way to rich now for an older dog….Wellness Core Small breed is higher in fat & protein, probably causing bad wind pain like my boy gets when he eats a kibble that doesnt agree with him, he wakes up & is up & down thru the night & just walks around the common garden area then he comes back inside, I’d say he’s farting then feels better then my boy comes back inside goes to bed then he’s up again wanting to go out again, see how he goes after eating the Hills I/d wet tin food see if he settle down, cause he’s normal thru the day isn’t he??

I’d feed the Hills I/d low fat Restore wet canned food & also a Senior kibble like “Canidae” Pure Meadow Senior if he still wants a few dry kibble bisuits to chew & crunch on, Canidae Pure Meadow Senior formula is GF very easy to chew & digest, only has 10.80%max fat & has all the supplements older dogs need for their joints, skin, brain, heart etc, I’d start feeding smaller meals thru the day/night, I feed 4-5 meals a day 7am, 9am, 12pm, 5pm, 8pm….easier to digest smaller meals then 2 bigger meals.
You could feed 1-2 meals a dry kibble like the “Canidae” Senior kibble & the rest of his meals he gets the I/D Restore wet tin food & see if he gets better thru the night. Ask vet about “Gabapentin” capsules, it helps them sleep at night, helps any joint or nerve pain & doesn’t cause any stomach/bowel problems, if your on facebook, put “Canine Pancreatitis Support” group in the “search” bar, join then on ur left is their “Files” click & then click on the first link “Low Fat Foods” then scroll down a bit till you get to all the wet tin foods, the fat has been converted to dry matter (DM) fat (Kibble) on your right, then he can have a few different flavours & see which one he really likes best..
Here’s Canidae’s site to look at the dry formula’s but the wet tin foods haven’t been converted & probably will be too high in fat for him, when you see say 5%min fat on a wet tin food after it’s converted to dry matter 5%min fat is around 20%min -25%max fat that’s way too high…
https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

[anonymous]

Follow the dog around when he is due for a bowel movement. Scoop and discard immediately. Out of sight, out of mind. After a while they stop turning around to look for it.
You cannot leave these dogs alone with their feces.
The supplements don’t work. They are expensive and you would have to treat every dog in the household.
Do not free feed, if you feed twice a day it will be easier to predict when they will have a bowel movement.

Per the search engine here: /forums/search/coprophagia/

[carol s]

I lost Harley to what was determined liver failure. PJ has been sick with itchy festered ears and itchy skin and diarrhea for over a year off and on. No meds or treatment took it completely away. PJ’s blood work comes back he is fine but he is not. I took PJ off the Rachel Ray Nutrish and grain less foods that I periodically but recently exclusively feed them, thinking it was healthy. In fact I took him off dog food completely 2 days ago. I realize I missed the pattern that when I fed them Rachal Rays Nutrish or grain less dog food is when the problems would begin. In the two days of PJ being off the food he is almost cleared up. I have fed him nothing but my own cooked meats and vegetables. Yes, I am using meds and ear solution and bathing him with special shampoo as well. However, he has been on these meds in the past and not responded this quickly. I now truly believe this dog food killed my Harley and has made my PJ sick. After reading all the reviews of people whose dogs had all the symptoms mine had, I am saddened that I didn’t think to look into it sooner. While I can’t prove anything I am convinced Harley would still be with me today if I had never fed food this to him. If your dogs are eating this dog food I highly suggest you stop. The symptoms are not easily noticed in the beginning they can become less active because they are not feeling well. Which is what I realized Harley was going through at first. Other symptoms are diarrhea, blood in stools, vomiting black which is blood, Itchy to severe rashes. I kept taking them both to the vet and in the past year I have spent over $2,000 on medications, special shampoos and skin supplements when all along I believe it was the food I was feeding them.

