[pitlove]

Hi Theresa-

The product you are talking about is from a company called Bully Max. They have a line of dog food and dog supplements designed for working breeds (specifically bully breeds).

From what I’ve come to understand these supplements are designed to aid in building muscle and helping to repair muscle during high impact dog sports like weight pulling, spring pole, and personal protection work. I do not know for sure that it would aid in building muscle in a non-sporting, non-working dog. You may want to contact the company itself to find out if their product would have any affect on a non-working dog.

[THERESA A]

I know this is an older thread but I was looking on the internet for a solution and saw that this website recommends a product. Let me tell you my story. I have a ten year old yellow lab mix. He was constantly active and could run and catch deer at our place in Utah. He got into a brand new bottle of dog vitamins and ate 93 out the 100. That was in February, 2016. In April, the doctor put him on thyroid medicine. He was starting to show signs of arthritis. The vet prescribed Rimadyl twice a day. Within 3 days, he was paralyzed in his back legs and vocal cords. I immediately stopped the pills. He had Rimadyl in the past but it was occasional for pain. The vet would not accept that it was the Rimadyl. She blamed a neurological problems and Cushings Disease. She put him on the medication for Cushings which made it worse. We took him to a neurologist who did not have all the equipment to diagnose him. But she suggested Acetyl L-Carnitine, Vitamin B and CoQ10. He is slowly getting better. I do not believe it is neurological because he can stand up on the carpet easily but he slips on the tile and sometimes concrete. He has lost muscle mass. I was looking on the internet to see about supplements for building muscle. His diet consists of grain free kibble, meat, vegetables, raw eggs, jumbo carrots instead of bones, Vitamin B, CoQ10, Acetyl L-Carnitine and his thyroid meds. There was a website that stated Dog Advisor recommends a product called Gorilla Max to build muscles in Police dogs and show dogs. Does anyone have experience in this? Suggestions?

[Marie P]

For a good Homemade diet supplement we use NuVET Plus on all our dogs and cats..
Take a look here for more info on Doggie Meatball Recipes and more — We have a gluten free oat option too for Dog meatloaf or meatballs. Follow recipe here and links to supplements. WE use bone meal by NOW company http://bulldogvitamins.blogspot.com/2014/12/recipe-for-doggie-meatballs-home.html

[Soph M]

So, I’ve recently started feeding my 16 lb dog a cooked homemade diet. I really want to read Dr. Becker’s book about different recipes and supplements, but the book is out of stock EVERYWHERE! Do any of you know where I could find this book?

Also, what supplements should I add to my dogs homemade food? Is it enough to just add cooked eggshells for calcium? Do any of you have a recipe for a homemade dog food supplement?

I’m really new to this homemade dog food thing! I really appreciate all of your help! 😀

[Ann F]

Charisma, sorry I have not been on this site for some time. I don’t know if you can PM in this group, but I wouldn’t mind helping out. You said that Turkey was the only protein suggested with the BalanceIt. I’d check again! For a formulated BalanceIt diet, they gave us a choice of Duck or Fish. Some of their diets use more exotic proteins, low-fat cottage cheese, or tofu.
We used fish which I steamed or microwaved. For an 80 lb dog I needed about a lb of fish a day (before cooking). I’m hoping you have a smaller dog:-). I was in contact with the vet who formulated the diet at least weekly. We tweeked what was not working, and kept track of the stool changes. I gave NOTHING besides his daily food. If I’d started adding slippery elm, probiotics and miscellaneous supplements my Internist would never be able to evaluation the value of the diet. Too much stuff! After this worked we did add a very tiny amount of prednisone because the IBD was eosinophilic also. This had inflamed his small intestine, and even though he did not test for SIBO, he needed a bump in the amount of BalanceIt to compensate for some absorption issues.

We used pork enzymes for a trial after some pancreatitis. Ended up he was very reactive to Pork after a month. We couldn’t give him even hydrolyzed chicken in a vet diet. He recognized it for what it was eventually. There are still preservatives in the highest quality manufactured pet food. I think we finally did well when I made a fresh diet up. I’d been scared to do this for years, wish I hadn’t waited so long to cook my own formulated. Quality of life would have been so much better for him. It was hard to cut out treats, but there are a few you can give.

[Soph M]

I have just started feeding my adult dog a 100% homemade diet. I use raw vegetables and cooked meat. What supplements do you recommend to make sure that she gets all the nutrients that she needs? Have any of you tried the Hilary’s Blend supplement?

[anonymous]

“I foresee difficulties in convincing my mother to agree as she is probably oblivious to this stuff and distrusting of people over the Internet”

Listen to your Mom 🙂
Moms know more than you think they do!
Also, you may want to note that the site I referred you to (SkeptVet) is selling nothing there, absolutely nothing! No books, no supplements, no t-shirts…..
And the other link I provided was written by a veterinary nutritionist affiliated with Angell Animal Medical Center, one of the best in the country.
If you are going to go down this path, I strongly urge you to consult a veterinary nutritionist, a veterinarian with advanced training in nutrition.
Ps: Raw feeding is expensive, if you do it the right way.

[Erika I]

My pug was also very, very itchy and I transitioned her to raw thinking it was her food. But she was still scratching like crazy and losing big patches of hair so I now have her on a seasonal allergy medication (Vet’s Best Seasonal Allergy Support Supplement for Dogs)… and it worked! we have seen a complete change… no more scratching… and her fur is growing back. Mind you this was after several expensive vet visits and several food changes (thinking she was allergic to a specific protein) and nothing helped her. Vets Best is very affordable… only like 7 dollars on Amazon and I tell you it is the magic pill… all natural ingredients too!

