[Cannoli]

for those who feed raw and money is not a problem i highly recommend this company.

i have fed both the wagyu beef and organic grass fed patties to my pup and he loves it.

been around since 1920s and have great reviews.

since it’s meat for human consumption they are highly inspected so it will put you to ease regarding contamination.

of course you will need to add organic supplements to meet the requirements but damn is their meat tasty

[alexis w]

my dog refused to eat the food after i put dinovite on it and when i gave her the lickochops she gagged and choked on it, i didnt even think to check the expiration dates on it! i just sent it back for a refund. now i am using Nupro supplement, seems to be much higher quality

[Haley H]

Scared D, I’m not quite sure what you mean with TOTW being trash…it seems to have 5 star ratings on the adult food and the puppy is 4 star, which isn’t terrible…I’d love to hear your thoughts on why it may be trash though. My parents, who’ve raised and owned great pyrenees for 25+ years have been using it since it came out with great results…a dog of ours had a vet tell us he would only live 5 or 6 years, and he lived to be almost 14…practically unheard of in the giant breeds…we attribute this to TOTW and of course, love. (And fresh, raw supplements ). So I’d love to hear your opinion on that.

In terms of annamaet being a rip off, is there a better place to find a good deal besides chewy’s $85 price tag? I’m located in northern California.

I couldn’t find any info on dfa about abady either, and it seems their website is down.

I’m all ears for your thoughts. 🙂

I posted another topic that no one has replied back to yet, it was my first post and I may have put it in the wrong forum. Here’s a link to it.

/forums/topic/the-thyroid-gland-in-gullets-and-trachea/

Thanks for your thoughts too! 🙂

[Susan]

Hi, its cheaper & more healthy making your own fresh home cooked meals then buying wet tin foods, especially when you have a German Shepherd, he’ll prefer nice cooked meals….. I make up batches weekly sometimes enough for a fortnight & freeze…..heaps of recipes online…. go on You Tube & look for “Dr Judy Morgan recipes” I think its her husband he’s always cooking up something & very easy if you get a crock pot or a big pot….. I make the meat loaf & make into 1/2 cup size rissoles & bake in oven…. Dr Morgan also has the supplements to balance the meals when your ready to feed….. http://www.drjudymorgan.com/articles/food-therapy/
Dr Judy Morgan uses the Honest Kitchen base mixes as well you just add your meat….it will work out cheaper then tin foods at $4 a tin… I eat what Patch is eating when I cook up the batches of meals.. http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/dog-food

[Bev A]

Thanks Shawna, The vet said she wasn’t really concerned about the creatinin but if I can stay on top of it, that is what I will do. Her BUN was 77 when we first started with the supplements. I didn’t tell her I had started them as she was not really wanting to do that. But I knew she would die otherwise. I had been putting her in diapers and no longer have to do that so feel we are getting somewhere. Her teeth are bad, but at 14 and kidney troubles too she really is not wanting to give her anything to put her out to get rid of the teeth. She had started sneezing so much, maybe from infection right at nasal passage. We gave
antibiotics and that worked. Thanks so much for your advice. You are awesome!

[Coonhound Mama]

Hi Jen T:

Good for you for taking the big step to homemade! I don’t think you will be disappointed 🙂 I would however recommend varying your recipe as much as your budget will allow with different proteins, meats, vegetables and fruits. I’m not seeing any bone meal in your recipes, either, which is crucial in providing calcium when feeding boneless meats. Off the top of my head I would definitely recommend adding bone meal, vitamin E, fish oil (or whole sardines) and a green superfood supplement such as spirulina or wheatgrass. You may want to add in a canine multivitamin just to cover any bases. A great resource for cooked homemade diets is Dr. Karen Becker’s Real Food for Healthy Dogs and Cats. It breaks everything down for you into manageable, complete and balanced recipes.

[Bev A]

Hi Shawna, I am still dealing with kidney problems with Little Bit but her BUN is sloly coming down. It is now down to 52. Still way to high but the supplements you suggested are slowly working and she acts like she feels much better. Other than people food about the only thing she will eat is Evanger’s canned Buffalo. Her creatinine is slowly creeping up and is at 1.6. They say normal is 0.3-1.4, so I am wondering if there is a supplement I can add to the nitrogen trapping for this as well. She was 14 at the end of November. Thanks so much!

[anonymously]

I would listen to your vet or consult an Internal Medicine Specialist. I think your money would be better spent that way rather rather than going homeopathic.

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

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/homeopathy/

Prognosis
“Even with treatment, it is possible that only the cystic form of Giardia has been removed from the feces, while the infective trophozoite form in the dog’s small intestine remains. In other words, fecal tests for Giardia can be negative, but the parasites still can live inside the dog’s gastrointestinal tract, making those dogs a source of potential infection for other animals, and possibly for people. Giardia is rarely deadly in otherwise healthy dogs. Dogs infected with this parasite typically have flu-like symptoms that eventually resolve”.
Above paragraph is an excerpt from:
http://www.petwave.com/Dogs/Health/Giardia/Treatment.aspx

[alexis w]

i have, with the supplement they do, they are very close without it but there are a few vitamins that are lacking. i haven’t been doing this for very long and am still tweaking everything and as i get better at it the recipes will be more complete on their own and the supplement will be less and less necessary. they meet the standards for the amino acids and about 75% of the vitamins and the rest are covered with the supplement. I use this site to get a break down of the nutrients that are in it and then i compare them to the AAFCO standards and then add in what nutrients are added with the supplement. I was using the Dinovite supplement and they have a recipe that they recommend to use with it that is just ground beef, rice and eggs which seemed really unbalanced to me so I started coming up with my own and switched to Nupro which has been around a lot longer and has way better reviews from people that have been doing homemade food for years as well as from vets I have talked to. Here is the site I use to get the nutrient breakdown: http://nutritiondata.self.com/mynd/myrecipes/welcome?returnto=/mynd/myrecipes/edit-recipe/3791809&autosave=form.info.autosave

[Kerven F]

My dog ate my cats omega 3 supplements(full bottle) should i be concerned?