[Mary G]

I am so sorry you are going through this with your beagle. I also have a beagle with health issues. It could be your doggie is allergic to some of the ingredients of the food. If you can, find a vet that also knows about homeopathy and natural diets. I was feeding mine dry kibble but he had two health scares with his heart and high glucose. I went to a homeopathic veterinarian and nutritionist and am now giving him natural foods (with recipes provided by the vet) and of course following his instructions as far as supplementing him with powdered bone and multivitamin. He is doing wonderfully well. Of course it is more work because you need to cook the ingredients and then mix it daily but I am happy to do it if it means he is healthier and is getting less preservatives. Sometimes the dry kibbble is not for most dogs and something in them makes them sick. That would be another option where you control what you give him and they prefer natural food anyway. Try taking him to another vet and ask about that. On a side note, Royal Canin and Proplan have recipes for doggies with digestive issues but you must first determine what he might be allergic to. Hope this helps!

[anonymous]

What about Pro Plan? https://www.k9ofmine.com/best-low-sodium-dog-food/ excerpt below

1. Purina Pro Plan Focus Sensitive Skin & Stomach Salmon & Rice Formula
About: Pro Plan Focus is a salmon-and-rice-based recipe that is designed for dogs with stomach sensitivities or food allergies. Salmon and rice are typically not allergens and most dogs are able to digest this food easily.
Price: $$
Features:
Salmon is the first listed ingredient.
Made with antioxidant-rich ingredients to help promote immune system function
Fortified with omega fatty acids to ensure joint, skin and coat health
Made without any artificial colors, artificial flavors, corn, wheat or soy

PROS: Purina Pro Plan Focus has the least sodium per calorie of any of the five foods recommended here. Most dogs appear to love the taste, and it may also provide some relief from food allergies.

CONS: Additionally, Pro Plan is made without any probiotics to help regulate intestinal function; however, it does include prebiotic ingredients, which can help support any beneficial bacteria already present in your dog’s digestive tract.
Ingredients:
Salmon, Canola Meal, Brewers Rice, Barley, Oat Meal, Fish Meal (Source of Glucosamine), Animal Fat Preserved with Mixed-Tocopherols, Salmon Meal, Dried Egg Product, Brewers Dried Yeast, Natural Flavor, Inulin, Fish Oil, Salt, Vitamin E Supplement, Potassium Chloride, Zinc Sulfate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Niacin, Vitamin A Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Source of Vitamin K Activity), Folic Acid, Biotin, Sodium Selenite. J-4449.
Sodium Content:
50 milligrams / 100 Calories

[aimee]

Hi Barry C,
Anon isn’t the only negative review see Cannoli’s post. I also not a fan of NuVet. I don’t see that it would harm … just don’t see that would do any good when added to a complete and balanced diet. Maybe things have changed since I last inquired, but the company would not provide me with a nutrient analysis of the product. This is always a red flag for me. Can they not provide it because they don’t know? And if they don’t routinely test their product to be able to provide a average nutrient analysis what else aren’t they testing?

Mainly I see it as a supplement for people …. it supplements their income when they get others to buy it: )

[anonymous]

Just because you don’t believe in science based medicine, you don’t have to attack those that do. Most supplements are scams and most people that have medical backgrounds know that, they just have to read the ingredients and the disclaimer on the bottle to confirm.

Homeopathic views are very different than traditional medicine. If that’s what you choose to believe. Good luck.

[anonymous]

Every dog is different, but if your vet is recommending prescription food, I would go with that for now.
In my experience, dogs with sensitive stomachs have trouble digesting potato (cheap filler)
That is why I like Zignature, you can try the different formulas and that will be considered a rotation diet, I prefer to stay with one brand when dealing with a dog that has issues.
For a more reasonable option, I have heard good things about Pro Plan Focus Sensitive Skin and Stomach kibble.
I use no supplements except a daily fish oil capsule for my dogs.
Also, I would wait till he is stable (no more loose stools) before putting him through the neuter.

[Norma R]

Myths about Supplements to your dogs food, including Calcium. Good info:

1. “A multivitamin added to the food will cover any gaps.”

The question here is this: Which multi, and with which diet? Any unsupplemented home-prepared diet will be low in some nutrients and adequate or high in others. But because there is no standard formulation for human multivitamins and they can vary greatly in what they include, just tossing one in the dish is not the answer.