Hope this helps!

[anonymous]

I don’t think the homeopathic stuff will help, in fact it may make him worse.
I would go back to the vet that knows him best and go by his advice.

Sorry, but that’s all I’ve got. I would focus on care and comfort, rather than aggressive measures.
Make sure to add water/presoak his kibble and offer frequent bathroom breaks, opportunities to urinate, regarding the bladder stones.

PS: Those supplements you mentioned are not a good idea, most supplements are scams.
I prefer science based veterinary medicine.
I have found this site helpful http://skeptvet.com/Blog/

• This reply was modified 8 years, 7 months ago by anonymous.

[Kristi D]

Hi Shane,
I was talking with a lady today that needed to create her own treats for her dogs’ issues. She was also pursuing turning it into a business. She has found a young start up company that was doing what she had hoped to do. This company has pet parents fill out a pet profile and indicate what issues the pet has going on. Their algorithm was developed by animal nutritionists and veterinarians and suggests food, treats and supplements if needed. I’m wondering if they could use some one with your knowledge and training and passion for helping pets with special conditions.
If that is of interest to you, I can try to connect the two of you.
Kristi

[Susan]

Hi T E,
if you want to start feeding a healthy diet then start adding some fresh raw foods or fresh cooked foods to his diet, chicken frames, turkey legs, chicken is the softest bone, stay away from chicken necks, the chicken necks just have fat & bone no meat, not that great, also rotate between a few different brands of kibbles with different proteins, so he’s not eating the same brand & protein 24/7…..
Follow “Rodney Habib” on his face book page he’s into feeding a healthy raw diet & feeding healthy whole foods to prevent cancer… they did a study for all the kibble feeders & they found by adding 1-2 tablespoons of fresh whole foods to the dogs bowl of kibble reduces their chances of your dog getting cancer by 90%, Rodney talks about it in the video, he also has heap of other videos, go to “Planet Paws” a lot of his video’s will be found there….

Omega 3 is a anti inflammatory & it reduces chances of getting cancer, start adding foods high in omega 3 fatty acids, like tin sardines in spring water or olive oil add a few sardines to your dogs kibble, coconut oil, almonds are high in omega 3 fatty acids, I give Patch 1/2 of an almond & I eat the other 1/2 this way he chews the almond properly its the size of a kibble give about 3-4 almonds a day….
https://www.facebook.com/rodneyhabib
Once your on Rodney’s page scroll down a bit & watch the video where Rodney’s holding up a sign that say Cannabil Oil the video has really good info…..

Take baby steps, don’t feed all these foods all at once to your dog, he will probably get diarrhea work out which ones are the best for him & you, adding a few sardines to his kibble would be a good start, Aldis sell cheap tin sardines in spring water, also add some tin pink Salmon, the bones are OK to feed, just crush them they break really easy…..
In the video Rodney also talks about when you open up a bag of kibble, as soon as it’s opened the air/oxygen gets to all the oils in the kibbles & they start to go rancid & oxides, so your dog isn’t getting the right amount of omega 3 fatty acid that he should be getting in his diet, same as glucosamine, when dogs get older people think they need to start feeding a senior food, that has Glucosamine, but you’d need to feed a heap of Senior kibble to get the right amount of Glucosamine needed for their joints, so your better off adding Glucosamine tablet supplement to your dogs diet also I forgot Green Lipped Mussels are great to add to diet, in one video Rodney asked Steve Brown if you could only pick 1 food to add to your dogs diet what would it be? Steve Brown said “Green Lipped Mussels, 1 tablespoon of Salmon & a pinch of kelp…

[Rene P]

Tripe is not an organ meat, it is considered a muscle. Also, I would not just feed chicken (even for a little while). It was recommended in “Raw and Natural Nutrition for Dogs” by Lew Olson, that you vary the meats in order to maintain a healthy diet. She recommends feeding tripe 2x weekly, beef, 1-2x, chicken(meat) only 1x, and lamb/pork/rabbit the other days. Her book is full of great info for the raw food neophyte and I HIGHLY recommend it. I’ve been transitioning my dog to raw for the past 10 days and he is already partial to his raw meals and bones. If you get the book but would prefer to make your own supplements (instead of purchasing hers), I can provide a good recipe for that. Hope this was helpful. René

[CockalierMom]

Hi Rich,

I have a different viewpoint and experience from anon101. Based on the experiences that I have had, your initial instinct of going with a limited ingredient diet would be the best to start. The Acana you were feeding had lentils, beans, chickpeas and peas. Any one of those ingredients are a candidate to cause poo issues and I would limit as many of those ingredients as possible. My girl that had problems with soft and runny poos when she was a puppy now does fine as long as I stay away from grains and a limited amount of chickpeas–green peas do not bother her. She eats Wellness Simple Turkey or Salmon, and I sometimes add a little Wellness Complete Grain Free, with Honest Kitchen Preference and my own cooked meat as a topper. My other girl that had serious food issues eats mostly Honest Kitchen and a few Wellness kibbles. As you and I both know, Honest Kitchen is not a supplement or a scam.

