[Millicent m]

I know this post is a few years old but I wanted to add my experience. As we all search for answers, maybe a pattern will emerge! I have an 12 year old wheaten who has had seizures for the past 18 months. We have been giving her phenobarb with moderate success. She never goes longer than a month without seizures but generally only has one every 3-4 weeks. Mostly, but as the budget allows, she now eats a commercial frozen raw brand with occasional dry as a substitute/supplement or for convenience when we travel. A month ago, I replaced her raw food with a new dry food. After two days on the new food, she had a three days full of seizures every 10-12 hours. Disclaimer-this was two days past her 4 week mark of being seizure free so ONE seizure at this time wasn’t unexpected. I quit that food immediately. But neither the vet nor I really believed it could affect her seizures so much. Fast forward three weeks of continuing on the raw frozen again and no more seizures. I hadn’t thawed out enough for this past Saturday’s complete meal so I supplemented with a SMALL portion of the dry food (yes, the previously mentioned new dry food). Six hours later, she had two seizures within 15 min of each other, then a third two hours later. At this point, I took her to the ER, fearing the speed at which this was escalating. Within four hours, she’d had two more, one of which was violent enough to scare the vet tech. After 5 seizure free hours, they gave her some food -one of the Hills prescription canned-. She had a seizure within an hour. After a few more hours, they fed her. She had a seizure within an hour. After a few more hours, they fed her……She had a seizure within an hour. And yes, this trend wasn’t noticed until the third round, even though I noted it after the First feeding. But that’s another story. So……..I am firmly convinced that yes, food can be a GIANT seizure trigger. Like another reply said, probably not a whole cause (but really, who knows?), but most definitely something that can put them over that seizure threshold. I’m trying to determine why said foods are doing that. The two foods don’t share any main ingredients. The dry food is supposedly a high quality food. However, I’m discovering that pea proteins are fast taking over the “high quality”, grain free world of dog food. And even though meat is the main ingredient, we can’t discount how much of the protein content is coming from sources other than the meat. Dogtor J has a theory on food and seizures I’m interested in. Hindsight being 20/20, I’d also like to add that a couple of months prior to her very first seizure, we’d been trying new dog foods because a)she was suddenly hungrier than she had been….after years of eating the same amount and being satisfied and b) her skin issues were no longer being held at bay. Perhaps our dog food’s formula had changed? It was a chicken/chickpea formula I settled on to aid with her skin flareups. Or maybe that formula didn’t change, but instead her body just couldn’t process it anymore. Or maybe the hunger obsession is indicative of a brain lesion/tumor, although that doesn’t explain the seizures that immediately followed certain meals. My gut tells me her seizures are related to her gut…..not necessarily as easy as eating better food (we haven’t found a magic answer there yet) but even due to some disorder or malfunction that’s keeping her body from processing correctly……but I believe her ongoing interest(read obsession) in food (she’s been known to eat her own poop during some of her hunger phases) is related to the seizure puzzle. For what it’s worth, we’ve returned home and had a few meals of her raw food with no additional seizures.

[anonymous]

Tell your friend to check out this website, science based veterinary medicine.
skeptvet dot com
read the blogs on herbs-and-supplements

Imo, her money would be better spent by taking her pet/pets to the vet once a year for an exam and lab work (as recommended by the vet)
Supplements are not always benign, some have side effects. I would never use those things mentioned.

[anonymous]

Tell your friend to check out this website, science based veterinary medicine.
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/herbs-and-supplements/
Imo, her money would be better spent by taking her pet/pets to the vet once a year for an exam and lab work (as recommended by the vet)
Supplements are not always benign, some have side effects. I would never use those things mentioned.

[anonymous]

Tell your friend to check out this website, science based veterinary medicine.
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/herbs-and-supplements/
Imo, her money would be better spent by taking her pet/pets to the vet once a year for an exam and lab work (as recommended by the vet)
Supplements are not always benign, some have side effects. I would never use those things mentioned.

[anonymous]

Tell your friend to check out this website, science based veterinary medicine.
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/herbs-and-supplements/

Imo, her money would be better spent by taking her pet/pets to the vet once a year for an exam and lab work (as recommended by the vet)

Supplements are not always benign, some have side effects. I would never use those things mentioned.

[Carey C]

Consumer Labs checked out the Probiotic Miracle by Nusentia and said it was fine. I have been using it for 3 months now and my dog’s condition has improved quite a bit. Wish I had known about this stuff quite awhile back. I just today ordered their enzyme supplement also. I was a long time checking it all out before I finally paid for a report from Consumer Labs to verify my conclusions about their product.