[alexis w]

thanks for the seaweed comment, i will have to look into that, the supplement i use has Norwegian Kelp in it, is that the same? just curious because it also has a calcium supplement in it.

[alexis w]

to the person who said my foods are not balanced, that is why i recommend a supplement with each recipe, and i know dogs need calcium, i use ground egg shells like stated previously. the raw meaty bones would be an add on.

[Bobby dog]

Hi InkedMarie:
I use Balance IT Carnivore Blend for my home cooked meals. Other than the fresh foods required for the recipe the only other thing I add is Carnivore Blend to make it a balanced meal. I have read some home cooked recipes that call for calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate, bone meal, or crushed egg shells, but not whole bones as the calcium supplement. Maybe someone else has more info.

[Marie P]

Hi Christina B – I would be glad to help you with some special balanced recipes for your baby .. Often home cooking can help along with a Good Local VET. Looks like you have done a good job bringing you baby to the Vet for exam and testing. Please contact me and we can talk about some herbs, supplements and home-cooking..

e-mail me for more info ; Marie Peppers [email protected]

Check out my blog — I am updating info often

This article is on SAFE Fruits for dogs
http://bulldogvitamins.blogspot.com/2015/07/what-fruits-and-veggies-can-my-dog-eat.html

[Marie P]

HI Karen , it my be the food change and her body is getting accustomed to the new protein .. You can try brushing her teeth with your finger and a little dog tooth paste.. I like this brand — pretty easy to do http://www.keepdoggiesafe.com/pro-dental-finger-brush.html

Also, many of my little dog clients take this daily powder supplement mixed into their food.. Most of my toy dog clients only get 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon per day mixed into their food.. It’s liver flavor and helps to keep the body healthy and the teeth in good shape. Holistic and not sold in stores , SEE here http://www.nuvet.com/81098 ( Most of my pals call in to get the 15% off deal with coupon code 81098 ) YOU want the green bottle of powder called NuVET Plus. Tell them that Pet Nurse Marie sent you 1-800-474-7044

Also, you can allow your dog to use some of the homemade treats mentioned on the post above by Alexis ..

HOPE this helps..
If you need me stop by my site http://www.dogfoodconsultant.com

Marie Peppers LPNMA ( Ask the Pet Nurse )

[alexis w]

I am going to start supplementing with pre frozen(to kill the germs) raw meaty bones. you never want to give dogs cooked bones. if you prefer you can used crushed eggshell to give the calcium needed

[alexis w]

Here is a link to my blog with recipes that I made for my fur baby Callie. They are all grain free and meat based with a good mix of veggies and a link to a recommended supplement. I also have an article I wrote about dehydrated dog treats. Please check it out and comment so I know what I am lacking and what I’m doing right, even with all of my research I know there is always room for improvement! http://www.calliefoodrecipes.wordpress.com
thanks so much in advance and congrats to everyone who is so brave and awesome to make their fur babies homemade food!

[alexis w]

check out Nupro All Natural Dog Food Supplement, its what I give my 8 week old Australian Shepherd/Boston Terrier/Chihuahua/Pomeranian mix. I feed her homemade food and the supplement has everything needed to make sure her diet is well rounded and she gets all of her nutrients, also it is very well priced and has been around for quite some time, since 1989. Here is the link to it as well as a link to my blog with some dog food recipe ideas for you to check out: http://www.nuprosupplements.com/nupro-dog-supplement.html
http://www.calliefoodrecipes.wordpress.com

[alexis w]

in the mean time to make sure he is getting the right nutrients you could give him a supplement, I use Nupro All Natural Dog Supplement for my dog. I feed her a homemade diet and it adds in all the extra nutrients she needs just in case her food is deficient anywhere. Also I have never heard a dog being allergic to eggs, a lot of times what seems like an allergy is actually a nutrient deficiency(not a vet but from everything I have found in my 100s of hours of research thats what I have found). http://www.nuprosupplements.com/nupro-dog-supplement.html

also here is a link to my blog with some easy to make grain free homemade dog food, you can leave out the egg if you feel it is necessary: http://www.calliefoodrecipes.wordpress.com

[alexis w]

from my research i have found that a lot of times what seems like a food allergy is actually a nutrient deficiency, have you thought about giving a good supplement with the homemade food? i see you were suggested to give a multivitamin. I have found Nupro All Natural Dog Food Supplement to be very high quality and it supplies calcium as well so you don’t have to worry as much about the amount of calcium you are adding to the diet. I actually feed a low carb, higher protein grain free diet to my pup and since I have started it she has stopped itching and licking. here is a link to my blog with some recipes and a link to the Nupro website at the bottom of each recipe: http://www.calliefoodrecipes.wordpress.com

[alexis w]

http://www.nuprosupplements.com/nupro-dog-supplement.html
is a great supplement for kibble, wet or homemade diets. It isn’t vegan but it is a great supplement and my dog loves it.