Although Natural Balance LID diets are lower protein, they truly are limited ingredients with only one protein and one carb source. I use to feed their Kangaroo and Potato formula before it was discontinued. My personal opinion though is to try Wellness Simple first.

[anonymous]

I have never added pumpkin anything to anything. And I stay away from honest kitchen anything. Just doesn’t make any sense to me. Most supplements are scams (in my opinion).

[anonymous]

I like Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea as a base.
https://www.chewy.com/nutrisca-grain-free-salmon-chickpea/dp/35033
Or:
Newman’s Organics https://www.chewy.com/newmans-own-organics-advanced/dp/33521

Add a splash of water and a bite of something, scrambled egg (in water), chopped up cooked lean chicken, beef, tuna….something.
Check out chewys auto ship plan. You could order a large bag every 2 or 3 months. Divide it up and store in air tight containers or bags in the fridg or freezer if you have room.
I wouldn’t go too cheap, you may regret it.
Also, you need to set aside money for an an annual checkup and lab work with a veterinarian.
Heartworm checks, flea and tick preventives. About $1000 a year (maybe less) and that’s not counting food.
Ps: Don’t waste your money on supplements, unless a vet that has examined the dog advises you to do so. Most of them are scams. I do add one fish oil capsule to their food once a day, not sure if it actually does anything 🙂

[Lora J]

Congratulations on your new dog! I have large breeds, myselfso I cannot comment on that. But I have found this dog food rating system on this website a valuable tool for finding the best food for our budget. I have found it takes some time to search through the higher rated foods, thrn shop around to price check, but worth it. Buy the highest rated food you can afford. I also supplement my dogs’ dry kibble with raw carrots and broccoli as treats for additional enzymes and antioxidents. I am sure you will get additional helpful comments here. Good luck!

[anonymous]

Garlic for Pets- What’s it Good for?

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/herbs-and-supplements/

Hope this helps.

[CJ D]

I have been very happy with Brother’s Complete, especially the turkey formula. TCVM (traditional Chinese veterinarian medicine) views turkey as a “cool” food, which is just what we need in Florida. We switched @ 2 years ago from another expensive brand. We have a 14 yr old & a 4 yr old mix breed on it. 60# & 14#’s. They are both healthy, alert, & have shinny coats with no more digestive problems. I do supplement with some homemade food too. You get what you pay for – either pay for great food or pay the Dr.

[HoundMusic]

“She’s concerned his little bit of extra weight may be causing an issue we are seeing with one of his front legs where he limps on it. We think (since she’s done x-rays, etc) that it may be joint related ie: arthritis. And the extra weight isn’t helping matters.

Here he is. You can see his tiny, knobby front legs in this one”

Look’s like he’s got some Beagle mixed in there, and if that’s the case, I’m going to say he appears to be only slightly overweight – that overly long back, over-stuffed sausage shape and “bench” legs (meaning legs that bow outwards) are just a sign of a common condition in Beagles called chrondrodystrophy. Not that he isn’t a bit fluffy, but in consideration of that body type, he’s not really overweight at all, or else doesn’t seem to be in that pic.

On that note, the limping you are seeing, despite it being in the leg, may actually be a symptom of intervertebral disc disease, which is almost inevitable in bench-legged Beagles. The first indication of IVDD coming to the surface is limping on one or more legs, so you might want to get that checked (it is diagnosed with a spinal x-ray), because it can be a life threatening condition if left untreated.

I’m generally trying to get weight on my hounds, but I find home-cooking keeps them thin, and barring that, any commercial kibble that is 300 kcals per cup or under should do the trick nicely. Also, watch the calcium:phosphorous content, meaning, no grain free, ultra high protein foods. Careful with exercise too, because if there is an underlying condition there causing the limping, too much can very easily aggravate it.

ETA: I very stupidly forgot to mention that my older bitch with IVDD does very well on and stays extremely slim begin supplemented with Iams Premium Protection Mature Adult. It’s not the regular Iams – this is in a white bag – and it’s difficult to find, so we don’t feed it consistently, but thought I’d just throw that suggestion out there 🙂

• This reply was modified 8 years, 7 months ago by HoundMusic.

[InkedMarie]

The dog in my avatar has a grade 1-2 murmur. His holistic vet recommended giving him Thorne Research Bio-Cardio. It’s a supplement. I honestly wouldn’t know if it’s helping or not.

[anonymous]

Listen, my dog just went in for a dental extraction, one bad tooth way in the back. The vet said because of my daily brushings, a dental cleaning was not indicated. She has never had a professional cleaning, so far, not recommended.

She is a senior, she has had 2 other teeth fall out root and all within the past year. This is what happens as they age.
I am not aware of any dietary supplements that would remove tartar or prevent periodontal disease. However, if I was not reassured by my vet’s assessment I would consult a specialist.
Ps: I was able to pick up that there was a problem because my dog screamed in pain when I tried to brush her teeth in the area of the bad tooth, something she usually tolerated.
Otherwise, she showed no symptoms.

[Kevin R]

I know you can’t tell by looking and no I do not think supplements would be better than a specialist. My vet doesn’t think it’s a huge issue and I kind of think otherwise. I’m just trying to prevent a bigger problem. I will be getting another opinion. Again, I was just asking about any dental supplements that are beneficial.