Choosing an all-purpose multi made specifically for dogs doesn’t necessarily solve the problem either. These usually contain very low levels of nutrients because it’s assumed they will be added to commercial food, and so are unlikely to provide enough supplementation to round out a homemade diet. This is why “balanced” is not just a buzzword; it’s a valid and essential aspect of proper nutrition. Once you understand your dog’s nutritional needs, work out what her diet actually contains and then add what’s missing.

2. “I’m adding yogurt to my dog’s food daily so she’s getting enough calcium.”

Dogs require fairly high levels of calcium, and yogurt absolutely won’t cut it. Here’s a quick example: My own 75-pound dog has a daily requirement of 1,840 mgs of calcium, and since I use quite a bit of fiber in his diet in the form of brown rice, I want to offset any absorption issues and ensure that he gets about 2,000 mgs per day, or 14,000 mgs per week. His weekly diet alone—turkey, liver, sardines, brown rice, ground lamb and acorn squash—only provides 1,750 mgs. That means I need to add over 12,000 mgs of calcium; in other words, more than 40 cups of plain yogurt.

Calcium supplementation is always necessary unless you are feeding raw bones. I recommend using a commercial carbonate or citrate form of calcium, or an eggshell crushed into a fine powder—one teaspoon of this powder (about 5.5 grams) equals roughly 2,200 mgs of calcium carbonate. To use eggshells, rinse them well and then bake for about 10 minutes at 300 degrees; use a small grinder to make the powder. Bone meal can be used if there is also a need to add phosphorus, but many homemade diets supply plenty of this mineral.

[Norma R]

Jo R: I give my 12 lb. 1/1/2 yr. old Poodle Mix a vitamin powdered supplement. It says it has 24881 mg. of Calcium in it. Do you know if I need to add more calcium. I have finely ground egg shells from several eggs, but don’t know if I should give her more than she is already getting in her supplement. It’s called VegeDog, from Compassion Circle. Thanks. Norma

[croeber]

I adopted my rescue lab mix 4 years ago and she’s been on Merrick that entire time. When I got her she was 5 years old, skinny and picky about food. She’s currently eating Merrick Grain Free and she really likes it. I supplement with some canned, sometimes scrambled eggs, yogurt, a few veggies etc. But I know Merrick isn’t perfect so wanted to switch it up. It seems like there are terrible experiences with every food out there. Orijen was really expensive. Earthbound is highly rated here but the fish variety was on the 10 worst list on Clean label project. I’ve thought about Solid Gold or Nature’s Variety, then I stumble upon negative aspects and bad experiences. My head is spinning.
She’s happy and healthy. So must I really continue research for a food to switch her to just to mix things up?

[pugmomsandy]

This one has some guidelines and some sample recipes.

http://dogaware.com/diet/homemade.html

You can also order supplements from BalanceIt.com to add to your meat/carb of choice.

[Erika C]

Hi! If you have time you don’t need to go with premix, I have 2 small dogs, and I started today to with the barf diet. I’ve researched a los about how should I balance their food, how much to give, etc… I saw you are worried about calcium that is something easy to fix, you just have to give them whole eggs (shells incluides since they are small you can give them 1 or 2 quail egg each day) you can give them calcium supplements too, mines take multivitamins and calcium supplements just in case, you can buy it in petco, I also going to start adding to their food bone meal is in powder form so you don’t have to worry giving bones, one of mines doesn’t even like to chew bones🙄 So supplements are good options, if you have a miller you can try milling chicken neck bones to just add it to their food

[anonymous]

Presoak the food in plain homemade (no onion) chicken broth or water, skip the veggies and mussels or maybe there is something in the supplement he doesn’t like?
Did your vet discuss prescription medication for pain management of arthritis with you?
Add a splash of water to meals, don’t leave food down (free feed).
Don’t panic unless he eats nothing times 3 days, as long as he is drinking water.
I assume he will. Call the vet if he doesn’t.

PS: How about adding a little of the old kibble that he likes in with the prescription food…for now.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 3 months ago by anonymous.

[Mary G]

Hello everyone!

My 11 year-old beagle was diagnosed with arthritis on both shoulder and hip joints. The vet suggested we feed him Royal Canin Mobility and give him a supplement for that as well. We started him on it and he hates it. He refused to eat today – we are feeding him Taste of the Wild and he was doing great but this is for his own good. Any suggestions? I mix it with a home-cooked ground turkey meat and veggies so it coats the kibble and he still refuses to eat it. I believe he hates the mussles taste. He is not on any digestive distress but he just refuses to eat it. Please help!

