[Sheila S]

Hi, I’m new to the group. I have 3 amazing Australian Shepherds and I feed all homemade food. They get Vitamin E supplement, as well as a real good glucosamine chondroitin with msm, multi vitamin and cbd oil. I am however concerned about their intake of Omega 3 not being enough. I want to start supplementing them with calamari oil as well. Does anyone here use squid/calamari oil for their fur babies? And if so how much do u give them per day? Any suggestions on a good quality brand? I’ve done research and do not want to use reg fish oil or krill oil. TY for your help

[anonymous]

PS: If this is about your 8 week old puppy, it is normal for a pup that has been taken away from it’s mother and siblings too soon to be anxious and cry, a lot. I would not add supplements at this delicate stage of life, see what the vet that examines him recommends.

[anonymous]

Just read the ingredients, what do you think? Supplements are not medication. They are not intended to diagnose, cure, or treat anything….read the fine print.
I would talk to the vet about other options if your dog is anxious.
There are prescription meds that are effective that your vet can order if indicated.
Have you tried increasing the dog’s activity level? Hour long walks? A game of fetch? Swimming? Running? I have found that exercise has a calming effect on dogs.
You may find some helpful information here: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2017/01/pet-remedy-a-natural-herbal-product-to-reduce-stress-and-anxiety/
Nothing is being sold at the above site, no membership fees, no books, no t-shirts, no supplements. Just science based veterinary medicine.

[anonymous]

I forgot to add to my post, the emergency vet that I took my dog to gave me the following advice. I had applied witch hazel to the dog’s chest rash and made the condition worse.

I would not use over the counter meds or apply anything topically to irritated skin unless a veterinarian that has examined the dog advises you to do so. That goes for supplements too.
Many allergens are airborne and are present all year round.
BTW: Environmental allergies get worse with age, not better.

[Cannoli]

Hi lovelybear,

You can still feed your dog fruits and veggie albeit not more than 10% of their meal.

As you being a vegan there are tons of vitamins and minerals that you are aware that can be added to your dog’s meat meals to really balance it out.

It’s really not hard to feed a dog meat the hard part is understanding the minerals and vitamins that fruits, spices, and vegetables have. I think vegans have this knowledge that they can transfer to create natural supplements rather than relying on synthetic vitamins that many homemade feeders use.

• This reply was modified 9 years ago by Cannoli.
• This reply was modified 9 years ago by Cannoli.

[Cannoli]

Hi Ashleigh,

You are missing a lot of vitamins and minerals just raw chicken (not a fan of raw chicken) will create defincies.

I recommend reading the website dog’s naturally. Tons of veggies, natural supplements, fruits, and spices that you can read to add to your dog’s meal.

• This reply was modified 9 years ago by Cannoli.

[pugmomsandy]

For your adult dog check out BalanceIt.com. They make a supplement to add to meat and carb of your choice. Also, there’s an easy recipe video with few ingredients. Search “Homemade dog food recipe Rodney Habib” on youtube. These are suggestions for your lab.

I would recommend further research for your Bernese. Calcium/phosphorus content and ratio is very important or wait until he is an adult.

/best-dog-foods/best-large-breed-puppy-food/

Edit: about your rough draft raw menu. It isn’t a complete diet. Have a look at DogAware.com.

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

• This reply was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by pugmomsandy.

[Jessica W]

After trying many. many types of food for my dog, all of which resulted in digestive issues, I’ve decided to start researching a homemade diet for him. He was last on The Honest Kitchen Force formula, which is grain fee and has fish as the only protein. He originally was getting their grain free Beef recipe, but he’s been low energy and always acting hungry, so I tried Force. After about a week we noticed that he was gulping a lot after eating as if he had acid reflux. He was also moping and seemed miserable. Finally, he had a little, shall we say, some highly smelly leakage, while asleep on the couch. The vet had us put him on a bland diet for a couple of days and said that a diet high in fish can cause problems like this sometimes.

This led me to decide that I need to have more control over what he eats. What gives me pause about home cooking is that every source I’ve looked at suggests fish oil as a necessary supplement, but I’m afraid that taking it regularly will make him sick. EPA and DHA are especially important in his case because he has toxoplasmosis, which is a parasite that lives on the brain stem and causes swelling, which results in seizures. I’ve noticed that diets high in EPA and DHA really help to control seizure activity.

I’m already pretty overwhelmed by all of the information about supplements. Does anyone know of something I could use in place of fish oil for my dog? Thanks!

[InkedMarie]

Jane: it’s DuMor joint supplement, available at Tractorr supply & probably elsewhere

[anonymous]

Regarding the dosage, it should be right there, on the bottle. If the dog gets diarrhea, decrease the dose or discontinue.

PS: Yeast infection? Is that a diagnosis made by a veterinarian that has examined the dog?
If not, you may want to seek the expertise of a veterinary health care professional first.
Food supplements are not intended to treat or cure anything, this information is usually stated on the label in fine print.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by anonymous.

