[Faith G]

I have a two year old pit mix who just got diagnosed with a stage three murmur. I have heard about feeding raw hearts to get nutrients and minerals that they need that dry food doesn’t provide.

I wanted to know if adding raw hearts to a dry food diet will hurt or help. He’s eating 4health from tractor supply, which is seemingly the cheapest best rated food I can find. It has 4 stars on here. We have a limited income and I can’t particularly afford an entire raw diet. I want to do whatever is in my power to help him live a long life. He’s only two and I don’t want to worry about him dropping dead for just being excited that I came home, or anything like that.

If you have any information or experience with things like this or affordable supplements you could recommend please do!!!! Thank you so much.

[Pitlove]

Hi- A lot of customers at the small pet store I work at use the Primal Raw Meaty Bones (they are beef marrow bones) and we have yet to have an issue. Perhaps trying the beef would be better. Them splintering like that is definitely concerning and I would not try to feed that bone again.

As for her arthritis, make sure she has comfortable things to lay on and I would definitely suggest a supplement like this one: http://www.chewy.com/dog/naturvet-arthrisoothe-gold-hip-joint/dp/48764
Also is she still getting excersized? Its kinda like how they tell humans that they need to continue to excersize to keep their joints from stiffening when they get older. I think continueing regular excersize for older dogs is a good idea to keep the joints mobile. Obviously only do what she can handle, but it should help. Was she a rescue? She seems young even for a pit to be having arthritis.

[Joni h]

Hi Brian, I’m just wondering what you ended up going with? Did the RC Sensitive digestion or Derma contact work out? And/or did you order the Zeolite supplement?
I have a 3 year old boxer with Pancreatitis history (the whole 1st year and half of her life!!)
The vet put her on the RC LF Gastro- which did work- but it’s SOOOO expensive!!! And I didn’t like the ingredients, plus she was super skinny on it. I’m in Canada too. I put her on raw which worked like a charm, but she lost interest in it recently, plus I’m concerned about salmonella etc.. So I have had her on RC Boxer kibble for about the last year, but my vet thinks it’s only a matter of time before she has another attack. I can’t bear to see her go through that again! We almost lost her a couple of times!! But I just don’t like the ingredient profile of the LF Gastro- despite my vets assurance it has very high quality of minerals and vitamins etc, which is apparently the whole point of the food- NOT the actual “food” (protein, fibre etc). So I’m wondering if the Zeolite is the main ingredient that will be key for her.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Amelia-
Boy, can I feel your frustration. I have two golden labs that had/have similar issues. They are now four years old. I switched foods several times only to finally find out that they had parasites, both giardiasis and coccidia. Have you had fecal tests done to rule out both parasites and/or worms? Sometimes they are hard to detect and need to test a couple of times. After four or five treatments to rid of the pesky bugs, they were left with bad digestive issues. A lot of loose stools and also the walking around and dropping soft plops a little at a time like you described.

I turned to http://www.dogaware.com for a lot of great information on digestive disorders and diarrhea along with recommendations from several on this site. Pumpkin did not work for my dogs either. The Honest Kitchen’s Perfect Form worked great until my difficult dog decided he didn’t like the smell of it anymore. I also used and rotated Gastriplex made by Thorne, Vetri Pro BD by Vetri Science, and Phytomucil with success. I have fed Victor which contains clay that I think is beneficial with success. Now, I have been slowly weaning them off supplements and am feeding Whole Earth Farms with only probiotics now and then and they have for the first time have consistently firm poops!

It took a while for their tummies to heal, but it finally happened! You also might want to try feeding a little less food. Sometimes over feeding can cause loose stools as well.

Good luck! Please write back with any questions.

[cheryl w]

 Post Pancreatitis Diet-What Worked for My Yorkie
Below is a cut and paste of what I’ve written for my dog:-

I’ve written a long post on another forum about post pancreatic diet. I’m just going to share it here as well since it doesn’t make sense not to since I’ve been a member for a long time. Maybe it’ll help someone out there that was struggling like I did. The only difference between the post and now is I do give him daily fresh blended vegetable and fruit juice that are safe for dogs as well but I do strain to remove pulp to control fibre content.