[Marie Y]

After much research and trial and I have found that one of the worst things you can feed your dog is hills science diet or the Royal Canaan foods for urinary issues they have absolutely all of the wrong ingredients in them! Research has been done that has shown protein is not a bad thing carbohydrates are. I am feeding my dog a homemade cooked diet that’s low in fat has just need protein vegetables and supplements in it and here’s the magical ingredient that I found for the bladder stones. It’s called Lysimaccia 3! It’s amazing! My dog had crystals in his urine every single time I took in the sample in as soon as I started using the lysimachia he has none at all!

[anonymous]

I would go back to the vet, as soon as possible. You have to treat the infection first. Chronic ear infections are of a symptom of environmental allergies. Talk to your vet about what diagnostic testing is indicated.
He may refer you to veterinary dermatologist for intradermal skin testing.
Supplements will not help. Prescription ear drops. (antibiiotic and steroidal) will.
Use the search engine here to look up “environmental allergies” and see my posts

I would not ignore the infection. More serious problems could occur. This is not a do it yourself. Go to the vet.

[Rosangela d]

Hello, Everyone!

I have a furbaby Yellow Lab that has an ear infection for a while now. I used to trust a dog brand that in the end proved not to be healthy to him.
I just upgraded his food to Wilderness. Now I came to understand that home cooked is better and I will make the gradual change and add a supplemental.
My dog has been suffering from an ear infection and I have been trying different things. I now that the previous food made it easier to happen.
I bought expensive medicine prescribed by the vet and the infection is back. Maybe a certain supplement may end the infection. Any suggestions, please?

[Sandy c]

My vet recommended Natural Liquid Glucosamine, but I searched around a lot and researched before buying. Too early to tell, but the taste is a hit. The amount of glucosamine along with the condroitin and msm is why my vet said to get it. I like that it is natural and made in the USA, and approved by FDA and NASC which regulates all these dog supplements out here. Anyone try this and have feedback? https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Liquid-Glucosamine-Supplements-Chondroitin/dp/B06XRPF5H9/.

[Sandy c]

How’s you chihuahua doing so far?

I’d searched high and low for a joint supplement and came up with Natural Liquid Glucosamine. https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Liquid-Glucosamine-Supplements-Chondroitin/dp/B06XRPF5H9/ I’d researched after my vet recommended it. It is made in the USA (and the ingredients are sourced here too) which was really important to me because there’s no regulation in many pet supplements made outside of the US. Also I wanted something natural as we are health conscious in our household, eat organic, stay away from toxins as much as possible. This one seemed to fit the bill.

Just started yesterday, so too late to say if it’s helping, but my 10 yo Lab likes the taste, and that’s a good thing! 🙂

I was curious to see if others here tried this supplement and came across your post. I hope your pup’s doing better and good luck to all our pets!

[Susan]

Hi Sue,
gee your doing a really good job rescuing & helping all these sick dogs, I just have 1 sick boy & some days he does my head in when he has his pain & I can’t help him & relieve his IBD pain….
alot of people just dump their sick dying cats & dogs at pounds when they’re really sick & owner doesnt want to deal with it or owner doesn’t have the money, in Australia we have “Golden Oldies rescue”, go onto F/B & up top in the search bar put “Golden Oldies Animal Rescue” Gina saves all the old sick dogs in pounds all over Australia, they’re mainly small dogs, the pounds ring up Gina when a dog comes in, in very bad condition, she takes them out under duty of care post a post on her F/b page asking for urgent foster carer if the pound is on the other side of Australia & raises money to pay the vet bills or air flight she gets the dogs & cats better some just needed meds, or teeth removed, the real sick dogs go into palliative foster care & she makes sure their last days, weeks, months comfortable & shows them love they have never had & holds them when they need to be put to sleep she calls them all her heart beats..