[samlab]

First let me begin, this website that Mike Sagman has set up is superb. As you read my experience please don’t get caught in minutia of thought..just read this and hopefully this can and will help others. I love dogs, all dogs…cats too. I have been showing and breeding top Labrador Champions for over 30 years. So with to this I will assume that my input will be really about the large breed dogs and yes you may consider all dogs for that matter. I have tried all of these foods. Many work, some results are ok and others well just didn’t go well. Many dog foods since their really are just a few manufacturers, some are private branded under that specific companies ingredients, for their specific brand. I read many posts about this or that, and raw versus X.Y.Z, form of foods. Every time I try to go to the “other side”, well I end up, rather baffled at the terrible results. Therefore, I will let all of you know, grains, corn, etc. are not the cause of your dogs allergy’s, its all about the genetics. It you have a dog that has allergies, its about, the breeding. Same for cancer in dogs, it could be environmental, but less than 1%. It is indeed genetic. The longest lived dogs in the US have been on the following foods, this is research fact direct from the Doctors that did the research: Purina, Science Diet and Eukanuba Brands. To those that profess to Raw diets and rotating foods I will mention frozen or fresh raw foods (frozen still has salmonella once defrosted and eaten) is well your on your own. Rotating foods is not good either as it completely screws up the stomach and intestinal flora in a dogs digestive tract. No your not going to get good advice from the local specialty food store as these people have no idea about the foods they sell. Zero. Every dog is different and you will need to find out what works best for your dog…I will now share what typically works for Large Breeds and especially Labradors Retrievers and many others. But beforehand I will explain. I just went with another brand of puppy food T.O.T.W. over time it did not go well..at five months old and recently the same bag, the last 1.5 weeks, it reared its ugly head. Not Giardia either. I switched that 47lb boy straight onto Eukanuba Puppy Large breed yesterday, problem over best stool in his life so far. As I write this 1X more this morning per wife, that one perfect too. Grain free is not always the best way to go…..its really marketing b.s. and has always been. Even I get lectured by the top show Veterinarians! This is not knocking you or any other brand that works for you…but the finest show stock in the US are all on those three major brands above…blue buffalo duck and potato limited ingredient, grain free may be your best bet for skin allergy issue dogs. Also chopped or baby carrots, blueberry’s, strawberries, cantaloupe and even watermelon are fat free treats that dogs love too. Will add for those following: Especially Labs and watch their weight…for older dogs drop to 28% or then even lower 26%.. the in their prime Eukanuba 30/20 add 1/2 tablespoon each of Nupro Gold Label Supplement/ and then both of each the Silver Label Container for older dogs for arthritis with 1 tablet both meals of Cosequin tablets (250 count Bottles) its the a show/wellbeing secret obviously now for all of you. Also for my older dogs they get Dumor white 5 lb container with red lid a 1/2 teaspoon of MSM at Tractor supply or online (this brand only, measuring cup is inside, use the lower line mark on the measuring cup) some warm water mixed in morning meal only and boom in two weeks your going to be very happy indeed. Also for those that have a dog with surgery the MSM will heal them in two weeks and fur already growing back. The Vet will give you a strange look on the follow up…I assure you they will give you a weird look and be thinking boy this dog heals fast. Then you say its the MSM and he/she will laugh of course and say “I shoulda known”. Then they will know your in touch with the knowing. All the best always to everyone here and I hope this helps anyone that can use this information.

• This topic was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by samlab.
• This topic was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by samlab.
• This topic was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by samlab.

[Andrew S]

Which of these four matters the most to you when selecting dog food for your furry ones? Are you loyal to one brand? Several within the same “class”? Will you venture outside your normal brands if a good food is on sale? Are you a stickler for only feeding what is perceived to be the very best? Are you value conscious but need the food to be “good enough”? Is a food’s reputation a determining factor?

Just curious to know what goes through your mind when shopping for dog food.

So….I’ve got a 12 year old mixed breed Senior rescue pup in great shape and a 6 month old Pom-Chi. Both aren’t picky eaters (at all) and are currently on an ALS food from Canidae, although I’ve alternated Wysong, Wellness (Core), and Whole Earth Farms in a “rotation” of sorts. I supplement on (the rare) days that I’m out with Grilled chicken, rice and some appropriate green veggie…..They appear to be in fantastic shape and subsequent vet visits have confirmed this)

I’m a firm believer in spend a little more today for the right food for a lot of savings later in vet bills. Of course, it doesn’t always work out that way (genetics are what they are) but it’s a pretty sound principle.

Also, what’s your delivery method? Are you going to Costco/Petco/PetSmart etc….or do you go through Amazon, Chewy, Pet Food Direct and the like?

• This topic was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by Andrew S.

[Acroyali]

Lori, check out
http://dogaware.com/diet/homemade.html
This website helped me tremendously when one of my guys had diarrhea on commercial foods, but got constipated on raw (even boneless). Home cooked seemed to be the middle ground and he’s done phenomenally for over a year.
Cooked is more supplement heavy than raw, and I’ll say that raw is easier any day of the week but for health problems in the pet, or concern on the owners part about feeding raw meat, it’s an excellent middle ground provided it’s done correctly.
Hope this website helps you as much as it did me!

[Acroyali]

Melanie:
If the Kangaroo diet was helping, is there any way you could get another novel protein source that your dog has not had (venison, rabbit, etc?) There are some dry and canned varieties on the market that might fit the bill, as well as some pre-made raw diets (many raw food suppliers have exotic proteins–my cats vote for Hare Today’s rabbit chunks.)

One of my dogs had seasonal allergies completely unrelated to food. We did the testing route, and while identifying at least some of his triggers certainly helped it wasn’t a cure all. For awhile we did allergy shots and prednisone. It lasted 4-5 days and he’d be miserable for the rest of the month. As he got a little older, we worked for a few years with a wonderful vet on building a healthy immune system any way we could. We added a few things (mostly in the form of probiotics and other nutritional supplements, as well as medicated baths, etc). More importantly (I feel) is that we subtracted things that we suspected could possibly be linked. We gave him only clean, filtered water. We stopped using fabric softener (that helped tremendously!), and stopped giving annual booster vaccines (he was older, even our allopathic vet agreed with us on this) and stopped using flea prevention on him (as it seemed to be doing no good anyway). We let his immune system rest as much as we could. I can’t say it “fixed” him and I can’t put my finger on the one thing we did that did the most to help, but it seemed that the combination of factors helped him build an immune system that knew what it was doing. He had occasional break-outs, but I’d say he was 85-90% better. Just my personal experiences of course. I wish you luck with your little dog.