[anonymous]

Well, my vet told me you can’t tell by looking (re periodontal disease). Why not consult a specialist? I don’t get it. You think supplements would be more effective than a specialist….
I would get an opinion, you may be right, maybe the specialist won’t recommend a cleaning for your dog.
Ps: You are listening to people on the internet. Homeopathic views differ greatly from science based veterinary medicine. It is up to you who you choose to believe. I would listen to a vet that has examined my dog and that I have a good relationship with. Just my 2 cents.

[Amanda D]

I just seen a video on FB advocating for Omega 3’s and Coconut Oil. I’ve done research on food but haven’t looked into vitamin supplements. The video mentions increased energy, great for skin and fur, healthy weight and other things that I can’t remember at the moment. Will these actually benefit dogs or are they like vitamins for people are not needed unless the dog is lacking in a particular vitamin. If they are good what amounts would you recommend for puppies that will be between 20 and 30 lbs at adulthood? I’m getting a Mini American Shepherd this summer 🙂

• This topic was modified 8 years, 8 months ago by Amanda D.

[Acroyali]

Susan I’m not 100% but are metronidazole and (all) flagyl the same thing? This little dog was on flagyl and (if I understood the poster correctly) was taken off because there were suspected neurological complications from the medication 🙁
You make an excellent point about giving any supplements or any meds separately so if she throws something up, the owner will know what caused it.
Also, you mentioned Patch can’t have beet pulp–when one of mine was taken off food that contained beet pulp many years ago his chronic runny eyes cleared up! He’d had that his entire life, I figured it was structural but apparently beet pulp isn’t tolerable by everyone.
Chronic digestive upset is the worst…I love it when I read posts from caring owners that recognize the smallest symptom and take action =) Cheers!

[anonymous]

Natural Balance for Fat Dogs, check it out, only 250 calories a cup and the ingredients don’t look bad at all. I give a 1/2 raw carrot as a treat (not baby carrots/choking hazard)
https://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/dog-formulas/dry/fat-dogs/original

I would feed this to a senior. I might add a little lean ground cooked turkey or a bite of scrambled with water egg to it. Plus a splash of water to the kibble (a lot of dogs don’t drink enough water)
I never give yogurt or any dairy products to dogs. The only supplement I add is one fish oil capsule a day.

Increase walks, activity. Any way you can take him swimming? One minute of swimming is equal to 4 minutes of running! And easy on the joints.

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

[Althea J]

I have a six month old Keeshond and I supplement whatever kibble she likes or I have at the moment with Freshpet puppy food, scrambled egg ( I use olive oil to cook it) a bit of chicken, lamb, beef ( whatever I have handy) low sodium chicken stock (make sure it has no onion) she also likes a bit of ricotta or goat cheese added to kibble (I tried plain yogurt she did not care for it) a sprinkle of hard cheese, a bit of canned salmon or a cooked sweet potato cut into pieces. So far so good. She is teething right now so she loves ice cubes or a piece of frozen broccoli or carrot. I try to vary what I add to her kibble! I read that olive oil is good for their coats and I use this anyway to cook our food. She likes an occasional piece of apple as a treat as well. I do use bully sticks for chewing pleasure for her. Some days she eats more some days less. I try not to worry too much. Hope that helps🐶

[Acroyali]

One of my elderly dogs developed a murmur that got worse in 6 months time. We did use CoQ10 and a few other supplements (fish oil at my vets recommendation) his murmur actually improved after another 6 months. His vet was incredibly pleased and said that (in their experiences) murmurs in older dogs don’t usually get better, they usually progress. Who knows if it was a fluke or if the CoQ10 was responsible, but for his situation, I believe it certainly didn’t hurt.
He went on much longer than expected before going into full blown heart failure, and by this time he WAS on several prescription medications that helped to extend his life. (While I do think intelligent supplementation can be extremely helpful, heart disease is something I don’t attempt to work with on my own.)
Your dog, your decision when it comes to supplementation.

[anonymous]

No, your vet is right. A lot of supplements are scams and some can even cause harm.
My last small breed had a heart murmur since the age of 5, no symptoms , lived till age 16 and died of unrelated causes.
I have had other small breeds that developed murmurs as they got older, no treatment required.
Of course if he begins to have symptoms I would talk to your vet, there are probably prescription meds that would help. And you could even take him to a veterinary cardiologist for further testing and evaluation.
The reverse sneeze thing may be unrelated. Does he hack up white foamy stuff? My old guy did that occasionally, not often.
Ps: The only supplement I give these days is one fish oil capsule with the morning meal.

[caleb v]

Another question while I got the attention. If I give my dog a turkey neck to chew on will that replace a meal? or would that just be a supplemental food?

[anonymous]