Here it goes (I’m just going to cut and paste since it’s long):-

I happened to came across this forum and I joined to say please take advice from your vet when it comes to keeping your dog on prescription foods. I know when you check online, there are so many negative comments about prescription diets but when you truly have had a very sick dog and nothing works, these prescription diets are a savior. There is nothing wrong with by-products. By-products just means clean edible parts that are not meat. Knowing my dog, he probably loves the taste of the internal organs from the food he is getting even though I find it a little grossed out but I would imagine those internal organs contains a different nutrition profile than just meat alone.

My Yorkie had pancreatitis back in April of 2014 and was in the ER for 5 days and a few more days at the vet-I am lucky to have him back. He lost 20% of his weight during that attack which is a lot for a small dog. It has been a struggle since to get his weight up especially on low fat food but last week (Jan 2015), I weighed him and he is now back to his old weight. I find that there are a few things that really helps that I will talk about below.

i) Right now, I feed him 4 times a day and I alternate the feedings with 2x dry and 2x wet. I have done the math on how much to feed per meal and I have a kitchen scale to measure his meals each time. I have mine on RC veterinary low fat gastrointestinal both wet and dry because he wouldn’t eat the Hill’s Prescription-my dog is picky but whatever. The alternate wet and dry feedings work better than when you have to mix the wet and dry in one meal in terms of digestion. I have done a lot of research and I have looked at alternatives such as Wellness Complete Healthy Weight and even though the fat is low, it is still 20% more on a dry matter basis when I compared it to RC so be careful. That is why so many people are shocked when their dog gets another bout of pancreatitis on the Wellness Complete Healthy Weight because they looked at the fat percentage and it seems fine but you need to calculate the fat on a dry matter basis. Also, a pancreatitic dog needs low fiber and moderate protein as well on top of low fat-a lot of people forgot to take that in to consideration.

ii) I do supplement enzyme to his food because I couldn’t get his weight up for the longest time and I believe the enzyme really helps. He also acts like he is hungry all the time which makes me think he could have some symptoms of EPI as a result of the pancreatitis or it is just because of the low fat food. I test him by giving him some plain cooked white rice and my dog won’t eat it when he is not starving and he really isn’t. Talk to your vet and do your research about enzymes but I find that enzyme from an animal source works better. My dog’s weight went up when I switched from plant based enzyme to an animal based enzyme.

iii) Food moisture-I do mesh up the kibbles and put some warm water in there before adding enzymes. I mesh up the kibbles to help his digestion because I was struggling with his weight for a while and the moisture just helps. I just don’t feel good when my dog ate a ton of dry kibble and then drink a lot of water. For that, I place a mortar and pestle on my kitchen island. It is quick to clean and easy to use. The low fat kibble is also somewhat salty (yes, I’ve tried a piece or two) so adding some warm water helps to dilute the sodium as well.

iv) I do work the feedings out to include tiny bit of fresh food. I do give him some boiled skinless boneless chicken breast mashed up for easy digestion (of course there are some enzyme in there as well). He also gets about 8 blueberries a day in between feedings because he likes it. He also gets some coconut water in the am for electrolytes. Make sure the ones you buy are pure with no sugar added.

I’ve also heard people who said you could put your dog back to normal food when it has passed but I have asked my vet and I do not think it is a good way to go because pancreatitis can reoccur and he has seen dogs getting it again and again.

Again these are all just suggestions and steps I have taken for my Yorkie that has been successful post pancreatitis. I just hope that someone else who reads this could use the experience I have had and hopefully, he/she will have less sleepless nights than I did.
__________
As of today, the only changes I’ve made to what I’ve written above is I don’t feed him daily coconut juice anymore but he still gets veg fruit juice daily. I’m mainly feeding RC canned now with a 5% of RC dry because of the sodium content. He still gets blueberry daily but I peeled off the skin first.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 3 months ago by cheryl w.

[Patti S]

Have you tried a diet with a lower fat content? Look for one that has 6-15% dry matter.
You might try using an Omega 3 fatty acid supplement and also a probiotic.

[DogFoodie]

Allison,

Have you attempted to figure out to what your dog is reacting?

It’s likely either a food or environmental sensitivity. Your dog won’t improve until the stimulus is eliminated.

My dog gets yeasty ears when he reacts to any of his food or environmental sensitivities. I have a good handle on his diet, but environmental sensitivities present a unique challenge. I managed them very well using Quercetin with Bromelain and Papain, plus an Omega 3 supplement.