[InkedMarie]

Anon is correct: pick it up as soon as they go.

I’ve had my share of poop eaters and nothing I’ve tried works: the supplements, sprinkles etc. They eat raw and i know if given the chance, a couple would eat if they could.

[anonymous]

I have never tried any supplements for coprophagia, the price deterred me and the fact that they look like chemical junk? Also, you would have to give them to every dog in your household, plus I have heard that they don’t work.
PS: Has the vet ruled out medical issues? Good article here : http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/coprophagia-eating-feces (excerpt below)
Medical Problems to Rule Out
Starvation, Malnutrition or Malabsorption Disorders
If your dog isn’t getting sufficient food or isn’t able to digest the nutrition in his food, he may resort to coprophagia as a way to supplement his diet. Before doing anything else, it’s important to have your dog thoroughly examined by a veterinarian to rule out medical problems that could cause coprophagia.

[pugmomsandy]

Senior foods are actually not a recognized label according to AAFCO. A food can be for adult maintenance or growth and reproduction. The majority of senior foods are made to have less protein and fat and calories and may contain joint supplements. That being said, healthy seniors don’t require less protein and thus increased carbs. They actually benefit from increased quality protein and quality fats. And a serving of a food with joint supplements would not have a therapeutic dose. You’re better off giving a separate joint supplement. If your senior was doing fine on her previous food regimen, you could go back to it.

[Natasha C]

Hi. I have a 2 1/2 year old lab who itches constantly in the face, behind his “elbows” and between paws. He would scratch his face so badly, it would bleed. I had him allergy tested a year ago and he tested extremely allergic to storage mites. I had never heard of them before but they are little bugs that live and breed in dry dog food. There is nothing you can do to get rid of them, even the limited ingredient foods have them, so I started cooking homemade food for him. It made HUGE difference. Then, when, due to a busy lifestyle, I couldn’t cook for awhile and started him back on kibble – his itching started up again. So maybe give a try to homemade food. I used potato, sweet potato, frozen veggies (carrots, peas, kale, spinach), ground turkey. And add a supplement for vitamins. You could also try raw or freeze dried food, but I couldn’t afford that so I got busy in the kitchen! Good luck!

• This reply was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by Natasha C.
• This reply was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by Natasha C.

[anonymous]

Please do not apply anything to the skin or give over the counter meds intended for humans or give supplements unless instructed to do so by a veterinarian that has examined the dog.
You could make things much worse and increase the risk of infection.

Hope this helps:
By Klaus Loft, DVM
Angell Dermatology Service
Anyone who suffers debilitating environmental allergies tied to changing seasons, pet dander or household dust mites knows first-hand the misery of a scratchy throat, itchy eyes or painful rashes.
Not everyone knows, however, that our pets can experience similar allergic reactions — and other very bothersome dermatological issues. But our pets need not suffer in silence. Modern veterinary science has evolved such that advanced, comprehensive treatments are now available to treat a range of skin conditions.
Top pet dermatological issues
Our four-legged friends suffer from some of the same skin issues as we do — and several that we do not. The most common conditions we see at Angell include:
•Parasites, such as mites, fleas and mange (scabies)
•Infectious diseases, such as Staphylococcal pyoderma (“Staph”) skin infections, yeast and fungal infections and skin fold infections
•Systemic diseases, such as autoimmune diseases
•Skin cancer, such as Squamous cell carcinoma, cutaneous lymphoma, Mast cell tumors
•Allergies, such as flea allergy dermatitis, adverse food reactions, environmental allergies, etc.
All of these conditions can become serious and, if untreated, dramatically reduce quality of life. But the tremendous strides made in veterinary innovation, however, is very good news for our pets. Specifically, the testing and treatments for allergies now rivals human healthcare in its sophistication, quality of care and long-term health outcomes.
Unlike humans, dogs and cats cannot tell us about their dermatological health issues. So we as pet owners must look for the signs. The most common indicators that a pet is suffering from some kind of allergy involve frequent episodes of ear infections, red raised or open sores on the skin, constant licking or biting of paws or groin — sometimes causing wounds that will not go away.
Allergies present a particular challenge because there can be hundreds (even thousands) of potential allergens that impact pet health, from foods to pollen from grasses, weeds, trees, dust mites and more. Today’s specialty veterinary hospitals have access to the very latest diagnostic tests to get to the bottom of what’s ailing our pet. Among these tests is the Intra Dermal Test (IDT).
IDT is generally considered the gold standard of testing for identifying allergens that cause pets to suffer from chronic skin and/or ear diseases. IDT involves injections of a series of concentrated allergens into the skin to determine which of them generate allergic reactions in a given animal. The use of fluorescein — a chemical that illuminates the inflammation caused by the injected allergens in order to visualize the strength of individual reactions — is key to accurately diagnosing pet allergies, and is just one of the many ways veterinarians use new technologies to improve care and diagnostics.
The results of IDT (as well as a review of the pet’s medical history) can then inform comprehensive immunotherapy treatments to relieve suffering. Veterinary dermatologists rely on IDT to build customized treatment plans for patients called Allergen Specific Immuno Therapy or “ASIT” for short.
ASIT involves a series of injections specifically created for the allergic animal’s skin. These injections, of diluted allergens, are designed to make a pet less sensitive to their allergens over time. In most cases these injections must be continued for life to reduce symptoms, but they are highly effective. Seventy to 90 percent of pets experience a reduction in symptoms as a result of ASIT treatment. These treatments can be delivered even more easily via droplets under the tongue, perfect for pet owners who are squeamish about giving injections to their pet.
This treatment is very new to the North American field of medicine (both human and veterinary) and underscores just how far innovation in veterinary medicine has come.
When it’s time to see the vet
Many pet owners are understandably concerned about taking their animals to the veterinarian because the cost (to say nothing of the fear some animals experience when going do the doctor) may outweigh any perceived reduction in suffering. To help pet owners know when it’s time to bring Fido to the doctor I’ve compiled my “Top Ten” list of dermatological symptoms that should never be ignored:
•Intense itching of the skin (head shaking, running the face into the carpet, furniture, etc.)
•Biting at the skin that creates red, raw crusting areas of the skin
•Multiple ear infections (head shaking, odor from ears, scratching at the ears with hind legs)
•Paw licking or chewing and frequent infections of the skin in the webbed skin of the paws
•Staining of the fur of the paws and nails on multiple feet
•Reoccurring skin infections in the groin, under the shoulders, perianal areas (on or under the tail)
•Greasy scaling skin and/or fur with odorous skin
•Hair loss, or thinning of the fur
•Dark pigmentation of the skin that is chronically infected
•Sudden depigmentation of skin
Allergies and other dermatological issues can be as frustrating for pet owners and their veterinarians as they can be for pets. I encourage any pet owner whose animal is experiencing any of these symptoms to consult with their veterinarian.