[alexis w]

here is a link to my blog, it has a few good homemade dog food recipes and a link to a supplement to make sure that the dog is getting all the necessary nutrients.
http://www.calliefoodrecipes.wordpress.com

if you have any other questions you can email me at [email protected]

[Christopher E]

Nature’s Balance makes a vegan kibble that we have been feeding our 70lb Australian Shepherd mix for a while… After switching from V-dog. She did good on V-dog and always had normal stool but I was looking for a more readily available alternative and Nature’s Balance Vegan Kibble is sold at all Pet Supermarkets (marketed as “vegetarian” though it is actually 100% vegan and states that it is such if you inspect the bag closely).

Our dog is doing great since we switched her to vegan kibble. We are also supplementing with Nupro, which is not 100% vegan because it has dissected liver (for taste), but everything else in it is vegan I think… Norwegian Kelp, Flax Seed, Nutritional Yeast Cultures, etc. For me, I was promoted to switch our dog to vegan after researching Dr Campbells work in the China study and Dr Estelsteins plant based diet approach to healthy living. There is no reason to think that it would not apply to canines and certainly would account for the extremely high rates of cancer in dogs, given there extremely high intake of animal protein found in most all dog foods. The fact of the matter is that, in the world that we live in today, we are all exposed to carcinogens at increasingly higher levels and the same goes for our pets. It has been long proven that animal protein is Miracle Grow for cancer and that an all plant based diet can prevent and even reverse the multiplication of cancer cells/tumers. The only reason that this is not as largely accepted as truth as it should be is all of the industries who lobby against such studies, and, uncoincidentally, fund numerous other “scientific” studies that purport to show the opposite for the sole purpose of creating misinformation. When canines lived in the wild, I.e., before the first wolves were domesticated, they rarely came across carcinogens… So high intake of animal based protein likely didn’t have the same I’ll effects as it does today.

Personally, I am an on again, off again vegan… Because I LOVE meat and cheese but also understand that the negative health consequences are many. Anyone who denies this is a fool. Anyone who claims dogs cannot be healthy on a plant based diet just because their ancestors almost exclusively ate meat has no idea what they are talking about. In the past canines did not have the opportunity to be given a complete diet consisting of plant based foods which are far healthier for them, that is no longer the case.

Whether you like it or not this is going to be a mute topic in 50-100 years anyways because if the world population continues to grow at its current rate a diet consisting of mainly meat will no longer be sustainable for humans or pets. Do your research before you start talking. Dogs are not obligate carnivores.

*Refer to my original post at the beginning of the thread for more info.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 7 months ago by Christopher E.
• This reply was modified 9 years, 7 months ago by Christopher E.

[M M]

For all those who feed vegan diet to dogs — what do you feed? Olga gave details on her homemade foods, but are there other commercial options out there to use as a supplement? We have been using V-dog but our dog’s stool has lately been a little loose with this after tolerating it well for years. I’m not sure if they changed their formula or if it’s just our dog. I need to learn home cooking for her, but I’d like to have an option for if we get too busy.

For all the detractors out there, she is highly allergic to meat kibble and fresh cooked meat, but I do agree philosophically with the veg commenters here. It seems commercial kibble is unhealthy for both dogs, the animals who end up in it, and the planet. I don’t think a dog or any animal can thrive on what amounts to baked crackers. She is strong and energetic on her vegan diet, but I’m really just looking for an answer from those with input on how to feed her a veg diet even when we can’t cook.

Thanks!

[Pitlove]

Hi Ef H-

There was a long discussion on the Bright Mind review that you may want to check out. I think you will find it interesting. Overall I think what was determined by some of the regular members on here was that the levels of MCT’s in Bright Mind can not be duplicated through supplementation, though many claim simply adding coconut oil to the dogs diet will achieve the same results as Bright Mind.

Personally, I’ve never understood choosing a dog food based on customer reviews. I am a firm believer in letting your dog tell you how he is doing on the food. Why not add some fresh foods or canned food to the diet to retain the benefits of the food, but get them interested in it again?

[Kathryn A]

I am struggling with my 3 mo old foster puppy (dachshund) having diarrhea. Tested neg for all parasites. I had been feeding her Wellness Small Breed Puppy but the diarrhea was terrible, tried the Wellness Complete Health puppy and the diarrhea continued. Tried to supplement the probiotics with a little organic pumpkin, and it didn’t work. I was shocked this didn’t help considering the probiotics in the food as well.
The vet prescribed her RX food made by Purina and I do not want to continue feeding her this, although it has helped with the diarrhea, I hate Nestle/Purina anything.
Any suggestions for a different food?
Thanks!

[Cannoli]

No I don’t strictly feed boneless. I am a strong proponent of a rotational diet. That means rotating meats, calcium sources, organs, and natural supplements to ensure that proper nutrition is met. But this comes with a caveat. As long as your dog can handle this.

So back to your question, I feed bones as long as they are finely ground. Safer for my dog and easier to digest for him.

In regards to plague. Only daily teeth brushing of your dog will prevent this. Dogs chewing on whole bones won’t always prevent plague. I brush my dog’s teeth as well as his gums and upper and lower inside of his lips. There are parts of the teeth and gums that a whole bone can’t clean. Like the teeth all the way in the back.

If I was you I would buy some calcium seaweed too so that you can rotate it with the egg shell. If you can afford a grinder..check out Amazon you or invest even in a Vitamix blender. You can than buy small ribs bones at the store and grind them up or blend them up in your Vitamix blender.

[John P]

Hello all,

So I started raw feeding about a month ago. Started on Chicken leg quarters for the first two weeks and then introduced turkey necks on week three. She has been doing really well. Her skin and energy have improved tremendously, and honestly I wish I would’ve started this sooner.