Home Remedies That Will Not Get Rid of Fleas and Ticks — and May Hurt Your Pet
By Laura Cross | July 18, 2016
Do a quick Internet search on natural ways to prevent fleas and ticks and you’ll come up with thousands of links. You could spend all day researching these home remedies. The problem: As much as we love using natural solutions when they work, many simply aren’t effective at controlling parasites. In some cases these ‘remedies’ can cause more harm than good for your pet.
So before you add chopped up garlic to your animal’s food or bathe her in essential oils, check out our quick list of home remedies to avoid.
Parasite Prevention and Removal Remedies That Don’t Work
Bad Idea: Putting Garlic in Pet Food
Even though a lot of people think this a safe and effective way to prevent fleas, there’s no scientific evidence that garlic — whether it’s fresh from the bulb, powdered or in a supplement — can keep the parasites at bay. Even worse, garlic can be toxic to pets. Garlic contains substances that damage red blood cells in dogs in cats, potentially leading to life-threatening anemia if ingested in large quantities.
Bad Idea: Dipping Pet in Motor Oil, Bleach, Vinegar or Turpentine
Bathing your dog or cat in motor oil, bleach or turpentine is dangerous way to attempt to get rid of fleas or ticks. Depending on the substance, it could cause serious health problems, chemical burns, even death. Vinegar, while it may seem like the safer bet, also has its problems. According to the ASPCA Poison Control Center, ingesting undiluted vinegar can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, mouth irritation and pain.
Bad Idea: Burning a Tick off with Lit Match
Holding a lit match next to fur to remove a tiny parasite should set off alarm bells in your head. If anything, this tick-removal technique could set your poor pet on fire. You should also avoid freezing off a tick with an aerosol-based freezing gel, as you’re more likely to hurt your pet than help him.
Bad Idea: Using Undiluted Essential Oils Directly on Your Pet
Some essential oils, like citronella, may help repel parasites, but that doesn’t mean you should use them on your dog or cat. Essential oils can be toxic to pets at certain concentrations, and these substances can be inhaled, absorbed through the skin or licked by your pet. Some natural flea and tick pet shampoos may contain essential oils, but because the oils are diluted with other ingredients, they are more likely to be safe if used according to label directions.
Bad Idea: Using Nail Polish and Petroleum Jelly to Kill Ticks
It’s an old wives’ tale that nail polish is an effective way to remove ticks. Many people think painting over a tick with varnish or smothering it in petroleum jelly will drown and kill the tick. But it could cause the tick to salivate or regurgitate into the bite wound, increasing the risk of infection. So keep nail polish on fingernails — not on your dog or cat.
The Best Ways to Prevent Parasites
Want to know what will work for you dog or cat? Talk with your veterinarian who can recommend safe parasite-control products that are effective for the parasites in your area. Then make sure you use them as directed.
http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/home-remedies-that-will-not-get-rid-of-fleas-and-ticks-and-may-hurt-your-pet

[anonymous]

Not just opinion, a scientific fact. Natural flea/tick remedies do not work.

Ps: Wondercide stinks! I’ve used it in the past and found it to be ineffective, same with the brewers yeast and garlic supplements.

Believe what you want.

[Anna B]

Hi all,

I recently emailed Grandma Lucy’s to get some more information about the vitamin and minerals in the Pureformance premix. The ingredients listed in this forumula are: USDA Chickpeas, Flax, Carrots, Celery, Apples, Bananas, Blueberries, Cranberries, Pumpkin, Papaya, Spinach, Garlic, Vitamin A, Vitamin D3, Vitamin E, Niacin, Iron, Calcium, Phosphorus, Zinc, Riboflavin, Thiamin, Potassium, Manganese, Chloride, Copper, Magnesium,Pyridoxine, Cyanocobalamin.”

This was the first response I received: “Hello, Thank you for reaching out. Our vitamin and mineral supplements are supplied from a human-grade facility where we receive the chemical name and the type of source such as animal and vegetable. They are added to the food as vitamin packs.”

I asked for more specific information and their response was “I cannot disclose proprietary information. Is there something specific you need to know about a vitamin or mineral included?”

Do you think this is a pretty standard reply or kind of sketchy? I was hoping for more information about the source of each vitamin/mineral since the ones listed are incredibly vague ex. copper sulfate vs. copper proteinate. What do you think?

[Susan]

Hi how is your poor dog doing?? what did vet do is he on Metronidazole??
All organ meats are very rich & can cause diarrhea when feed too much, my boy gets diarrhea from those liver treats, Beef liver treats chicken liver treats… when I first rescued him 4-5yrs ago, I took him to the Hunter rescue second hand shop they raise money & sell worm, flea products, collars, name tag’s, toys, jackets etc everything for dogs/cats they raise money for people that don’t have the money to desex their cat & dogs, I wanted a new ID tag & a few toys for Patch & showed all the ladies my new rescue boy, the elderly ladies kept giving Patch liver treats & these were real big thick chunky black liver/beef treats, they could have been beef liver, I don’t know, anyway that night we were up all night with bad diarrhea, pain, feeling sick, I took Patch to vet next morning cause I have never had a dog get this sick, he was put on Metronidazole an antibiotic for the bowel & stomach & Royal Canine, Hydrolyzed dry vet diet just to let his bowel rest & heal, that’s when Patches new vet told me organ meats are very rich & can cause diarrhea, so since then I have never given him any liver, beef, or chicken liver treats again…
Years later I went thru a Naturopath to put Patch on a raw diet cause of his IBD & Skin allergies & he wasn’t given any organ meat or bone in his diet cause he has IBD, he was put on a probiotic & digestive enzymes & a supplement powder to balance the raw diet but the raw diet didn’t agree with Patch cause of his IBD, it cleared up his itchy skin & red paws cause we were just feeding Kangaroo with blended broccoli, apple, celery, we were starting an elimination raw diet but Patch kept feeling very sick & regurgitating the raw back up….Maybe stick with the cooked diet, I know raw is so much easier to do there’s no cooking just start with 1 lean white protein & a few blended veggies (2-3) like broccoli, apple, celery etc & only add 1-2 spoons of the blende veggies with 1 cup raw..