[Patti S]

Using an inexpensive topical flea product that you buy at Walmart or a supermarket such as BioSpot or Zodiac Spot On would be better than not using any flea product at all!

As far as the food goes, you won’t find a hypoallergenic dog foods at the supermarket, you’d need to look at pet stores or specialty feed stores. You need to find a food with a dog food with different protein and carbohydrate source that what he’s currently eating. You should try keeping your dog on an “elimination” diet for 8-10 weeks to see if his itchy symptoms improve. In an elimination diet, the dog is fed a food that has a protein and carbohydrate source he’s never had before. There are many over the counter foods you can use, for this purpose. I’ll suggest a few further down. Your dog’s elimination diet should not contain:

• Wheat, barley, rye – ALL of them. (including bread, snack crackers, treats, wheat/gluten, etc.)
• Dairy products – ALL of them. (including milk, cheese, whey, casein, dried skim milk, etc.)
• Soy – ALL forms
• Corn- ALL forms (including corn gluten meal)
• Artificial preservatives and colors
• Beef and fish – (only if allergy symptoms are present/persist for longer than 8-10 weeks. These are “secondary” allergies.)

By eliminating the above items, you will be taking care of at least 80% of all food allergens and all three of the major sources of food intolerance (gluten in grains, casein in dairy, and soy protein.)
This diet must be strictly adhered to, it includes ALL foods, including TREATS and TABLE FOOD! Be strict! Food allergies can be very sensitive conditions and the least amount of the offending substance can trigger reactions that can last for days. Be creative in finding safe treats for your dog those that MATCH the diet rules. This will be a lot harder on you than your dog.

Giving your dog an essential fatty acid supplement can also help suppress itching. Arachidonic acid is stored in cell membranes and released when the cell is damaged, it then combines with certain enzymes causing inflammation and itching. Essential fatty acids combat this reaction because the essential fatty acids combine with the enzymes, making them less available to bind with arachidonic acid, reducing the inflammation and itching. Your dog would need to be given an essential fatty acid supplement daily for at least a month before you see it’s beneficial effects.

[Pitlove]

Hi Brie- Always nice to meet a fellow pitbull owner and first let me just thank you for taking one in with some behavioral issues. They are often euthanized for being aggressive etc.

My male pitbull has some skin issues as well, his mimic seborrhea. He gets patches of oily flakey skin and when the skin falls off it takes his hair with it and the end result is a sore that heals and the cycle is repeated. My vet firmly believes that his skin problems are environment related with possibly a minor food component.

So far I’ve tried a lot of different foods and I’ve used different supplements etc. I haven’t gotten around to going to the dermatologist like my vet recommended, but I’ve seen a vast improvement in his skin condition with the addition of salmon oil to his food. A lot of his hair has grown back and the flakey patches have reduced in number. He eats Fromm Gold Large Breed Adult which is mainly duck and chicken based. He is intolerant to beef, but it seems hes just fine on chicken.

My suggestion is to find a food with a protein and a carb he has never had before (there is no reason not to use grains if he is not intolerant to them. I view all carbs as fillers, but thats just my opinion) and see if there is any improvement. True elimination diets are not always easy or fesiable to do for a lot of people and it also takes getting everyone that comes in contact with the dog on board and monitoring them like a hawk. They can not have ANYTHING but that food.

Pitbulls are more prone to skin issues and I see that your girl is mostly white, which is also a contributing factor. My pit comes from a very bad breeder, who bred these skin problems into the litter. I didn’t know any better about backyard breeders when we got him, but now I feel as if I did rescue him even though most would say I didn’t.

Getting different opinions from different vets is also a good idea. 3 out of 3 vets I saw confirmed my boy was reacting to something in the environment. It might be helpful to talk to more than one vet and see if there is a consensus about the food intolerance.

Best of luck, keep us updated!

[Suzanne N]

I’ve heard coconut oil can be used topically and orally for yeast infections. as with any supplement, it’s not 100% guaranteed to work but it’s worth a shot. here’s one of many articles outlining the greatness of coconut oil:
http://dogwalkerworld.com/health_nutrition/coconut-oil-dog-nutty-idea/

if that doesn’t work, or in the interim, perhaps bring him to a groomer to have his paw fur trimmed down so that they dry thoroughly.

good luck!