I started introducing some boneless a week ago because her stools were really hard, so I figured too much bone content. I also added chicken hearts gizzards, which she loves.

Now all of a sudden, she doesn’t want to eat anything with a bone in it. I put the leg quarter or turkey neck outside and she doesn’t even touch it. I know bones are an important part of raw feeding, so I’m concerned.

Any suggestions on why she may have stopped eating them? Anyone had a similar issue?

Finally, if she just simply won’t eat it, can you recommend a solution for feeding boneless with a calcium supplement?

Thanks

[Susan]

I would STOP feeding the Royal Canin SO….. When I first recused Patch Patch was put the Royal Canine SO kibble & the SO wet tin food to dissolve his crystals, vet said he was probably used for breeding & got an infection….. Patch was desexed put on antibiotics 2 weeks & the R/C SO for 6 weeks, after the 6 weeks he had another Ultra Scan to see if Patches crystals had dissolve & they had, so vet said now you can put him back on his regular diet, he doesn’t have to keep eating the R/C SO anymore but while eating the R/C SO for 6 weeks, Patch started to itch & scratch, had smelly itchy ears, shaking his head & stunk of yeast, I have since learnt Patch can’t eat Wheat, Corn, Maize, Gluten, Barley & Chicken….
If you can start feeding a raw balanced diet or a cooked balanced diet, the Honest Kitchen has some really good formulas & Base Mixes you just add the protein & the meal is balanced also there’s groups on Face Book you can join “Home Cooking for dogs” “Raw Feeding For Dogs” there’s Monica Segal group called “K-9 Kitchen” https://www.facebook.com/groups/K9Kitchen/
Monica puts up recipes, she has one at the moment “Omega 3 Boost” cookies looks very easy too make, Monica also does consults & special diets for health problems….

With Nelly’s itchy skin & hot spots, bath 5-7 days, weekly baths in an antibacterial shampoo, I use “Malaseb medicated shampoo” its kills any bacteria & leaves the skin & fur feeling sooooo soft & itch free…. change diet to a healthy natural diet, bath weekly or when your dog is itchy & has hot spots, you’ll start to see a big change after changing diet & weekly baths, here’s the Honest Kitchen site “Zeal” or “Brave” are excellent formula’s for dogs with skin problems & low in carbs…. http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/dog-food/zeal

Also google “Dr Judy Morgan” she has diets on You-Tube for dogs with certain health problems & sells the supplements & does consults for diets for health problems..

[anonymously]

Because, it is controversial as to whether or not probiotics and such do that much, if anything.
And sometimes supplements can cause harm. Example:
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=probiotics

In response to: “I’ve starting give her a probiotic and am going to switch shampoos to something to treat subhorreic dermatitis. (Both through my own research, which to vet said would be good. Just wondering why they didn’t suggest it themselves in the first place.) Maybe it’s time to switch vets again”.

PS: Some of those shampoos can be very drying and irritating to the skin. My dog with allergies gets bathed once or twice a week with Malaseb in conjunction with other treatments.

[G.J. S]

Hello,
I am new to the thread, but would like some advise on dosing for Swanson’s Mobility Essentials for my 60 pound Standard poodle. She has been on human glucosamine and chondritin with MSM but none of the other anti-inflammatory’s discussed by Hound Dog Mom.
It was her post of some years ago that got me to try this mix. We live in Canada so the pills have just arrived by mail and I wanted to be sure of a canine dose. Adult dose is 3 caps twice daily. I have been giving her 1 cap three times daily of her present supplement which equates to about 1500 mgm daily. She also takes an Omega supplement. There is some glucosamine, etc. in her Acana kibble but it is negligent. Would appreciate any comments you might have.

[anonymously]

Age 7 is considered a senior, the vets often recommend an exam and lab work at this stage, if you haven’t done so. Excessive licking and hot spots is an indication that something is wrong, I think a visit to the vet may be in order.
I would discuss diet changes with the vet before taking her off of a prescription food.

“Food Allergies are probably over-diagnosed in dogs (they account for, perhaps 5-10%). Hypoallergenic diets are occasionally, but not frequently, helpful in canine atopy cases but you should always give them a try. Food intolerances are more common – but considerably more likely to result in digestive disturbances and diarrhea that in itching problems”.
http://www.2ndchance.info/Apoquel.htm

Check the search engine here for allergies: /forums/search/allergies/

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=allergies You may find some helpful information at this site.

Regarding bladder stones:
/forums/topic/crystalstone-in-bladder/

Often when the infection is treated (antibiotics) and water intake is increased the condition clears up, unless they have another type of stones, also. They can have more than one type. Often there is a genetic component.

The best thing you can do is to increase water intake and offer frequent bathroom breaks, opportunities to urinate. Sure, dogs can hold it, but that’s not good for this condition, You want to keep the bladder flushed. Stagnant conditions in the bladder are conducive to stone formation.
PS: Has your dog had an x-ray to rule out calcium oxalate stones?
I use a potassium citrate/cranberry supplement I get from Chewy.com. It depends on the type of stones.
It is best to get approval from the veterinarian that is treating the dog before adding anything, and I would go along with the prescription diet for now. PH levels fluctuate and it takes a while (sometimes weeks) to see changes, at least that is what my vet told me.

you may find this site helpful: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/ Recent blog about cranberry supplements.

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/nutrition/ Regarding raw diets.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 7 months ago by anonymously.