[HoundMusic]

That’s a very interesting and informative site. A bit ashamed to say that for all I am interested more in a company’s quality control than an ingredient list, that there could be heavy metal contamination in pet food never even occurred to me :/

Even more interesting is that several of the “high-end”, boutique type dog foods that I swore were the cause of major problems for my pack are also the lowest rated due to contaminants. Canidae, Wellness CORE, and the God-forsaken Timberwolf, which is possibly the worst commercial dog food in the known universe. It also, I think, puts the final nail in the proverbial coffin of a mystery that’s been bothering me for years. That is, why did my dogs get sick on one formula of a given brand, while thriving on another? (Science Diet, I am looking directly at you) And what could have been the reason why foods like Timberwolf would cause an immediate, drastic and euthanasia worthy behavioral issue, while blood test results were completely normal?

Heavy metal toxicity seems to fit that bill.

One thing I am curious about, though, is how they calculated nutritional value. I see that Kibbles & Bits, which is lower protein than Dog Chow, got rated higher for its nutrient content than the latter, whereas Orijen, which has dangerously high levels of minerals – I think the calcium:phosphorous alone is 3x the daily requirement – has a nutritional value comparable to that of Dog Chow. Odd.

Anyway, I sincerely thank you for posting this. The pack gets mostly home-cooked these days, but some recent health issues are forcing me to start supplementing with kibble, so it’s a very good resource to have when looking into feeds. On another note, I’m seriously considering getting a cat, so took a gander at the kitty list. Couldn’t believe Deli-Cat is still around! That brings back some fond memories of my grandmother’s cat, who lived to be about 22 yrs old on nothing but that food, and even then most likely died of extreme neglect rather than old age 🙁

[Samantha S]

Hi, new to this group so hope this is the appropriate place to post this forum!! My two dogs (40 Ib hound & 38 Ib shepherd mix) are currently eating grain free chicken and potato Redford naturals. I’m happy with the dry food and occasionally supplement with Evangers cooked chicken wet food to add some moisture. So I occasionally will add in some steamed broccoli, chickpeas, sweet potato, or any other foods I know are safe for them to eat just to add some fresh food! I know that their dry food is meeting nutritional requirements but I would like to start trying to split the meal, so rather than doing a full bowl of just dry kibble, doing half dry and half fresh foods. However, I know I shouldn’t start doing this with random foods as it needs to be appropriate and balanced. Any suggestions on how to use fresh foods I have on hand while still providing a balanced meal? I also sometimes throw in chia seeds and flax meal into my own meals as a nutritional supplement and wasn’t sure if anyone had any experience with those/ if those products could also be beneficial to my dogs? Thanks!

• This topic was modified 8 years, 8 months ago by Samantha S.

[aimee]

Hi Marie,

This recipe even with nu vet supplement looks to be very deficient.

For example for the entire recipe using the usda nutrient database for nutrient information and Wild caught Atlantic Salmon and medium grain brown rice I calculated out it contains 363 mg calcium. The nu vet supplement reports 100 mg Ca

NRC recommended requirements for a 50 lb dog are 1300 mg Ca/day Even if the 50 lb dog ate the entire recipe in one day plus the supplement the total Ca intake would be 463 mg Ca, falling far short of the required 1300mg.

Looking at another nutrient Vit A. The recipe contains 1100 IU and the supplement 1000 IU. NRA recommended amount ~1716 IU/day for 50 lb dog. If the dog ate the entire recipe along with the supplement the need would be met. But from feeding guidelines it appear that eating 1/3 of the recipe /day is more likely which doesn’t meet the requirement. To meet requirement the dog has to eat about 3/4 of the total recipe/day.

I don’t consider Nu vet to be an appropriate supplement for home cooking. When I tried to get a full nutrient profile for the supplement I was told it was proprietary and only the nutrients they post are available. This makes it impossible to use as a supplement for a home prepared diet.

Note: I had to make some assumptions when making the recipe so different values can be calculated. I used cups measured fresh not cooked and I didn’t add in the garlic.

[Angelica C]

Tylee’s is manufactured in TX. I’m feeding it as a supplemental food for my Husky and Beagle Lab Mix. They absolutely devour it. Plus there’s a BOGO on your first purchase right now if you enter coupon code TYLEES at checkout.

[Marie P]

Homemade dog food with salmon and this supplement; Here is the recipe we use for a balanced meal using salmon. Let me know if you have questions, http://bulldogvitamins.blogspot.com/2017/04/salmon-dinner-for-dogs-woof-food.html

[LEELINA M]