I looked at the Mercola products and quite a few others but most of the research I came across said that dogs typically have around 6 to 8 strains of beneficial flora and more than that was superfluous and could actually be dangerous. There was one strain in particular that theirs contained and some of the others on the market also, Enterococcus faecium, that could easily convert into a strain that is dangerous and could be lethal and you will no longer find it in any human probiotics at all; it is all over the web about it now. At least I haven’t been able to find it in any of the human kind and I’ve run across others that have said the same.

The best thing you can do is spend some time researching the products and their ingredients to make a good decision. I’m not talking about 30 minutes or so either. I have spent hours, many hours doing just that before I settle on anything I’m going to put into me or my dog when it is something I can’t cook up myself at home without a full scale laboratory and supplies and scientific know how to come up with what I want. I’m not one to just gone on someone’s say so. I tend to read the ingredient list on everything I buy and if there is something listed I’m not sure of I pass it by until I can learn more about it.

Most manufacturers will word or say just about anything to make a sale and it always makes me think of the proverbial used car salesman.

[zcRiley]

Food change will not help color dilution alopecia. Cover all your bases by ordering a dermatohistopathology test and a full thyroid panel test. Make sure secondary infections aren’t arising. Nordic Naturals Omega-3 Dog Supplement is a big winner in helping hair disorders. Bathe in Nova Pearls Shampoo once every 2 weeks.

[anonymous]

Just to let you know I responded to your post and it was removed?

Anyway, less is better, regarding supplements imo. The only supplement I use at this time is one fish oil capsule per day added to the morning meal.

I use a quality kibble as a base, maybe 1/2 of the diet, I add cooked protein sources as a topper. Seems to be working.
When you take him in for his annual exam, I would go along with the lab work as recommended…if anything is wrong, it will show up there.
Just my opinion, but I would prefer to spend my money on lab work rather than dietary supplements.

PS: Go to skeptvet dot com, if you are interested in scientific veterinary medicine.

[anonymous]

I use a quality kibble as a base, about 1/2 of the diet, I add real food as you are doing, but, mostly lean cooked meat, boiled chicken, chicken broth (homemade, nothing added) or water added to meals.
Rice, potatoes and such tend to be high calorie carbs, and I wouldn’t feed eggshells to any living thing, ugh.
Two meals per day, measured amounts, a carrot or two for snacks.
The only supplements I use is a fish oil capsule once a day added to the morning meal.
I have been feeding this way for a while now with good results.
When you take him in for his annual veterinary appointment, go along with the lab work if recommended, it’s the best diagnostic tool the vets have, if something is off, it will show up in the lab values….most of the time.
PS: Hope this helps http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/herbs-and-supplements/

[David K]

I feed my 3 year old, 40 pound Plott Hound a homemade mixture of boiled chicken, white rice, boiled sweet potatoes and scrambled eggs, with the shells.I give him 1/2 a cup of this mixture along with 1/2 a cup of Pure Balance brand dry food twice a day. He really likes it. My question is : Is he getting ALL his nutritional needs with this diet ? He’s been on this feeding program for about two years now and I was wondering if needed to add a supplement or any other additives or substitutions to make it more healthy ? Maybe switch up the meat and or the veggies for variety ? What do you think ? Am I on the right track or do I need to change things ? Thanks, Dave

[anonymous]

I just toss the fish oil capsule in with the meal (one a day) I don’t pop them. The dogs just eat them like a snack. It’s just a supplement, I don’t expect it to do that much.
More isn’t always better, some supplements have side effects.

[Krista B]

Do you guys think an added 5% from veggies are ok? It’s not throwing off the balance in my opinion because I would still be feeding the same amount of food as if I wasn’t feeding them. The total I’m feeding now is 10% from supplemental oils and treats and 5% from veggies. Does this sound balanced to you guys? I’ve decided not to add the sardines and just stick with the fish oil. I’ve read that Karen Becker says it’s ok for 15% to be from extras, but no more than that. In the article in said up to 15% but preferably less than 10%. I’ll post it below.

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/3634992

[Bobby dog]

Check out the info from the UC Davis link in my post. They have a good example of the 10% rule. You’ll have to do some math to figure out your unbalanced food/supplement calories.

The only unbalanced items in my dog’s diet are the fresh foods and treats. I don’t add any supplements. So far all yearly exams are good for my dog and his meals are balanced so I do not feel the need to add any vitamins/supplements to his diet.

[Krista B]

I re read what you wrote and it makes more sense now. So I guess supplemental oils etc. count toward the 10% rule. ;( darn she’s already at her limit then. I might remove the veggies I have been adding because that adds an extra 5%. I did talk to several vets and they said 15% was ok but I wouldn’t imagine more would be balanced. My vet also said he loves it if you can add veggies to the diet. I still feel the 10% might be a bit more balanced than 15% though. What would you do, leave the veggies or remove them?