While reading your post it reminded me of Dr Judy Morgan in one of her videos she’s making different meals, then she has all their bowls on the kitchen bench top & adds all their different supplements & their medications to all the meals, she has about 8-9 Cavaliar dogs a few are rescues cause when she’s making the Pup loaf she has her dog Miss Madison with her…Judy uses the “Honest Kitchen” base mix Preference when making Miss Madisons meals for a month…. here’s the Pup Loaf video & Miss Madison

Here’s Monica Segals F/B group K-9 Kitchen
https://www.facebook.com/groups/K9kitchen/

[anonymous]

Stop the goat milk, and stop all supplements unless recommended by the vet. You are throwing too many things at her. Keep her diet BLAND and SIMPLE.
Ask the vet, he will tell you. Stop wasting your money on phony baloney crap.

[Sue W]

Hi Everyone and thank you so much for your help. I have 7 dogs (4 rescues) each need a different food – 1. Chico(Rescue) (kidney disease) 2.Riley(Rescue) (allergic to Rice, Oats, Yeast, Peas, Fish and all fish oils) 3 & 4 Moosha and Rumer (Prone to putting weight on and need low calorie but quality food) currently on Metabolic, ugh. 5. Murphy has a GI disorder can only high quality wet food – was on I/D but now on Natural Balance Chicken Formula. 6. Bugsy(Rescue) is a senior who after 1 dental and 10 teeth pulled will have another 18 pulled next month – so needless to say a soft diet is in order – he is currently eating Natural Balance Lamb Formula. 7. Little Bixbi (Rescue) newly adopted – this little dude is messed up – about 80% blind, has the ‘wobbles’ falls down a lot and has a few ruptured discs in his neck so he can’t move his head up and down – has(had) a UTI was on C/D. So there it is – I would LOVE to feed all my dogs 1 food – not sure raw is the way to go however I do like the ‘benefits’ of it and I do, when I have it, give them raw goats milk as well. I want to be able to feed my dogs a high quality organic non-gmo food – but with all the dogs having different needs I am spending – 100.00 a month on K/D roughly 33.70 for 12 cans 1 can daily. 44.00 a month on Chicken canned food and 40.00 a month on Lamb formula canned and of course 65.00 for a 17 1/2 pound bag for the 2 who need a low calorie food and 53.00 on Riley’s Nutro Essentials small Bites non gmo – has NO peas- most foods are being supplemented with peas/pea fiber Riley cant eat peas or the fish that’s also in almost all foods now and of course he can’t any brown rice, white rice oats or brewers yeast – thats basically everything good in dog foods, right? It’s a nightmare!!! All I want to do is feed my dogs an organic diet without spending more than I already am (or less would be ideal – with all the medical bills headed this way). The ‘just for dogs’ food is great – but a 72 oz bag is 33.00 and I would need at least 3 bags a month just for Chico. I am at a lost as to what is best for them( the priority of course) but what also doesn’t cost us 300.00 monthly just in dog food. I have found all the people ‘Susan’ suggested – Rodney and Dr. Judy, joined the canine kidney support group but couldn’t find the ‘K-9 Kitchen’ on facebook too many weird sites popped up and nobody named Monica. Thank you ALL for your help. And before the haters – start hating- I love my rescue dogs – and I am not crying about money and no I didn’t know how ill some of them were when I rescued/adopted them (except for Chico) so I am trying to help all them the healthiest way I can.

[anonymous]

NuVet Supplement=Same Old Snake Oil

@ Bill N
I agree, and I doubt if that clause is legally binding. Why argue with them though, just store the stuff in your pantry and throw one away everyday, it will probably have the same effect, lol. Tell the breeder everything is going well 😉

[Bill N]

Hello…I just bought a pure breed puppy with the “NuVet Requirement” clause to keep from having the health guarantee voided. My Vet (whom I have been using for 4 years for my Lab/Shepherd mix. My dog was hit by a car and facing possible amputation of his front leg but my Vet saved it..He is a good and trusted no-nonsense vet) He does not recommend this or any other pet supplement. He said the science just isn’t there and told me to tell my Breeder that my Vet recommended NOT using the product and leave it there. He said if it voids the health guarantee then let it be voided as he will guarantee the product is not necessary or helpful . Needless to say I am going with my Vet’s recommendation (whom I have been going to for over 5 years in total with all my pets) instead of the Breeder’s recommendation (whom I just met and only seen once)

• This reply was modified 8 years, 3 months ago by Bill N.