[Cannoli]

I believe in a rotational diet this is what I feed my dog below on a weekly basis I aim to balance on a weekly basis when it comes to the nutrition components:

High end kibble 3 meals a week- Origen. Usually chicken flavor since I don’t feed raw poultry.

The rest of the days for the week I feed as follows:

Since my dog is 60lbs I feed 2lbs a day with 80% meat 15-20% bone and 5 % organ of the follows:

Raw hormone free grass fed bison- from grocery store or fom Real Raw Dog food online
Raw or lightly cooked hormone free Venison- from Hare today Gone tomorrow
raw or lightly cooked hormone free elk from haretoday gone tomorrow
Raw or lightly cooked hormone free organic beef- fom grocery stor
Grass fed hormone liver, kidneys, and thymus from grocery store- every meat meal
On weekends he gets 2 meals of fish. Fresh caught whole sardines, or fresh caught salmon with skin, or whole Mackeral. Always cooked and these fish have the highest concentrations of omegas 3. I never use fish pills. Fish pills are crap
Green tripe from real raw once a week

for each meat meal I rotate on a daily basis the calcium to get 15-20%. Either ground rib or pork bones, or calcium seaweed, or egg shells. Never neck bones as I fear hypothyroidism.

Also each none kibble meal I add the following organic supplements to the meat dishes. I never feed synthetic supplements:
Tumeric
spirulina
Organic virgin coconut oil-4x week
Kefir- every other week
Apple cider vinegar with the mother-3x a week
Organic egg 4 x a week
Fresh organic blueberry smoothie with kefir
Fresh ground organic ginger

• This reply was modified 9 years, 7 months ago by Cannoli.
• This reply was modified 9 years, 7 months ago by Cannoli.

[pugmomsandy]

There’s not a long list of very low carb kibbles since kibble is like a bakery product and needs carbs to hold it’s shape. There are brands that use 70% or more protein from animal sources like Acana Regionals USA, some of the Acana Heritage Canada recipes are near 75% animal sourced, Weruva Caloric Melody, Merrick Grain Free, Only Natural Pet Canine Power Food and Orijen currently boasts 80% animal sourced ingredients so their carbs are low. There are alot more low carb choices in canned foods.

Then there are dehydrated foods like ZiwiPeak and Only Natural Pet MaxMeat that are slightly processed so not technically raw but have high protein and low carbs.

There are also supplements you can buy to add to cooked meat to make it a complete diet such as Urban Wolf and Carnivoraw. These don’t require you to add veggies.

[crazy4cats]

Hi stacy 4-
I’m very familiar with soft mushy poop too! Lucky us. LOL! My dogs do better with a more moderate protein and higher fiber kibble. The one they do very best on is PureVita’s grain free turkey formula: http://purevitapetfoods.com/dog-recipes/grain-free/turkey-and-sweet-potato. I only buy it when I can find it on sale, however, due to it’s price.

They also do well on Whole Earth Farms, Nutrisource, 4Health and Victor which all have a little higher than average fiber and are much more budget friendly.

I also add toppers to some of their meals, which I think help as well such as tripe and frozen commercial raw.

Here is a link to a website which was very helpful when my dogs were going through that stage: http://www.dogaware.com/health/digestive.html

I used some of the supplements on that site, but am pretty much supplement free now, except for occasional probiotics.

Best of luck to you and your furries!

[Shannon D]

I am so glad I found this thread!!! I have a 1.5 yr old American Staffordshire Terrier named Lola. In January I noticed she wasn’t looking/acting normal so I took her to the vet. She always drank a ton of water. At first the vet kinda touched her back and said she may have pulled a muscle and that they could do a panel to check her cell count. Or he said they could do a full panel to get more information. I opted to do the full panel. Come to find out it was a good thing I did. Her results were:

BUN 130 mg
CREA 7.5 mg
PHOS 15.7 mg

They weren’t sure if she had got into toxins or what. I left her at the vet so they could give her fluids and antibiotics. That was on a Monday. They re-tested her on Wednesday.

BUN 90 mg
CREA 5.2 mg
PHOS 8.2 mg

So, she stayed. They re-tested on Friday:

BUN 85 mg
CREA 7 mg
PHOS 10.7 mg

At this point they weren’t sure what was going on. So they did an ultrasound. The vet said her kidneys were abnormal and it was probably something she was born with. They also told me there isn’t anything else they could do at this point, take her home and re-test in a week.
They offered me nothing. Just told me to take her home and make her happy. Put her on the Hills K/D diet and make sure she gets water. I asked about subq fluids and the vet told me they only do that for cats. That it would be too much fluid under the dogs skin.

I researched on my own and found an internal medicine specialist. I was able to get an appointment within a couple days. They re-tested everything and re-did the ultrasound.

BUN 85 mg
CREA 7.0 mg
PHOS 10.7 mg

She is also has alot of protein in her urine and high blood pressure.

He agreed that she was probably born this way and diagnosed her with Stage 4 -Chronic kidney disease (CKD)- most consistent with congenital kidney disease. He said she won’t make it to 5 years old. That we are on borrowed time. He told me that he wasn’t sure how she was up walking around with the numbers she has. She acts completely normal! To look at her you would think there is nothing wrong with her. They advised to keep her on the Hills K/D. They put her on blood pressure medication, along with a probiotic Azodyl and a phosphorus binder, and Epakitin. Said to re-test in a week.