[Krista B]

Ok thanks, so when you say 10% do you mean total? For example her supplemental oils and supplements make up 7% of he diet, treats make up 3% of the diet. I’ve been adding some veggies which make up 5% of the diet. If I added one sardine to her AM meal three times per week it would be another 5% of her diet. All of this would total to 20% extras. (Not by volume, by calories.) is this ok or should I keep it to 10% only?

[Krista B]

Ok, thanks so much! So 25% sounds ok to you then? I’ve read the same but I just wasn’t sure. I actually have his book! He also recommends beef heart and eggs but I like that the sardines have the calcium in them plus EPA and DHA. In his book he says 15% of the diet (one abc day) can be unbalanced but I’m not sure if he’s accounting for treats and supplemental oils given.. I do think 30% would be too high, maybe that why he just says one day.

[Krista B]

Hi,

What toppers do you guys use to too dry kibble? Right now I’m using some canned dog food as a topper. I like that it’s complete and balanced and I don’t need to worry about unbalancing the diet. Are there any other toppers I could use that wouldn’t unbalance the diet too much? I was thinking of using some sardines a few times a week. Here’s the thing 15% of her diet is currently already compromised of treats, veggies, and supplements. If added the sardines it would bring the percentage up to 25% coming from extras other than kibble/canned. Is this ok to do.. or is this unlamced? I read 15% should be the maximum Amount you should have as extras…I like the idea of sardines thought because it already has calcium in it plus EPA and DHA.

Thanks!

[Marie P]

I have had great luck with the NuVET Plus daily supplement and also Avoderm Dog food. WE are using the lamb Avoderm food for our seniors and allergy prone pooches..

Avoderm is easy to digest and high quality, See here http://amzn.to/2nmXqY6

NuVET Skin-Coat and Allergy supplement for dogs, see here http://www.nuvet.com/81098 ( Give 1 per day long term as it will strengthen the immune system and help fight off allergens ) If you use order code 81098 they give a 60-day money back guarantee and 15 % off the auto ship program. we get ours every 90 days on auto ship.

[lavieenrawCO]

Hi Cindy,

Kaitlyn here from La Vie en Raw. We are a brand new company here in Colorado and we’re excited that you’re interested in our products! A little about the food. It is all 100% raised the way nature intended. Our farmer has been doing this for over 30 years. He runs a small family farm in upstate New York and is a former K9 police handler, breeder, and trainer. Every single animal is raised and slaughtered specifically for our raw dog food. He does not source out the “good cuts to humans” and leave the scraps for the dogs. He eats, sleeps and breathes this product. All of the products are small-batch and flash frozen after processing to lock in nutrients. They remain that way until you feed your pup.

Everything is organically raised, grass-fed, and free range. The animals are never diseased or rendered, and there are never any hormones, antibiotics, or steroids in any of our products. The only thing added outside of the meat is a mixture of supplements (which is also completely optional). The supplements are things like naturally pressed krill oil, chia seeds, four different probiotics, and more, which make the food complete and balanced. This too, our farmer has been perfecting with a holistic veterinarian for over the last three decades.

This is truly our passion and a labor of love for us. After having fur babies with various digestive issues, we searched extensively for the right raw food. Our desire is to provide dog owners in Colorado with the best food for their pup at fair and affordable prices, and one of our most important tenets as a business is complete transparency about where our food comes from.

I’d be happy to answer any questions you may have via email at [email protected], on Facebook messenger, or at 720-375-1544. We’d also be happy to provide you with a free sample of one of our products so your pup can test it out!

[M N]

Louise, I appreciate your input. I think you may have the food I mentioned confused with something else…

Salmon Meal, Menhaden Fish Meal, Dried Potato, Dried Peas, Sweet Potato, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Potato Protein, Flaxseed Meal, Brewers Dried Yeast, Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Dried Egg Product, Canola Oil, Natural Flavors, Salt, Lecithin, Choline Chloride, Dried Chicory Root, L-Carnitine, Dried Carrots, Dried Cranberries, Dried Blueberries, Yucca Schidigera extract, Ascorbic Acid, Minerals (Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Vitamins (Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Yeast Culture, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus Niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Trichoderma Longibrachiatum Fermentation Extract, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Extract.