Dermatology – Common Issues

[anonymous]

Mail-in hair and saliva tests are not diagnostic tools (just read the fine print).
Please read the blog below, nothing is being sold at that site, no t-shirts, no supplements, no kits, no books….nothing.

Glacier Peak Holistics Pet Wellness Life Scan Stress Test or How Much BS Can Fit on One Web Page?

Excerpt from the link above:
Bottom Line
“The Glacier Peak Holistics Pet Wellness Life Stress Scan (formerly “Healthy Dog and Cat Alternative Sensitivity Assessment”) is a completely implausible test based on vague, mystical nonsense and pseudoscientific theories that contradict the legitimate scientific evidence regarding the cause and management of allergies. The general concept that hair and saliva testing can identify the causes of allergies is false. The marketing of this test is misleading and contains many of the hallmarks of quack advertising. Dog owners struggling with allergies would be far better spending their time and money consulting a veterinary dermatologist for a science-based approach to helping their canine”.
Also, per the search engine here: /forums/topic/desperate-food-recomendations-for-lab/

[Susan]

To Hound Music,
I forget to add in my post above, Maggie was also feed tables scraps, what ever they ate for dinner Maggie ate as well…
I just thought anyone that was interested in Maggie’s story would watch the full video interview by Rodney Habib on Planet Paws & got the story straight from Maggie’s dads mouth….
Maggie loved her Good O’s they were only given as a treat maybe twice a week, the Good O’s weren’t talked or advertised again, people like twisted the truth & Maggie’s dad didn’t want the Good O company receiving free advertisement for a poor quality moist treat/kibble that was not Maggie’s proper diet, she just liked her Good O’s treats, if she was given a better quality natural treats she’d probably would have loved those treats instead of the Good O’s…
Maggie was not feed any kibble of any kind….after Maggie’s story hit the media, a picture of (must be the picture your talking about) Maggie chewing a red/orange coloured round moist kibble, the Good O company started to say Maggie ate their food & lived to ripe old age of 30, that story was quickly dismissed & made clear to Australian viewers, Maggie did NOT eat any kibbles & was only given a couple of Good O’s maybe twice a week as a treat….
No supplements were given either, this is a farm in the out back of rural Victoria Australia, there’d be no pet shops for miles, to buy a dog supplement would be a miracle, you’d be lucky to find human vitamins in the local shops & we only have a few Australian dog supplements & most are sold online, we are talking about a old farmer & his dog, living a quiet stress free life, smelling fresh air, country living, Maggie’s slept on the back veranda in the Summer & in the barn with the farm cats in the winter…..the only healthy supplement that came Maggie’s way was her dinner & 1 cup of fresh cows milk straight from the cows utter that she drank every morning at 6am & the baby cows placentas when born & baby calves that was born dead…
A lot of Australian dogs are feed a supermarket kibble as the base or a grain free kibble with either fresh kangaroo mince or table scraps left over from dinner are added with the kibble or they are feed what ever is shot & killed on their property is feed to their working dogs, our Pet Shops have rolls of fresh Roo’s mince & rolls of fresh Chicken Mince, sold very cheap around $1 a roll & we also have pre-made raw diets as well, it’s cheaper to feed a raw diet then a premium grain free kibble in Australia…
Hound Music did you watch the video where Maggie’s dad was interviewed by Rodney Habib?? he would of mentioned if Maggie was given any supplements, he’s a very honest farmer & didn’t gain anything from Maggie’s story, he just enjoyed taking about his old girl Maggie……

[Salz]

Hi all! I am a frequent lurker of this forum, and wanted to ask for some input. I am a pretty knowledgable raw feeder, especially for large breeds, but am adding a new member to my family next week and wanted to ask a few questions.