[Susan]

Hi Heather,
Daisy needs a diet high in Omega 3, have you tried a salmon/fish diet yet? you write you give her Omega 3 but what brand are you using, is it a New Zealand brand? in America they tested a heap different brands of un opened fish oils supplements off the shop shelves & 70% of them were no good, a waste of money, then they tested the fish oil supplements from New Zealand & their fish oil capsule were of better quality, the whether is cooler in NZ, so there’s no damage while being made.. Oxidation occurs when unsaturated fats such as omega -3 fatty acids EPA & DHA are exposed to heat, light or oxygen…how you’ll know if capsules are rancid/oxidized the smell is awful, smells real fishy smell & the gel capsules may have discoloration… store any fish oil in fridge…
same as oils in a kibble as soon as you open bag of kibble & the oxygen hits the kibble the oils start to oxidize, they say you have 2 weeks life on a kibble, so make sure its put in an air tight container & stored in a very cool place in the house, alot of people put their dog food in the garage or hot shed…
Cause you don’t know if the fish oil capsules are good or bad, best to buy tin sardines in spring water or olive oil, take sardines out of the tin & put in a glass air tight small container, store in fridge & give Daisy 2-3 sardines a day either as a treat or as a topper on her dry food….
I would start looking for a Salmon dry formula but not Orijen or Acana, Orijen & Acana tested high for toxins & contaminates….
Have a look at “Canidae” Pure Sea formula, alot of dogs with skin problems do really well on the Canidae Pure Sea formula, ingredients are good, its high in omega 3, feed for 2-3 months then rotate & feed the Canidae Pure Sky it has turkey meal & duck meal, turkey & chicken are cleaner meats, or rotate with the Canidae Pure Elements also the wet tin foods are really good to use as a topper, read thru the ingredient list see which formula you prefer but make sure you rotate with the Pure Sea especially when Spring & Summer is coming start back on the Canidae Pure Sea, https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

or try a vet diet try Hills new “Derma Defense” wet & dry, it’s a vet diet for Environment allergies, skin problems, with high levels of Omega 3 & 6 fatty acid, the Omega 3 is high at 1.80% the Omega 6-3.96%, the Omega 3 should be around 1/2 of what the Omega 6% is, alot of pet foods aren’t balanced properly & are very low in Omega 3 & very high in Omega 6, they’re not balanced properly & cause skin problems….
Hills Derm Defense helps strengthen skin barrier, formulated to help soothe & nourish skin & coat, helps skin recover naturally, supporting a healthy immune system, works with proprietary complex of bioactives & phytonutrients, antioxidants, including vitamin E, high levels of Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids….
I know I lot of people don’t like the ingredients in vet diets, but they’re formulated for certain health problems, you could give the Derm Defense a try for just 3 months & see does her fur start to grow back, you’ve got nothing to lose also Hills is guaranteed to work or money back, contact Hills speak with one of their Vet Nutritionist & see what formula they recommend… I rotate & feed the Hills D/D Venison & Potato Skin health & Stomach, my boy has IBD & Skin Allergies or try the Canidae Pure Sea & Pure Sky formula’s first & see how Daisy goes…. Canidae will be cheaper then the vet diet… Canidae gets 5 stars on American consumer affairs site, Canidae grow all their own vegetables, Canidae is a family run business…. what your feeding at the moment isn’t helping, so you have nothing to lose..
also shampoo what are you bathing Daisy in to moisturize & nourish her skin?
Start bathing Daisy weekly with Malaseb medicated shampoo to wash off any allergens on her skin…

[Tom A]

We switched our two dogs to BCR about two weeks ago. The one dog is a 15 year old golden retriever, the other is a 13 month old schnauzer, both are neutered. The golden has severe arthritis and a mass on his liver, between these two issues we were considering euthanasia in near future. Within a couple of days of starting the golden on the turkey dinner which is complete other than Omega three and 6 we supplemented this with a salmon oil once a day. The golden is now showing a marked increase in vitality and activity. Although his arthritis continues to limit his physical activity since beginning the BCR we have found that instead of just lying flat on the floor all the time he now sits on the floor with his head and body upright paying attention to everything going on around him.