Re-test after adding everything:

BUN 80 mg
CREA 8.6 mg
PHOS 11.4 mg

They then added another phosphorus binder and we know do 500ml of subq fluids a night. She doesn’t drink nearly as much water as she used to. If she starts to drink everyone stops and is really quiet to make sure we don’t bother her. Like watching an animal in the wild. 🙂

Fast forward to her latest test results as of 3/16/16

BUN 72 mg
CREA 8.3 mg
PHOS 8.8 mg

They wanted us to recheck in a month. But my husband and I discussed it and decided to wait because if her numbers are better they will say continue what you are doing or if they are worse or the same, they will say continue what you are doing. I pay about $200 every time they test.

They offer no hope, no suggestions of supplements or anything else we can do. Just take her home and keep her happy.

She has good days and some bad days where she doesn’t want to eat. But most of the time she looks and acts normal. You would never know she has kidney disease. Expect that she is now alittle aggressive toward our other dogs and we can’t have them together anymore. I’m not sure if that is because she doesn’t feel good or just being moody.

I have tried to research foods, supplements etc. It is so overwhelming!!! I don’t want to give up hope for our pretty little Lola.

Thank you for listening.

[Anand V]

Hi there,

I’ve been feeding my 9 1/2 y/o Alaskan Malmaute a dehydrated raw diet….she was already on it when I adopted her 3 years ago. She eats Honest Kitchen Thrive – Chicken and Quinoa. It has done her well but she does have some skin issues and it was suggested I try a raw diet from Big Country Raw (BCR). They’re not too far away from me towards the Niagara region. I haven’t found any reviews that you have done on this product under your rating system. I have read some others mention that supplements may be needed. Any input you can provide would be greatly appreciated. It sounds like a great product and is also budget friendly versus Honest Kitchen. That’s not the main reason I want to switch…doing it more to help my dog have healthier skin and fur….that means more than the $$$ I spend on her food.

http://www.bigcountryraw.ca/index.php

Thanks.

[anonymously]

I suppose you could try a daily fish oil capsule, once you have ruled out medical causes….it is not medicine, it is a supplement and may help (a little if at all) with dry skin.

PS: Have thyroid issues been ruled out?

[anonymously]

What is his diagnosis? It might make sense to take him to a dermatologist, especially if this has been going on for a while.
Otherwise, how do you expect people on the internet who may or may not have any veterinary experience and who have not examined your dog or reviewed his medical history to give you any meaningful advice?
Coconut oil and supplements do not help, imo.
PS: Has he had a senior workup? If not, he is due, lab work and some testing could reveal the cause for his dry skin/hair loss condition.

Coconut Oil for Pets?

[Liz B]

I have my 8 y/0 Shepard Akita mix on a very expensive dry food -Orijen- plus a homemade liver supplement added in. He’s been on this for over a year. He still has a dry, flaky coat and his tail looks more like a palm frond. It used to be a very thick-plumed tail. I don’t know what else to do. He is otherwise pretty healthy and fit. Does coconut oil help?

[Oceans11]

Bobby Dog, does your dog seem to mind the Carnivore supplement?

[Bobby dog]

I would suggest you contact Balance IT to see if they might have some recommendations for you. I have never contacted them by telephone just e-mail; they have always responded quickly.

I really like the Carnivore Blend and decided to try it for a few reasons. I was afraid my dog might not take to a supplement if I needed to use a large quantity. So I played around with the recipes before I ordered. I plugged what he liked into the recipe generator to find recipes that required the least amount of supplement. The recipes I came up with are very simple and are mostly animal protein. I also intended to use it for my cats; they are the most finicky eaters ever. Their recipes don’t require much of it either.

Prior to buying Carnivore Blend I used another mix for a month. My dog liked it, but I did not feel it was as precise as the Balance IT supplements. It required the same amount of mix no matter the protein. The weight range for the amount of supplement used was 20 lbs. so a dog weighing 20 lbs. more than Bobby would get the same amount. I felt if I was taking the time to make his food it should be tailored to my dog. He did like the mix so I created a Balance IT recipe that is similar. He seems to enjoy eating this recipe most. Good luck, I hope my info helped.

[donald f]

I can tell you from years of personal experience with a mini schnauzer who had calcium/oxalate (CaOx) stones, that if your dog has CaOx stones, you can completely eliminate them and prevent them by searching on the internet for the FuzzerFood diet created by Leslie Bean, and feeding it to your dog. It is a combination of home cooked, low oxalate food (typically chicken, broccoli and rice, and certain inexpensive supplements), easy to prepare in advance and even freeze individual meals. My holistic vet gave me an article out of the Whole Dog Journal that explained all. This protocol gave my Max many years of fun life after already having stones removed surgically by another vet. Going further, join the K9KidneyDiet yahoo group. Leslie posts on that frequently. It is a huge source of support and knowledge by people who live and breath canine chemistry. Its topic are limited to kidney/renal issues and bladder stone issues- both CaOx and struvite stones. I am happy to pdf a copy of the WDJ article to anyone whose dog has an issue with stones. [email protected]
Oh and BTW, the K9Kidney group is ultra critical about commercial “vet” sold foods purporting to be for dogs with stones, and recommends none for stone issues due to other chemicals in the food. Home cooking your dog’s food does take a little more work, but it is SOOO worth it for a dog with recurring stones.