My partner and I will be picking up an 8 week old Dane puppy next weekend, so I’m doing all I can to prepare for her arrival. I currently have a 1 year old Dobie/Rottie mix who has been on raw since I rescued him at 6 weeks. I did extensive research about Ca/P ratios, fat content, protein levels, etc, and have always had all of that on point with his diet. I kept him very lean at a young age and his growth has been spectacular. He’s still filling out a little and will continue to grow slightly, for the next six months I anticipate, but since we’re almost there I’ve allowed him to bulk up a little over the past few weeks.

I follow the BARF model and feed meat grinds, a veggie mixture, and added supplements a few times per week, but I have kept it pretty simple for him in his first year to ensure proper growth. With the new puppy, I want to start her off the same. My concerns lie in the fact that she is a GIANT breed. I’ve read a lot of articles on Dane forums about not starting a Dane puppy on raw until they are a little older because of their nutritional needs, and this has stumped me and caused some worry. I’m looking for anyone with Dane puppy nutrition experience, especially with raw feeding. Or, if anyone could point me in the direction of any helpful articles or websites, that would be great too. Thank you all for your knowledge!

[Michael F]

Hi So Sorry to hear of your dogs, terrible accident. One of my dogs ripped her knee out at age ten and had to have a plate put in, however even before the operation we saw a holistic vet and put both our pups on Cosequin, now the new improved version is supposedly Dasaquin ( but I have not used that) and also Duralactin, even before the surgery the Duralactin immediately helped with joint pain and swelling, both dogs stayed on Cosequin and Duralactin for the rest of their lives and lived to be seventeen and eighteen years of age. Duralactin is an all natural milk protein tablet, it can be purchased through Dr. Fosters Smith and is relatively inexpensive, expecially for your dog’s size. I think the supplements with a quality low fat diet for her to loose weight make the most sense for you.

Good Luck I hope this helps!

[pitlove]

Hi Ryan-

So sorry to hear about what happened to your dog. I hope the neighbor is footing the vet bill!

As for your question about the food. I like Hills however if you’re looking for a food with a therapeutic amount of glucosamine you will need to use one of their therapeutic diets. Otherwise I would recommend a good supplement like Dasaquin. I would however consider switching to a weight loss food like Hills Small & Toy Breed Perfect Weight. Perfect Weight was clinically trialed and 70% of the dogs lost the weight. Use her glucosamine supplements like treats instead of buying other treats. Or give cooked green beans.

Best of luck to you and your pup!

[anonymous]

Water, water, and more water, add it to the food, presoak the kibble, tap water is fine. Take them out for frequent bathroom breaks. Stagnant conditions in the bladder are conducive to stone formation. Keep the bladder flushed.
There is a genetic component.
There are no magic supplements, however, there are prescription meds for stubborn cases you could discuss the options with your vet.
And at the risk of repeating myself. There is nothing wrong with prescription foods. Have you read the prior posts and threads per the search engine, lots of info has been provided.
Good luck.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by anonymous.

[Lea D]

I brought my 7 year old Corgi to the vet because she was having urinating issues. My vet tested her urine and said she has crystals and a UTI. We put her on antibiotics and on the Hills Science Diet C/D food. A month before my male dog had the same issue and we resolved it the same way. I normally feed my dogs NUTRO™ Limited Ingredient Diet Small Bites Adult Dog Food, they have been on it for 6 years and we love it. Our vet suggested keeping them on the C/D diet permanently, which i do not want to do since outside of the help to remove struvites, it has terrible ingredients that I do not want in their food, such as corn and gluten, and my corgi is food sensitive.

Outside of their food, my dogs get Nutro limited ingredient treats only and my corgi takes Nutramax Cosequin Maximum Strength (DS) Plus MSM tablets every day. My male boxer takes Fluoxetine 20mg daily for anxiety.

Could it be the water of my house that is causing it? My vet says it is strictly diet, so do you have any suggestions as to what to change their food to? I can’t imagine their limited diet food has much in it to cause the issue. Is there a supplement I can add to help reduce crystal risk? I am at a loss to what to change it to. I want their food to be limited diet, without gluten or corn, but to not give them crystals, if the food is indeed what is causing it. Help!

[anonymous]

Please use the search engine under sign in to look up “bladder stones”. and ” struvite” lots of information there that you may find helpful.

Has he 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 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.

/forums/search/bladder+stones/

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.

[heather k]

My male dog had been to the vet in December and then he had white blood cells and blood in his urine. His ph level was 7.5 at the time.. the doctor also did blood work and all blood work came back ok except high white blood cell count and I dont remember his number though. And the xrays he did showed no stones but something that loom like sludge/sediment per the vet. He was pushing me to go a special food but right now wasn’t necessary unless the antibiotics didnt clear it up. Which the antibiotics did clear it.
Now 2 months later I took in another urine sample his ph level is 8 and he had blood and white blood cells in his urine again meaning another uti. Except this time two vets put me down for feeding my dog 4health dog food saying its a bad food and they should be on Purina. But with argument we changed the subject.
both times my dog has had trouble urinating either going a little or not at all and straining and going alot small amounts to just a couple dribbles. I know thisnis normal from what I’m being told.
my question is now the vet has Aries on science diet urinary care c/d. And I’m willing to try it but I cant seem to get him to eat it.
And us there anything I can do to stop him from getting the yti?
I seen people post about Cranberry supplements, Vitamin c helping. How much and what kind.
sorry I was just very uncomfortable with the vet today who wasnt my usual vet.
thanks again

[anonymous]

I would go strictly by what your vet advises. I would stop all supplements and additives. Keep the diet bland and simple. I bet you will see positive results in about a month. Good luck.