Dear Ashleigh,
I’m so sorry if you’ve been discouraged by negative postings. I’m also new to RAW and finding more hurdles than helpers. The problem is everyone thinks they know everything rather than just sharing what they’ve learned. I hope you are still looking into and exploring the world of raw. Here is what I’m learning and would like to share…. Obviously every dog(like every person) is different but what works for most should work for all, barring complications. I’m feeding raw with a spin. When Minnie first came home I started her on an organic GROUND WHOLE CHICKEN WITH ORGAN MEAT AND BONE. I’m lucky enough to live in an area of Southern California where that is available to me, made by NATURAL MONARCH. Knowing that she also needs other protein sources i went seeking online and now I follow Dr. Becker. She’s a traditional vet gone holistic and i like that. She has a youtube video with Rodney Habib that outlines a raw food recipe which i follow but i change up the protein. I like that this recipe doesn’t call for too many supplements. In addition i feed Raw Meaty Bones every other day. My puppy is super finicky so we’re only doing Lamb Chops, Pork Spare Ribs and Beef ribs with the occasional Chicken Wing. She refuses to eat chicken sometimes as well as chicken feet and turkey necks. She’s kind of a butthead 🙂 but we’ll keep trying. In all my research I have learned that EVERY MEAL DOES NOT NEED TO BE BALANCED! Just work on balancing over the week. Also, Human grade is best. Dog food or food intended to for pets does not have that same regulation. i don’t care what anyone else says. Let those guys eat dog grade food instead of human graded. Even sale meat is ok for animals, as you know animals have different enzymes in their mouths as well as guts to combat the bacteria and parasites that we as humans cannot without cooking it first. If in doubt just cook the protein in question and feed everything else raw. Minnie doesn’t like the taste of ground beef(youtube recipe) but i already made a giant batch so i cook it then add a tablespoon of pumpkin to kill the scent and smell and she loves it. I also add lots of parsley, kale and mint to ward off any leaky gut issues. Dogs that get sick and /or die from bacteria already have had compromised immune systems so please don’t be turned away by nay sayers. Here is a sample diet of what Minnie eats but keep in mind that she is a growing toy breed puppy and eats 3 times a day but only eats 6.5% of her body weight per day (18 weeks as of today between 6 & 7 ounces per day)
sidenote, I’ve started mixing in the rodney habib video recipe into her already ground chicken mix plus as said before pumpkin to the beef mix after lightly cooking it. The beef, i only heat the beef.

Monday… Lightly cooked Beef mix with pumpkin then a pork spare rib the Natural Monarch Raw Chicken with mix

tuesday… Ground Turkey with rodney habib mix then ground chicken mix

wed… ground beef mix then ground turkey mix then a beef rib

thurs… chicken mix then a lamb chop then chicken mix again

fri… beef mix then turkey mix

sat… beef steak with bone then chicken mix then turkey mix

sun… chicken mix then lamb chop then beef mix

Upon writing it out, i see that i obviously feed lots of ground meat but that’s because Minnie is a spoiled puppy. I feed her enough Raw Meaty Bone to have the benefit of the nice breath and clean teeth and gums plus the calcium from those and her chicken has ground bone as well and the egg shells provide sufficient calcium. I plan to introduce more WHOLE proteins after 6 months. It is safe to fast dogs for a day after that point. But right now she’s just too small and too dang picky.

Pulsing spinach, kale, parsley and other super green veggies into your mixes is also sufficient however, i also juice so i mix in the pulp into Minnie’s food.

I hope any of this was helpful.
Love, Leelina

[anonymous]

It’s not just the shampoo, or just the food, or just the supplements, or just the over the counter medications, or just the prescribed medication, or just the allergen specific immunotherapy.
Allergies are very complicated, that’s why it is best to spend the money on a consult with a veterinary dermatologist, if it’s been going on for more than 1 year/4 seasons you are just spinning your wheels trying all these different things. Meanwhile, the dog is uncomfortable, possible suffering.
Peace out.
PS: My dog is bathed twice a week in conjunction with allergen specific immunotherapy.
They still have occasional flare ups. Treatment tends to be lifelong.

[Acroyali]

Side effects and serious reactions happen with medications, too, and aren’t exactly uncommon. One of my dogs almost died from an otherwise useful drug that has helped many dogs in the past, including dogs I previously owned. No decent vet OR doctor would assume herbal or “natural” (a complete buzz-word) automatically equals safe, and intelligent supplementation for a serious problem requires the advice of a professional, as many do more harm than good when ingested on a whim.

It’s not one sided, and I guess I don’t understand why a veterinarian that can help save or improve the life of a dog with a nutritional supplement would make you so upset, but again…to each their own, as you state. I’m just glad my dog in question is alive, and I’m glad I found a veterinarian who was able to save my dog and give him a good quality of life.

[anonymous]

“Anon, I’m honestly curious…if a vet recommends a specific supplement for a specific animal (NOT internet diagnosis) and the pet is helped, what is the problem? Why would that make you sick?”

Because dietary supplements are not medication, there is no testing or regulation, no scientific research and they are expensive. Veterinary medicine is a business, homeopathy included.
But, to each his own.

PS: ER visits are way up due to people having side effects and serious reactions due to supplements. https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/10/14/dietary-supplements-lead-to-20000-e-r-visits-yearly-study-finds/?_r=0
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/supplements-and-safety/

[Acroyali]

Anon, I’m honestly curious…if a vet recommends a specific supplement for a specific animal (NOT internet diagnosis) and the pet is helped, what is the problem? Why would that make you sick?

[anonymous]

Thanks for posting, Amy W
I’m afraid they don’t believe us. All we can do is try. Maybe someone will listen and a pet will be helped.
Makes me sick every time I see supplements recommended for such a serious condition.
PS: I posted a comment with more info and it was promptly removed, that’s how it is around here, lol

[Acroyali]

I’ve used NAET and homeopathy with excellent results. NAET is totally non-invasive, which is awesome. Please don’t ask me *how* it works, but it works. My dogs’ allergies were diet related, and all but one allergy cleared (and one became much less intense) with two sessions.