[Susan]

Hi, have a look at Dr Judy Morgan, http://www.drjudymorgan.com/articles/food-therapy/
Dr Judy has cooked meals on You-Tube & sells the supplements to balance meals, she also uses the Honest Kitchen Base Mixes to add to her meat loaf for one of her sick dogs…have you tried adding some sweet potato or boiled potato & some boiled broccoli instead of the rice, swap them around a bit…after you stop the Prilosec if Patch seems to have acid reflux give some Liquid Mylanta about 4mls in a syringe, I found the Mylanta seems to help the best… cause when they are on an acid reducer some days they don’t have acid reflux, so they don’t need to be taken an acid reducer all the time also look up “Hypochlorhydria” is lack of Stomach Acid, as we get older we start making less Hydrochloric acid & have trouble digesting foods & an ant acid can make it worse, so I like to use Mylanta when Patch gets his acid reflux…..low fat diet is best …..Good-Luck with Patch, I hope Patch starts feeling better soon… 🙂

[Oceans11]

Does anyone have experience with either of the supplements? I have two Coton de Tulears. One is a picky eater and the other eats most food. We have been feeding them chicken or ground beef as the picky eater won’t eat most highly recommended canned food. I know this all protein diet is not good. We ended up cooking it for them in order to get them to eat. Now they don’t like that. I purchased Balance It which is a supplement to add to their menus which you prepare. They absolutely don’t like it. Their stools are blackish and runny. I have no idea what is causing this and running out of ideas of what to feed them. I feel like I am at my wits end and would really appreciate your thoughts on the supplements and on the stools.

[anonymously]

Have you checked the search engine at this site for “bladder stones”

Example: /forums/topic/crystalstone-in-bladder/

Often when the infection is treated (antibiotics) and water intake is increased the condition clears up, unless they have another type of stones, also. They can have more than one type. Often there is a genetic component.

The best thing you can do is to increase water intake and offer frequent bathroom breaks, opportunities to urinate. Sure, dogs can hold it, but that’s not good for this condition, You want to keep the bladder flushed. Stagnant conditions in the bladder are conducive to stone formation.
PS: Has your dog had an x-ray to rule out calcium oxalate stones?
I use a potassium citrate/cranberry supplement I get from Chewy.com. It depends on the type of stones.
It is best to get approval from the veterinarian that is treating the dog before adding anything, and I would go along with the prescription diet for now. PH levels fluctuate and it takes a while (sometimes weeks) to see changes, at least that is what my vet told me.

you may find this site helpful: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/ Recent blog about cranberry supplements.
I don’t know what you are talking about “So Index”. I would listen to the vet and use the prescription food, just a a bite of something tasty, pre-soak it overnight, a spoonful of plain chicken broth…he’s right, cranberry will not clear up crystals. Antibiotics will, but they will come back if you don’t make necessary changes.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 8 months ago by anonymously.

[Heather C]

Thanks for getting back and so sad to hear about your pup! The only thing our dog eats is the prescribed food, kibble and wet, even when we stuff his Kongs. Outside of that its water and occasionally he too will eat grass – though I haven’t seen him eat grass in a while (we used to joke he was part cow but now realize it was because of his digestive system … Poor guy). When we thought he had chronic pancreatitis we actually had him on a home cooked meal with a supplement, but it never agreed with him (and we did try slowly changing him to a few different recipes per our vet). The Royal Canine Potatoe Whitefish doesn’t have any beet pulp, and it’s not a kibble that can just be picked up at the vet, even the vet has to special order it. It’s also hydrolized so the protein is broken down to its smallest digestible form. Stool wise it is the best we’ve seen – before he would strain to go, have diarrhea, blood, mucus like substance, etc, it was terrible. I’m not against a home cooked diet and I’m not against something more holistic, but we’ve been down that road to disappointing results – though we thought we were treating chronic pancreatitis and not bowel disease at the time. {Sigh}

The strange thing is other than not wanting to eat as much he seems normal, he’s sleeping through the night, he’s not grinding his teeth or vomiting like Patch … It’s just really frustrating and I agree, I wish he could just talk to me.

You’ve given a lot of helpful information and I’m curious about the Pepcid. I may reach out to the vet much to the chagrin of my husband – I’d rather be safe than sorry. If you have any other advice let me know.

[Susan]

Hi, Patch 7 yrs old suffers with IBD, Helicobacter-Pylori (bad Acid Reflux) & Pancreatitis sounds like the Pepcid isn’t working anymore or he doesn’t need it any more or what are you putting in the Kongs ?? its not Peanut Butter? or his kibble needs changing its making him feel sick …..IBD can make them feel sick especially after they eat…Patch wakes up feeling good he eats breakfast then from 9am to 12pm he doesn’t feel well some mornings. Grass seems to be the only thing that makes him feel better, I have stopped giving the ant acids now…. only use as needed..

Try stopping the Pepcid for a couple of days & see if he feels better, Patch vomited when he took the Pepcid & was put on Zantac (Ranitidine) instead given 30mins before breakfast & dinner given every 12 hours, then after 3 months it didn’t seem to work anymore, he still had bad acid reflux & was still grinding his teeth & vomiting yellow acid some mornings but he was eating a vet diet that had fish oil & Beet Pulp in kibble that made his acid reflux worse…
I now only give liquid Mylanta 4-5mls in a syringe kept in the fridge only when he needs it, the Mylanta seems to work the best…..
I started to realise Patch wasn’t making enough stomach acid & some days he wasn’t getting acid reflux & I was still giving him ant acid medication, so stomach wasn’t working properly…. as we get older we make less hydrochloric acid it’s called “Hypochlorhydria”

Vet didn’t want Patch on Losec (Omeprazole) cause its a Pump Proton Inhibitor (PPI) & you can not just stop taking a PPI Losec after you have taken it for more then 3 weeks but vet did say I can give Patch the Losec 10mg for 3-4 days then I stop but only when Patch has bad acid reflux…Zantac & Pepcid can be stopped at anytime…So be careful if vet puts him on a PPI…