[HoundMusic]

“Maggie the oldest dog in the world” she lived till she was 30yrs old & just died last year, she was feed a raw diet from the day she left her mum

Um… that dog was NOT fed a raw diet. There was an Australian dog, either her or another recent one that made it to a similar age, that was given kangaroo and emu (?) meat, but the owner never makes any mention of it being fed raw. And I have no doubt whatsoever that did not comprise the entirety of the diet, but was rather given as a nutritious supplement. Because no dog can survive on a diet of straight meat for very long. Take a good look at one of the pics in the following article about Maggie. She can be seen eating what appears to be round, artificially colored kibble pieces.

World’s Oldest Dog Dies Peacefully At Age 30

There was also a dog in the upper 20’s who was fed a vegetarian diet, and one I think who was also pushing 30 who ate nothing but :::drumroll::: Kibbles N’ Bits. I think the common factor in all the oldest dog cases were a combination of genetics, fresh air/exercise, and a satisfaction with their life. Lowering the protein seems to help as well, and that is not something that can be achieved on a species inappropriate raw diet.

https://www.elsevier.com/connect/controlling-protein-intake-may-be-key-to-longevity

[anonymous]

Check the search engine, example: /forums/search/calcium+oxalate/

Excerpts from previous posts:
As your vet will confirm, dogs that have a tendency to make bladder stones have to be on a special diet the rest of their lives, this is a serious condition and it just doesn’t go away.
I would comply with the prescription food for now.
And don’t forget, water, water, and more water added to the diet. Ask the vet ….but I believe this helps big time. And frequent bathroom breaks, opportunities to urinate.
“My dog had both (struvite and calcium oxalate), no symptoms till the age of 11, started with UTIs. He has had no recurrences in 4 years since his emergency surgery.
“There is a genetic component and some breeds are more prone to bladder stones”.
“Anyway, if you do nothing else, add water and take her out to urinate frequently”.
PS: Soak the kibble, even the prescription food in water overnight in the fridg, add more water prior to serving. Keep the bladder flushed. Maybe add a little canned prescription food as a topper.
Don’t add supplements unless recommended by a veterinarian that has examined the dog.
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=cranberry

[Susie]

Susan it never occurred to me that chewing things they shouldn’t could be due to pain, as in reflux. I knew they would maybe lick or chew paws. That could explain one of my boys acting out. So when your dog has reflux he wants more food?
I have zeal. I got it because the fiber is so high in the two I have and wanted to see if zeal is easier on them. I will say it is hard to soften and I have found grinding it before adding water is much better. hope this helps the original poster. And maybe since your baby seems to have lost his mojo maybe the food has too much fiber? Could you experiment with ratios as they say you can on the box? Maybe doggy needs a supplement. Mine was so low in b12 so we have a tech give him injections and I supplement with folate (also low).

[anonymous]

How old is the dog? I ask because I recently lost a small breed at the age of 16, for the last 2-3 years he was showing signs of dementia. He LOVED to eat, and I think he often forgot that he just had a meal. So, what worked to keep him comfortable was 3-4-5 small meals per day plus a bedtime snack.
I would consider consulting a specialist, a veterinary neurologist, maybe a little prescription medication would help? Maybe some more testing, after all, epilepsy is a neurological disorder.
I doubt changing foods would make much difference, although, I would avoid unnecessary additives, chemicals, supplements and such.
Maybe a grain free limited ingredient kibble as a base, you can presoak the kibble in water or plain chicken broth, it helps them consume enough water plus the kibble swells up and they think they are getting more 🙂

[theal]

I came to this discussion in my search for a quality grain-free fish-based dry food but it raised even more questions.

Specifically I have a question for GSDsForever.
Can you please explain why you say “Orijen’s 6 Fish formula has a pretty poor overall dry matter digestibility”? I looked at the ingredients list and I don’t see any red flags.

Also, Wellness Core Ocean has a very low Omega-3 content for fish-based food; only 0.8% even though it has Canola Oil and Flaxseed Omega-3 fillers.
Orijen has 2.2% Omega-3 with no additional Omega-3 supplements.
Should this lead to conclusion that Wellness Ocean uses less fish and/or lower quality of fish that was de-oiled?
Low percentage of Omega-3 can also be found in these well-reviewed fish products: Hi-Tek Naturals Grain Free Alaskan Fish, Earthborn Holistic Coastal Catch Grain-Free Natural Dry and Merrick Backcountry Raw Infused Pacific Catch Recipe.

With a current fish over-harvesting and fish prices going through the roof, food processing companies seem to compromise on fish quality to keep product price lower.
So I wonder if I should go with a quality meat-based feed and to use a fish-oil supplement instead.

[anonymous]

I thought the OP was posting a cautionary tale to warn others about the dangers regarding raw diets. I had no idea that she would want to continue this practice, especially after what her veterinarian advised.
PS: I have tried raw diets, supplements etc. No thank you!