We were considering euthanasia within a matter of days or weeks, however his improved vitality is causing us to rethink this plan. The only problem the Schnauzer is having is he seems to love the food so much that he eats it faster than we would like.

We can’t help but Wonder as we read information about declining life expectancies in pure breds over the last number of years what role current dry Foods play in this. We don’t know if it is just a result of better knowledge by pet owners but we do seem to talk to more owners everyday who’s dogs are dying from cancer. Could this be a result of some of the additives which dry foods are putting in their kibbles?

Regardless, so far we are very happy with the BCR dinners and plan to continue using them.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 4 months ago by Tom A.

[anonymous]

Try boiling some chicken, chop it up, mix it with the dry food and pour water or the chicken water over it. She needs to stay hydrated. Maybe a little boiled white rice mixed in too.
Don’t keep adding all kinds of stuff or supplements, it will only make her more nauseous.
Keep it plain and simple, only give what the vet has ordered. Don’t leave food down, but offer her small meals with water added frequently.
This dog has been through a lot, heartworm treatment is hard, she still has a way to go.
She may have diarrhea when she is going through the treatment, but you have no choice, the heartworm treatment is crucial and needs to be done ASAP, it is a priority.
I assume the shelter is paying for it.

You said this is your first dog, this may not be a good match considering the dog’s medical issues and ongoing care she will need.
If you are not up for it, if your gut tells you it won’t work, talk to the shelter NOW.
There are experienced pet owners that will be better able to take care of her.
If you return her to the shelter, they will most likely place her with a foster while she recovers.
Take a break, and next time get a dog that is doing well, and is younger.

If you decide to keep her, work closely with your vet, ask if she’s dehydrated? Sometimes they need subq fluids once or twice to get them over the hump.
This is not veterinary advice; consult your veterinarian.

[Caroline L]

Hi there Therese M

I think you are right, her poor appetite is likely due to the antibiotic she is on and overall just not feeling well. Reach out to the vet and ask that he/she prescribe a calorie supplement. Its a dark brownish paste that can be prescribed to underweight dogs. Try mixing it with peanut butter, liver Kong treat paste or spreading it on some pepperoni, anything she might tolerate eating. The supplement will help with her calorie deficit while (hopefully) her appetite gradually improves.

As far as food, stick to what you know she will eat – Cesar trays, pepperoni and peanut butter. I know it isn’t ideal; do what you can. If her appetite does not increase within 2 days of completing the antibiotic round call the vet.

Its easier said than done, but be patient and don’t stress yourself out further trying to find different foods for her right now. When you do start your search for a dog food, buy the smallest bag possible and ask for any samples or trial sizes the store may have of other foods.

While Susan brings up a good point about potential stomach or pancreas issues, focus on resolving the most immediate issues you are aware of – finishing antibiotic routine, increasing appetite. If her issues eating persist after the antibiotic is done, then explore other more invasive options.

Best of luck!

[BooPacerKing]

Our vet was quite literally floored when we started describing to him what we gathered from this thread and began to suspect. The vet feels terrible because he’d had us giving our dog allergy medication, acid-control medication, and probiotics, not realizing that the only thing those meds were doing was allowing our dog to tolerate the Acana that may have something wrong with it.

After the Kentucky Ancana, not only did our lab start vomiting up the food (and eventually wouldn’t eat it), but he had also started drooling excessively and having a runny nose.

Turns out the dog quite literally needs none of those medications or dietary supplements. Those meds were merely masking the basic problem. Perhaps some owners would’ve switched foods earlier (and we would’ve if the vet had even hinted at this being related to the food in any of the many times they looked at the dogs for any of these snowballing symptoms), but we had fallen for all the marketing, etc. indicating that Acana was one of the best foods out there. And it remains the best-selling food carried by our local pet store.

When the lab refused to eat the food, one of our other dogs (a small dog who is fed a science diet brand food) grabbed several mouths full. Isn’t it fascinating that the small dog threw up later that day. Different dog, same result. Hmmmm.