I have found I have to keep changing Patches kibbles & rotating them & no vet diets, if he stays on the same kibble for more then 2 months, his acid reflux starts to come back also I read when they have acid reflux they need a low fiber kibble 3-4% fiber & no Beet Pulp, Does the kibble he’s eating have “Beet Pulp” ?? it makes their poos look beautiful & firm, so everything looks OK cause poos are firm & look good, its the beet pulp making the poos firm…most vet diets use Beet Pulp….
When the Kibble has beet Pulp it made Patches acid reflux bad again, I started doing so much research & read low fiber diets are best when they have Acid Reflux thru IBD & if you can start feeding a balanced cooked diet will be better then eating a kibble, feed lean meats boil some potatoes, sweet potato & green vegetables, Google Dr Judy Morgan she has easy to follow recipes on You-Tube & she uses the Honest Kitchen Base Mixes in some of her meals you just add the meat & the Base Mixes balances the meal, she also has supplements to balance the cooked meals also have a look at the Honest Kitchen Zeal its low in fat & excellent for dogs with Pancreatitis & IBD…you just add warm water..
http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/dog-food/zeal
I started feeding cooked chicken breast, sweet potato & broccoli & replacing 1 kibble meal, I’m feeding “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain now, I’m going to try Canidae Pure Land you cant have too much high fat in a kibble with acid reflux so I normally stay around 10-14% for fat but in Australia we have 1 low fat grain free kibble & the fiber is high 5%….I’m waiting cause Canidae has 4 new grain free formulas, Pure Meadows, is for seniors & is 10% fat & limited ingredients & grain free, if you live in America you can get the Canidae Pure Meadow.. I also want to try the Pure Wild its boar & Pork…
I was feeding Patch Salmon & Sardine kibbles but I think the fish gives him his acid reflux also certain kibbles he starts getting his pain right side pancreas/stomach area & wants me to rub the chest area, he starts his whinging when he has his pain again & doesn’t really want to eat so I change his food, I have to introduce the new kibble over 1 week……I make sure the kibble doesn’t have fish oil & has limited ingredients…. I wish they could talk….. if you can cook & freeze meals give it a try cause kibble is hard to digest especially on the pancreas….

[Susan]

Hi Tamara change vets, I went thru 3 vets before I found Patches good vet, she’s into natural healing, feeding fresh foods as well….
I can’t see how boiled vegetables will kill your dog, they have no fat in them at all… have you joined the “Canine Pancreatitis” Face Book Group?
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1435920120029740/
The ladies in the Canine Pancreatitis group are very helpful. Look in the files… click on “Non RX foods” all wet tin foods that you can feed your dog will come up that are feed to dogs with Pancreatitis……Your dog can’t just live on boiled chicken, he needs his vitamins, minerals, omega fatty acid etc he’ll start to get dry itchy skin & loss weight…
The Honest Kitchen Zeal is low in fat-8.5% & is for seniors & dogs with Pancreatitis, IBD……all you do is add water, don’t add too much water, some people say its a bit sloppy, so add less water then is recommended….
Dr Judy Morgan uses the Honest Kitchen “Base Mixes” you just add your lean meat, Judy makes a few meat loaves for her sick little girl… you can find Dr Judy Morgan recipes on You-Tube she also sell supplements & has a Face Book page & answers all post & msg…. The Honest Kitchen sell samples, so you can try a few Zeal samples first, your dog will probably love it & its balanced & human grade ingredients … http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/dog-food/zeal

[Howard J]

Hi Tamara!

I have a similar dog as you and she also suffered with pancreatitis. For our Carine Terrier we had to do a lot of trial and error to figure out what was best for her. Firstly, she was overweight, 19lbs; 4.5lbs overweight in November of 2015. She is now 14.6 and staying steady. One reason she might of lost so much weight was because she had EPI from the pancreatitis episode in 2015. So she wasn’t absorbing as many nutrients. We also focused on exercise a lot more.

In regards to PANCREATITIS, we put her on a strict diet for about a month after her episode. Chicken boiled twice, white rice, sometimes a starchy food like Yam or sweet potatoes steamed and/or boiled. We should of supplemented with vitamins at this time but we were a little ignorant. Anyway, after this we bought HONEST KITCHEN Zeal Meal fish formula and HONEST KITCHEN veggie formula which is just a topping if you feed her protein such as fish boiled or chicken boiled. For 5 months we have been on a regime feeding her twice a day, either the zeal meal, ground up in a blender for a sec. Or the Honest Kitchen veggie topping dehydrated one. Both need hot water and let sit for 5min. The veggie one is mixed with fish, chicken or 95% lean twice boiled beef. We introduce more fat like coconut oil which doesn’t require the pancreas to work like other fats in small amounts.

NO TABLE SCRAPS PERIOD!! Supplements are what saved our dog. She has more energy than she did when she was 7. For every meal and what I think is the most important for dogs suffering with pancreatitis is an enzyme replacement. You can get them from your vet but we just use the vegan powder formula on amazon. Not too much money and lasts a year. We sprinkle 1/2 a teaspoon on her food for nutrient absorption and so her pancreas doesn’t have to work as hard. The brand is called Nusentia Enzyme Miracle.

Other supplements include pancreatrophin from standard process, which also aids in her digestion, paraplex and enteric powder all from standard process. We barely use the last two.

I hope this helps a lot, we had to go through the same thing, it’s important to stay low fat, but not too low and to add in enzymes slowly.