[Catherine W]

Long background story:
I have a 2 year old Bernese mountain dog who never had great stools from when we got her. She was on blue buffalo and we always had issues, especially between new bags. But last may we had to evacuate our home from a fire and we ultimately moved, then had a new baby in September, and her stools have just been on and off ever since. They were good in July/Aug on Kirkland salmon but then a mess after new baby and my husband wanted to change foods at the same time to Kirkland turkey because of bad fish breath. Well since September she hasn’t been on 100% kibble, started with a blend of rice/boiled meat/kibble, but the rice started to go right through her so we tried oatmeal. Now she’s on an oatmeal/kibble blend. I supplement with carrots, and a probiotic, and recently I’ve been giving her a multivitamin because I’m concerned. In December I managed to get to 70:30 kibble to oatmeal ratio with great stool then explosive diarrhea for days. Basically it’s been the worst since May, midnight outings every 2 hrs. Oh and I took her to the vet in December who did a deworming and stool sample and put her on Hills prescription w/d canned which made her constipated and bleed, which we then blended back to kibble which didn’t work. I’ve tried adding pumpkin and bran buds (vet recommended) but it’s hit and miss.
Last week I researched all sorts of dog foods and decided on Hills large breed light because of the high fiber and low fat content. She can’t eat anything fatty, raw bones just cause diarrhea, and never gets meat scraps because they just cause upset.

Basically I’m wondering if I’ve tried it all and my dog is just destroyed inside and is hopeless. Thanks.

• This topic was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by Catherine W.

[Susan]

Hi Christine, yes you would be stressing out, I know I would be… sometimes a dog just can’t eat a raw diet, a dog needs to be healthy with a healthy gut/bowel & not have a compromised immune system to be feed a raw diet, I have a boy with IBD & I went thru a Naturopath to put Patch on a raw diet, I had to add digestive enzymes, a probiotic & a supplement to the raw also I couldn’t add any bone or organ meats to the diet, I added the supplement that replaced the bone & muscle meat until we slowly introduce everything to his diet…..The raw diet didn’t work out for my boy, he kept regurgitating up digested raw meat & water kept coming back up into mouth 20mins after eating causing bad acid reflux..
Maybe look for good Animal Nutritionist & she can make up a few balanced cooked meals for him that are very easy to digest, here’s the link for “Balance It” click on the “Click on” link, you fill out the quick 40 sec form asking what are your dogs health problems but if your dog has too many health problems more then 2 health problems you have to contact Balance It & one of the vet Nutritionist makes up a special diet for your dog….this way he’s eating a proper balanced cooked diet…
https://secure.balanceit.com/
For now feed the vet diet till you work out what you want to do, is the vet diet dry (kibble) or wet (Tin food)???
Have a look at “Wysong” here’s their link & contact them ask about their Epigen starch free diets in the wet tin foods there’s organic chicken, Rabbit, turkey, duck, salmon & beef these diet would have better ingredients then the vet diets have you may feel better feeding them… http://www.wysong.net/epigen-canned

[Caroline L]

Hi everyone,

Would love some help identifying a high quality low-fat, grain-free kibble for my 6 year old English Bulldog. For the past few months, we have been battling some excessive drooliness & licking and swallowing, usually in the evenings after feeding (ranges from 1-4 episodes per month). Per the vet, we are treating it as acid reflux, for now.

I want to switch him to a different food and see if it helps. He is currently on Petcurean Now Fresh (Canadian brand), rotating him through an all fish blend and the turkey, duck and fish blend. I just started him on a probiotic supplement, and he is also on Cosequin.

Does anyone know off the top of their head of a low fat (under 17%), chicken-free, beef-free (ideally single protein), potato-free, grain-free kibble that is good for dogs with sensitive GIs? I’ve been researching this for months but can’t find anything that is both chicken-free and low-fat.

Thank you so much! This community is a wealth of knowledge, and I’ve enjoyed reading through the threads.

[crazy4cats]

Have you thought about a homemade COOKED diet? Check out balanceIt.com. It helps you formulate balanced diets using their supplements. It is run by veterinarians. Good luck!

[Danielle B]

Hello, I am new to this forum and am hoping to find answers. We recently brought home our new puppy. The breeder was feeding Blue Buffalo fish and oatmeal “adult breed” with royal can in puppy mousse. After coming home we stuck with the exact same regimen and changed nothing. Our puppy developed horrible diarrhea for about 3 weeks. After putting him on a prescription diet, vet recommended along with a digestive supplement, cooking for him and adding pumpkin, it seems that his gut has normalized. It is now time to slowly get him off of the prescription diet however I am still overwhelmed by the choices here. I am looking for a dry kibble in the medium price range. I went into this thinking Blue Buffalo was a decent brand but after reading this website it doesn’t seem to be the best choice. Any suggestions on where to start my bulldog. Being a breed prone to health issues, skin irritations, joint issues, etc,, I would like to get a jump on feeding him properly now before things get out of control. I am looking for any and all suggestions on food, suggested supplements, additives, routines, etc… I also am not clear as to why the breeder feeds his puppies adult food instead of puppy food, any thoughts on this. Also, are english bulldogs considered large breed or medium breed on this website? Thank you for any and all help.

[Melanie B]

Hi Susan
Thank you for the information. I’m going to look into it further. Seems like they have better quality food than anyone else. Of course nothing will compare to home made meals but it’s becoming increasingly difficult to make a huge batch of meal for a big dog. I may supplement about 1/4 of his food with this.

Thank you!!

[anonymous]

“Despite some promising laboratory studies suggesting cranberry supplements might help prevent or treat urinary tract infections, the evidence of studies in clinical patients has been disappointing. Conflicting studies in humans suggest, on balance, that there is probably no significant benefit. And now a high-quality clinical trial in dogs has failed to find any effect, even in the the of infections the pre-clinical research most strongly suggested there should be one.
While the risks of cranberry supplements are probably negligible, pet owners should understand, and veterinarians should make in clear to their clients, that there is no good reason to believe they have any real value in preventing or treating urinary tract infections.” (excerpt from link below)

Evidence Update: Finally a Clinical Trial of Cranberry Supplements for Urinary Tract Infections in Dogs

[anonymous]

Your dog may have more than 1 type of stones, my dog had both struvite and calcium oxalate, there is a genetic component, some dogs have a predisposition to develop them.
I think the confusion you are having is that you are listening to homeopathic views (the nutritionist) versus the traditional veterinarian. The two will never agree. I prefer science based veterinary medicine. I would be inclined to listen to your vet and do what he recommends, prescription food and all, you can always add something to it with your vet’s approval. Once the dog is stable, you can re-evaluate diet options.