As it turns out, the lab would’ve been better off eating any grocery-store brand than the Acana. We now have small bags of three different high-end foods (not Acana or Orijen) that he is currently testing. We have not seen this Labrador this happy and perky in years. No meds or supplements. And seems to be completely symptom free.

Without the science, though, we cannot definitely blame this on the Acana. But the coincidences and the severity of the symptoms on the Acana are too great. If there is something wrong with that food, we can’t just let people feed it to their animals.

My fear is that even if the science says that there are elevated levels of something bad in the food, we will be told that the ingredients are within industry-accepted levels. But it sure seems like there are some dogs not tolerating it and that it is actually causing injury or worse to others. That? Is not ok. But it could be that dog food manufacturers may shrug it off. After all, there must be thousands of dogs in the U.S. eating this food.

But we shall see. The university scientists have already jumped on board to get to the bottom of it, and they themselves will be doing the reporting to the FDA if the tests turn up something untoward.

Someone asked where they could send their dog food to be tested. I believe that Caroline C listed the name of the laboratory that tested her food.

[anonymous]

No, there are no supplements that will make a difference. I would ask your vet about prescription medication to keep her sedated and comfortable, especially at night.
You may find this site helpful https://dogdementia.com/treatment/

[Bev A]

I finally after all this time have Bittys Blood work close to where it needs to be. But now! She is almost 16 and is showing strong signs of dementia. She is deaf and blind and has been for about 6 months but has been doing well even with that. However last night it was like someone flipped a switch and she started extreme confusion. No seizures or anything , just confusion reigns. She paced the floor the entire night until around 4 AM and I put her in a small kennel to be sure she was safe and I could get some sleep. But the whole time she was in it she never sat or laid down, just walked circles. Finally about 2 this afternoon she seems to have worn herself out and is sleeping next to me. I give her canine renal support and acacia fiber plus goats milk and Kefir. But now I am wondering if there are any supplements that will help with the dementia. The vet says it is not due to her kidney disease and put her on antibiotics for possible urinary tract infection but is not one for supplements. She knows what I give her and when she saw the improvement in blood work agreed that Bitty should be on them. But it is not likely she will give me any suggestions on supplements for dementia. Help anyone? Thanks in advance.

[Brianna C]

-Amy R
I give Albert gets two capsules of fish oil a day and I supplement his meals with a couple Primal nuggets as well. His fur and skin are so silky since I started with the fish oil. He gets raw pumpkin and all sorts of other fruits and veggies. He is pretty spoiled!

[Leanne M]

My dog was on Novox Long term and started to have liver and kidney levels highly increased. We moved him over to Galliprant after researching the medication, while taking him to an internist. While on Galliprant he had two other blood test results over a three-week period. During this time his kidney and liver levels came down to almost completely normal. We were prescribed tramadol instead for a short period of time. This did not alleviate his inflammation and pain. He went back on the Galliprant and he is not only frolicking and out of pain but he is also not chewing his hindquarters anymore. For years we thought The chewing was an allergy and we’re giving him Benadryl as well as spent a year and a half researching food and trying different formulas. He has not been on Benadryl for weeks and the chewing is under control with Galliprant. It must’ve been due to pain in his hips that even the Novox was not controlling. This has been going on only for five weeks and we will have his liver enzymes tested again in a month. I hope this information helps. I felt much safer with this medication considering we had his liver enzymes tested at three different times while beginning this medication. It is a newly released prescription but it has been approved and there was testing done. it works on pain in a different manner.
The vet is not sure if he got into something or if the Novox created this issue. Many vets are still leery of this medication because it is so new. All I can go by is how wonderful my dog feels and acts and the blood test.
Galliprant at 100 mg is impossible to get at this time. We put him on 60s and give him one and a half for a total of 90 mg. This dosage is working just as well as the hundred milligrams for him. The vet had us try to 60 mg but he is 114 pounds and by the afternoon he was in pain and I then had to supplement with tramadol. That did not work nearly as well. This is a very expensive medication but I do believe that it is saving my dogs life. He is only 7 1/2 years old and has had pain in his hips for about three years.
I hope this helps some wonderful pets out there.
The company does offer a rebate.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 4 months ago by Leanne M.