Homeopathy has amazed me time and time again, but the big secret is finding an experienced homeopath who knows the science, and finding one who doesn’t write off other assets in assisting your dogs health…some homeopaths will refuse to work with anyone who uses nutritional supplements, etc. which is something I would absolutely avoid. A good holistic vet examines the big picture and doesn’t stick rigidly to one answer only. Holistic = whole!

The most common mistake I see with homeopathy is people choosing incorrect remedies, by themselves, within 5 minutes of reading about the symptoms present and not taking into account the smaller, more subtle symptoms that would point to a different remedy. Then they claim it didn’t work, even though they took no time at all to study it themselves or seek out someone competent to help them through, who will also be knowledgeable about selecting the correct potency. It would be no different than if you or I had a headache and decided to take Zantac. When we take the wrong medication for the wrong symptoms, the problem we’re experiencing isn’t going to go away, and it would be unfair to complain and tell everyone that Zantac doesn’t work because we took it for the wrong problem. If you try a remedy and it does not work, you should consult your vet to decide on what remedy to try next.

I would also research vaccines and develop a close relationship with a trusted vet who will only vaccinate your dog if and when he needs it. I would ALSO research problems associated with any flea and/or tick prevention you may be using or have used in the past (what works good for one dog may be hurting the next), as well as things like what household cleaners you use, right down to the quality of water you put in your dogs water bowl every day. If you haven’t done so yet, I would consult with your vet about the possibility of a good blood count as well as discussing whether or not a thyroid test would be a good idea for your particular dog. Discuss immune support with your vet; not all immune support is necessarily stimulating but balancing instead.

I hope this helps you and you’re able to find someone who can help you and your dog. Allergies are a pain, but they CAN be helped.

[anonymous]

Homeopathic vets don’t believe in science based medicine. You can’t have it both ways.
I would find a board certified veterinary dermatologist. Just call the nearest Veterinary School of Medicine and they will refer you.
My dog is a small breed poodle mix that started with the pruritus and ear infections at about 2 years old. Did the steroids, antibiotics. Went back and forth to the regular vet for about a year (tried 3 of them) listened to the homeopathic vets (useless). Most supplements are a scam.
So, I made an appointment with a veterinary dermatologist, she had the testing and I had the results and a treatment plan the same day.
I saw results right away. The initial testing is expensive but the maintenance isn’t that bad (I gave up cable). We see the dermatologist once a year.
She has been stable now for several years. It is very natural, the solution is now available sublingual, so you don’t have to give shots.
She no longer has food sensitivity issues, but does best on a Nutrisca salmon and chickpea kibble as a base, a bit of cooked chicken or something and a splash of water twice a day.
A raw carrot here and there.
I have owned several dogs over the years, some had mild/seasonal allergies, but this is the only one that needed the expertise of a specialist. I avoid vaccinations with this dog, talk to your vet about a rabies waiver.
They still have occasional flare ups, but nothing severe. Prn Benadryl once in a while (it doesn’t do that much anyway).
Btw: raw made her vomit and caused a bowel obstruction requiring a trip to the emergency vet.

[Jazzlover]

New to Raw

I’m seeking education from dog owners w/ thriving raw fed dogs.

We have an almost 4yr old male, black lab w/ environmental allergies (all yr around in nor Ca) – Jazz. I recently went raw, one meal (do to cost) – trying Barf World, Lamb to start. And I’m not finding it gross 🙂 Is there a prepared, balanced raw that delivers that is higher quality and ideally lower priced? Eventually I hope to be able to identify a balanced recipe & the ingredients to do it myself.

I’m also looking for wild, sustainably sourced sardines that I can buy in bulk. In hopes to avoid buying canned.

Lastly, supplements (vtms & minerals) that are necessary and have proven healthy benefits for raw feeding. Such as a great sustainably sourced krill oil (not cod), etc.

Thanks for you support!

• This reply was modified 8 years, 8 months ago by Jazzlover. Reason: grammer

[Marie P]

It’s pretty good but you forgot Bone meal and supplements. A good bone meal to be added daily – add each day – cook the food and then add the supplements in. ( Try to Never cook the supplements into the food)

Bone meal – WE like the now brand, See here – All dogs need Bone meals to Balance out home cooking http://amzn.to/2ob92hb

Also, We use this supplement daily – place in the food right before feeding.. YOU need this one 1 x per day, Green bottle in Wafer or powder, http://www.nuvet.com/81098

The Bone meal is given only 1 x per day.
The multi vit supplement is given 1 x per day.

Happy cooking

[emmygirl01]

Thank you for your help! It just so happens that I have a sample can of Raw 4 Paws in my cupboard! I appreciate the information and will try it in the future.
Since I last posted: Our guy has been diagnosed with IBD. He was on months of steroids, rounds of antibiotics and I did try to cook for him. My vet and I worked with the balance it company. Absolutely wonderful people and product! However, for my pup, it just didn’t work.
He had to have copious amounts of protein and cooking and bagging it and adding the supplements was just too much. I was not able to work him up to the proper amount of supplements from balance it. So, I ended up giving him Hills d/d venison and potato.
His health has returned and his bowels are stable. I would prefer to find another good source of food, but for right now this is working. It is an exhausting situation to try to find the right food for him. I am also considering canine caviar. There seem to be a lot of good options through that company too. At his next visit, if blood work is good and he remains healthy until then, I am going to ask my vet to work with me to use Raw 4 Paws and Canine Caviar. Thank so much for sharing your information!