Did you check the search engine here /forums/search/struvite/
Water, water, and more water.
Frequent bathroom breaks. Otherwise, consult a Veterinary Internal Medicine Specialist.
The food can only do so much, most supplements are crap.
The PH strips are a joke, go to your vet every 3 months to check (urine sample).
Even with dietary changes, a change in the PH won’t show up for a month or two (this is what my vet told me).
Also, walk the dog more, get the extra weight off. Two meals a day, measured amounts, no snacks. No free feeding. If need be, 3 small meals per day.
PS: Nothing wrong with prescription dog food. http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2016/07/more-nonsense-from-holistic-vets-about-commercial-therapeutic-diets/

[C C]

Pam L, they just don’t get it. Or want to admit that their “process” is hurting dogs in minor to major ways. It is always best to avoid dog food with any added “fish oil” anyway since it starts to go rancid as soon as the bag is opened. If the dog needs it, supplements can be given with much fresher and healthier results. They don’t want any responsibility whatsoever on this issue. In order to resolve an issue, a problem has to be acknowledged. Very unfortunate for pets and their pet parents watching dogs suffer.

[Melanie B]

My dog has hemangiosarcoma. He’s a 10 year old rescued pittie. I recently changed his diet to all human food. Cooked from scratch. It’s becoming very difficult to cook meals for a 64lb dog. I’d like to supplement this by some really good brand dog food. Cost not an issue. Any suggestions?

Melanie

[Tessa R]

I have a 5 month old APBT. He recently began eating his feces (gross.) I was advised by a vet tech, not a vet, to put him in a vitamin supplement. They stated that majority of puppies that do this are lacking certain vitamins in their diet. I researched the best foods, and amazingly I already feed him 4.5 star rated food. He eats Taste of the Wild puppy, with a mix of 4health puppy formula, both dry food. I’m not sure what could possibly be missing from his diet, but need something to help with the problem. We clean it up ASAP, but we have half an acre (open to range,) 1 senior dog, and the new puppy so sometimes it’s harder to keep up with. Just wondering what suggestions I can get. Thank you to anyone willing to help!!

[Susan]

Hi,
if you can afford it, contact a Animal Nutritionist & have a few freshly balanced homemade meal made up for him, it will be better then feeding the dry Hills W/d food, the Hills W/d is very very high in fiber, maybe that’s could be why he’s drinking & drinking water or try feeding the wet tin Hill W/d food instead of the W/d dry kibble… What has the vet said??
I just posted this link on another post, google Dr Judy Morgan DMV she has a few dogs with Cushing’s, go to her F/B page & ask does she have a video recipe on You-tube for a dog with Cushing’s… I’ve seen Judy making a recipe & adding a supplement for her 2 girls with Cushing’s….she also used the Honest Kitchen base meal to balance one of her meals, I think that was the meal for her girls with Cushing’s…. also have you joined the Cushing F/B group??

[Susie]

I am interested in this as well. I have a 10 yr old Chi also. I’ve been feeding him The Honest Kitchen Kindly base mix and adding boiled turkey. I have Zeal (fish) on order because I want to try variety. Mine has IBD (not sure which one as we haven’t done major testing) so I wanted something with good ingredients and nothing funky. It is really high in fiber which is why I’m wanting to try Thr fish. High fiber isn’t the best for IBD. Anyway, you may look into THK. I’ve fed several brands of frozen raw which they did well on but the canned foods we have tried didn’t go over so well. We hated Weruva and Zignature. Looking forward to what others recommended. As far as yours lacking energy, you may want to check her b12 level. Mine had a very low level and since supplementing he’s so much perkier and playful.

[Acroyali]

Cassie, one of my dogs developed a gulping/coughing/gagging sound that happened any time, day or night, with no rhyme or reason. It got so bad that he began vomiting whenever it would happen. We, too, went to vets, specialists, did X-rays, bloodwork, scopes etc. They said it was IBD. I disagreed and consulted another vet, who suggested we take him OFF the acid reducers and try something else as he felt the dog had a horrible case of GERD (acid reflux) that had gone out of control, and damaged his stomach lining as well as his esophagus. His problem was he didn’t have *enough* stomach acid, so the acid reducers were covering up the symptoms temporarily, and making the actual problem worse and the lack of stomach acid explained why he was unable to eat anything I gave him without throwing it up during times he was having an episode. The vet prescribed few key supplements, a few homeopathic remedies, and helped me devise a meal plan of cooked food for him to make myself while we helped his gut heal. The vet did advise me, as he apparently advises anyone with a dog that has any kind of stomach problems, that smaller meals are key and larger meals should be avoided. He also suggested I re-seed his gut with good bacteria via probiotics, and make bone broth from organically raised chicken legs and give him several tablespoons per day (lots of naturally occurring L-glutamine that helps heal and seal that gut.)

[anonymous]

What is her diagnosis? Noone here should advise you to give a dog over the counter meds that are intended for humans. They are not veterinarians, and even if they were, they have not examined the dog.
If her condition is neurological, food, over the counter meds, supplements will not help.
Take her to the vet and see what he advises.