[C4D]

Dinovite is just a supplement. I also feed THK base mix, as Cockaliermom mentioned, with fresh cooked meat I buy at the grocery store. It’s a less expensive option to raw. My dogs don’t have allergies to chicken, turkey, beef or pork, so I stock up on what’s on sale & crock pot cook several days worth.

[Anonymous]

Consider seeing a dermatologist for allergy testing (not a mail-in saliva test) for the most accurate results.
/forums/search/allergies/
http://www.allergydogcentral.com/category/symptoms/
PS: In my experience, sprays and OTC stuff, supplements don’t work. You could try a grain-free, potato free food. An elimination diet under the guidance of a vet might help, however if the allergies are environmental, it won’t make much difference, if any.

[Brie B]

Hi there. I have a pit bull mix thats around a year and a half old. Shes recently started developing some terrible allergy issues. She gets these rashes all over her neck and armpits, gets really bad ear infections, and is constantly itchy and restless.

I was considering switching her to raw, but I just realistically can’t do it (shes a rescue with a ton of behavior issues so the cost for trainers/meds/behaviorist is outrageous). I dont make a lot of money, but I want her to be happy and healthy.

ANYWAYS. Shes on Taste of the Wild for her food. I use their salmon formula. Shes 55lbs.
Are there any suggestions for supplements, probiotics, or anything to add to her food that you think would help? I also would be down to switch her food brand, I just want to make sure its grain free.

[Nick G]

I started cooking for my dogs recently and would like to know if the recipe I came up with is suitable for my dogs’ nutritional needs.

2 pieces of wild caught cod (about 1-1.5 lbs.)
2 7.5 oz can of low sodium pink salmon
4 eggs(shells included)
1 16 oz bag of split peas
1 cup of quinoa
1 cup of brown rice
1 16 oz half bag of broccoli
1 1/2 sweet potatoes
1 1/2 cup of blueberries
2 tablespoons of flax seed
2 tablespoons of virgin coconut oil
probiotics and vitamin supplements added

This feeds a 120 lb and 50 lb dog for about a day and a half.
I give my big guy human grade glucosamine.

I think my portions in the recipe may be off. If anyone spots other problems please let me know.
I’d like to alternate fish proteins only as I don’t approve of the inhumane treatment and filthy farm factory environments on which poultry, beef or pork are processed . If anything I may consider adding free range chicken as a supplemental protein along with the fish if necessary. I bought some wild caught mahi mahi for my next batch. I was unable to find information about that type of fish’s benefits or detriments in a dog’s diet.

Thank you in advance for your help.

[Anonymous]

Consider seeing a dermatologist for allergy testing.
/forums/search/allergies/
http://www.allergydogcentral.com/category/symptoms/
PS: In my experience, sprays and OTC stuff, supplements don’t work.

[Frances A]

I started feeding my mini schnauzer and GSD a locally made food called Pet Wants which was recommended by my groomer. I went to reorder it and noticed the first ingredient in every flavor is meal….chicken meal, lamb meal, whitefish meal. Is this a no no?

We have struggled with finding the right mix for our GSD. He tends to get the itchys very easily, as does the mini schnau. I have tried all sorts of foods from Natures Variety to Taste of the Wild to Raw. We seem to be in a good place with this food but I’m leary the main ingredient isn’t pure chicken. Here’s the ingredient list: Thank you!

Whitefish & Duck Grain Free
Pet Wants Whitefish & Duck Grain Free dog food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO dog food nutrient profiles for “All Life Stages”.
GUARANTEED ANALYSIS:
Crude Protein, min – 30.0%
Crude Fat, min – 16.0%
Crude Fiber, max – 4.5%
Moisture, max – 10.0%
* Omega 6 (Linoleic Acid), min – 2.5%
* Omega 3 (Linolenic Acid), min – 0.53%
* Glucosamine, min – 800 ppm
* Chondroitin, min – 400 ppm
* Not recognized as an essential nutrient by AAFCO dog food nutrient profiles.
INGREDIENT LIST:
Whitefish Meal, Duck Meal, Chick Peas, Field Peas, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Lentils, Tapioca Starch, Carrots, Celery, Beets, Parsley, Lettuce, Watercress, Spinach, Whole Ground Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Kelp Meal, DL-Methionine, Salt, L-Lysine, Calcium Carbonate, Choline Chloride
Vitamin & Mineral Premix:
Glucosamine HCL, Potassium Chloride, Fructooligosaccharide (FOS), Chondroitin Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid, Niacin Supplement, Organic Dried Kelp, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Acetate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Citric Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Iron Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate.