Metabolized Energy – AS FED- 1835 kcal/lb
Crude Protein Minimum 32.0%
Crude Fat Minimum 18.0%
Crude Fiber Maximum 5.5%
Total Ash 8.2%
Moisture Maximum 12.0%
Calcium Minimum 1.2%
Phosphorous Minimum 1.0%
Average Calcium 1.29%
Average Phosphorus 1.03%
Vitamin A Minimum 10,000 Iu/Kg
Vitamin E Minimum 80 Iu/Kg
Chondroitin Minimum 90 Mg/Kg*
Glucosamine Minimum 120 Mg/Kg*
DHA Minimum 0.05%*
EPA Minimum 0.01%*
Vitamin C Minimum 25 Mg/Kg*
Omega-6 Fatty Acid Minimum 3.5%*
Omega-3 Fatty Acid Minimum 1.5%*

Black Gold does have some grain inclusive formulas that do not interest me. They list digestibility for those in the low to mid 80s, which is what I would expect from a grain inclusive food.

[Susan]

Hi, Canidae has brought out a few new grain free formula’s one is Pure Meadow Senior, my neighbor just order a bag of the Canidae Pure Meadow & it smells & looks really good, she gave me 2 kibbles so I could do my kibble test to see if the kibble digest easy & yes after soaking the 2 kibbles in very warm water the kibbles were soft all the way thru in
15-minutes, so very easy to digest, my boy has IBD & can’t eat chicken 🙁 so I’m looking at the new Canidae Pure Wild Boar….
Ingredient’s Canidae Pure Meadow Senior are, Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, peas, potatoes, a 50-75lb dog only needs 2 & 1/2 cups per day…
There’s also “Holistic Select” Chicken Meal & Rice Senior Health, same the kibble digest real easy was soft within 15mins….
Holistic Select Senior Ingredients are, Chicken Meal, Ground Brown Rice, Ground White Rice, Oatmeal, Chicken Fat, Anchovy & Sardine Meal….
You could rotate between the 2 kibbles, Holistic Select Senior has grains & Canidae Senior is grain Free the fat is 10%min in both kibbles & protein is around 26 to 28% min…
Just make sure when changing from your old kibble you look for new kibble around the same amount of fat, protein & fiber %, you can go up a few percent but don’t go from feeding a kibble that was 20% protein to a kibble with 30 + % protein, same with the fat % don’t go from 10-12% fat up to 17-20% fat….You can get some digest problems but your dog might be fine & is OK..
Canidae- http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products
Holistic Select- http://holisticselect.com.au/recipes.aspx?pet=dog
I feed my senior boy he’s 8yrs old “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb & he gets a cooked meal for dinner or lunch about 5 times a week + Yakult probiotic drink, Almonds & apple, a few peeled pieces apple as a treat, tin salmon in spring water with sweet potato, K-9 Natural Green Lipped Mussels treats, just make sure you give foods that are high in omega 3 fatty acids, & supplements for joints like Green lipped Mussel + Turmeric, Sasha’s Blend, Rose Hip Vital, there’s a few on the market, make sure you give with food they can cause stomach reflux….
Dr Peter Dobias has just brought out a new Omega 3 oil supplement, that has no mercury made from Calamari, it took him 2-3 years to make, it’s all on his F/B page Called “Dr Peter Dobias, Natural Healing For Dogs” he has a 15-16yr old dog that runs around like he’s a puppy same as my 8yr old he runs & acts like a young puppy…. Diet is the key to a healthy dog…

[Kate P]

My 9 year old mutt has Adenocarcinoma. She was diagnosed 30 weeks ago and was only given 10 weeks at best to live. She is thin and always hungry but has a belly the size of a walnut after a bypass. She eats wet food and uses Raw Goat’s Milk by Answers for supplements. She is just hungry all the time. Does anyone have any recommendations for food that can keep her full, are full of nutrients to help her gain weight, and won’t be heavy on her stomach? Any help or recommendations are appreciated.

[anonymous]

Other than consulting a veterinary dermatologist that has examined and done the testing to diagnose your dog. Noone can, nor should they try to give you specific advice as to how to treat your dog.

Also, you may be making matters worse by using OTC medications, supplements, ear drop solutions and such. Not prescribed by an examining veterinarian.

There is effective treatment for environmental allergies but, it tends to be lifelong. Environmental allergies don’t just go away, there is no cure
If you have not had significant results from treatment prescribed by your regular vet and the symptoms have been going on for 1 year/4seasons, I would make an appointment with a specialist.

[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 8 years, 9 months ago by Cannoli.
• This reply was modified 8 years, 9 months 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 8 years, 9 months 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 8 years, 9 months 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 8 years, 9 months 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 8 years, 9 months ago by samlab.
• This topic was modified 8 years, 9 months ago by samlab.
• This topic was modified 8 years, 9 months 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 8 years, 9 months 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 8 years, 10 months ago by Natasha C.
• This reply was modified 8 years, 10 months 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 8 years, 10 months 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.