Calorie Count: 437 kcal/cup
Feeding Suggestions*: (Standard 8 oz. measuring cup)
*These are quantity suggestions; the amount you feed your pet can vary, depending greatly upon the breed, activity level, metabolism and your preferences.

[Anonymous]

If it was my dog I would make an appointment with a Internal Medicine Specialist (traditional not homeopathic) ASAP.
In the meantime I would stop all supplements and keep the diet as simple as possible.
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/nutrition/
I would consider a veterinarian recommended prescription food until the dogs are stable (could take a few months), then evaluate my options.

What did the emergency vet advise you? What was the diagnosis?
PS: I would call the emergency vet and have him call you back when he has a minute and ask him these questions.

[DogFoodie]

Hi Chris,

If you’re just using it as a topper, as opposed to using it as his total diet, I wouldn’t worry about adding supplements. Just keep the toppers to no more than 20% of his daily caloric intake to avoid throwing off the nutritional balance of the kibble.

I would consider some other veggies. Instead of potatoes, I might use spinach, broccoli or kale. Look for other dark green and orange veggies. It might not sound as tasty to us, but I’m sure your dog will still love it.

[Jacqueline G]

I’ve been supplementing our kibble with the PetFresh tender chicken. She loves it! Last night I noticed several of the kibble chunks were moldy. After a quick search I discover this has been an issue. Our purchase came from a working refrigerator, traveled home in a freezer bag and immediately went to fridge. Lot # 1832 FBP Best Buy Date 11.18.15

Looks like it’s still happening and I won’t be purchasing again. I’ve sent a message to PetFresh. Just saw the CEO on Jim Cramer recently bragging they’d never had a recall. Just because you haven’t recalled does not mean you shouldn’t have if there are months of complaints. And I was considering investing. NOT NOW.

[Dori]

I use Standard Process’s Canine Whole Body Support for only one of my dogs and that is because she is 16 years old and has some health issues now. My dogs are commercial raw frozen fed, also at times freeze dried. Their treats are fruits and veggies. Nothing processed so that, in theory, the other two (6 years old) don’t need any supplements so they don’t get any. I only started adding the supplements to my old girl a couple of years ago on a regular basis. My theory with her is that at her age and health issues she could use a bit of extra help.

IMHO, Pet Tabs are one of the worst multi-vitamins on the market complete or otherwise. As I said, just my opinion.

Standard Process Canine Whole Body Support can be purchased on line or directly from Standard Process through a veterinarian. It’s a whole food supplement in powder form, comes with a scoop and for my size dog I give her 1/8 tsp. 1X daily mixed into one of her meals.

[Allison A]

Thank you all for the input! Susan, those are great ideas, and I will be contacting a few companies. I’m not sure yet if fat aggravates his system, so my plan is to keep him on a lower fat combination to give his gut the best chance to settle down. He does really well with eggs, though.

I was also thinking that maybe instead of eventually mixing in another kibble, to add some home-cooked food to the W/D. Things like ground turkey, a little boiled liver, etc. Honestly, it might be easier (and less expensive than the super premium kibbles) than trying to find a kibble that agrees with him to add to the W/D…and there’s no risk of a product being discontinued when the supplemental food comes from meat section at the grocery store!

So far, he’s doing fantastic on the W/D. It really is amazing how fast that changes his poops from total mush to firm. He doesn’t even seem to notice the Tylan, thankfully. I’ve heard some dogs really dislike the smell and taste of it.

Any thoughts on giving the W/D a “boost” with bland, home-cooked foods? Down the road, of course, when he’s regularly…regular.

[Nancy B]

Susan: I adopt senior rescues, 9 years and up. I feed Champion’s Origen and note soft, thick fur, good energy, no vet bills, just an annual checkup. And I have no idea what they were fed in their past. I add Tbsp canned Castor & Pollux, and give an Omega-3 capsule for supplement. My two are now 12 and 13 and going strong.

[Allison A]

We were able to get an appointment pretty quick. The vet thinks he has chronic, fiber-responsive colitis. About a month ago, he had a bout of bloody diarrhea following a couple days of Rimadyl (he had tweaked his hip after playing a little too hard). Initially it was thought that he’s just one of those dogs whose GI tracts are sensitive to NSAIDs. After some metronidazole and Hills Prescription WD, that cleared up. He went back to loose stools after that; he had loose stools prior to that episode as well.

He will likely have to remain on WD long-term. So far, that is the only thing he has formed stool on (even when we supplemented insoluble fiber, which is what the WD contains). He is on a 10-day course of Tylan, too.

I hope at some point to be able to give half WD and half something better, or supplement with egg, liver, etc. He’s a young, active boy, and the WD is pretty low in protein.

[Anonymous]

A concern is, that many folks pursue these alternative therapies instead of getting veterinary care. Some people won’t bother getting the animal properly diagnosed.
And some of these natural remedies have interactions with real medicine….

There are all these products advertised all over the internet that claim to cure just about anything, unfortunately some people believe it.

PS: I use supplements on myself and pets in moderation and in conjunction with medical care. Less and less lately, as I can’t afford them and am skeptical as to how much it really helps.
“To each his own”

[Anonymous]

There are a bunch of reasons people why don’t go to the vet right away (or at all). Just to name a few:

1) Fear and mistrust of medical people, especially veterinarians.
2) Financial concerns
3) Denial that the condition could be serious, supported by well meaning friends “Oh, it’s probably nothing”. “It will go away”.
4) Trust issues, pet owner may think all vets and veterinary clinics are out to “rip them off”.
5) Decide to try home remedies, supplements, and over the counter gobbledygook.
6) Look into homeopathic care (see #5)
7) Decide the dog food is to blame, try new diet.

PS: Recent SkeptVet blog http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2015/08/veterinary-medicine-is-a-business-and-that-includes-alternative-medicine/

Sorry, I couldn’t help myself 🙂

[C4D]

Hi Kevin B,

The thing is, Purina is including some of the things that more natural feeders have been using for years and calling it proprietary. MCTs, fish oil and glucosamin can be found in a lot better products than generic poultry byproduct meal, generic fish oil and manufactured MCT oil. They are also charging a fairly high price for some mediocre ingredients.

Link: https://www.proplan.com/dogs/products/bright-mind-adult-7plus-chicken-rice-formula/#ingredientsandguaranteedanalysis

I have an almost 11 year old Lab (aka old dog by your standards) with diagnosed arthritis in her 2 back knees (torn ccl’s) and she is on NO medications, walks/jogs almost 2 miles daily, runs and chases all the wildlife in the back yard, has stellar blood panels, a beautiful shiny coat, good teeth overall (she’s any aggressive chewer and had some dental work done as a result) and does act like a young dog. I feed her some good kibble and canned food mix along with a fresh meal daily. She does get supplements of Coconut oil, fish oil (human supplement sardine and anchovy) and Glucosamin/Chondroitin. You might want to try adding some really good fresh or canned food to his diet and look into supplements and you might be surprised how much more improvement you’ll see. 🙂

• This reply was modified 10 years, 3 months ago by C4D. Reason: defining fish oil I use

[Anonymous]

I don’t read the bags that closely, who knows how accurate they are.
And all dogs are different. My senior small breed does well on Wysong Senior softened in water overnight in the fridge with a liitle cooked chicken or lean meat or scrambled egg.
He also does well on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea.
Supplements as indicated.

[Anonymous]

Have you consulted an Internal Medicine Specialist? If you haven’t, I would.
Food and supplements are not medication or treatment.
PS: In my experience, less is better when you are dealing with a dog with a sensitive stomach.
No supplements. No OTC gobbledygook. Keep it simple.

[Allison A]

I have a 4-year-old, 65-lb English Pointer who has always had very loose, unformed stools (applesauce or unset pudding), regardless of the food or supplements I have given him. He has a clean bill of health, and no medical reason for the loose stools that the vet has been able to find. He does have formed (still soft) stools on Hills Adult Light, which has a 13% fiber content. The vet thinks he is fiber responsive since the high fiber food gives his stool some consistency. I hate feeding him Hills; all my previous dogs have done great on 5-star foods. He is an “ears and rears” dog, and both seem to bug him when he eats the Hills. Currently, he’s getting half Hills and half Orijen Regional Red with a couple Primal freeze-dried nuggets (lamb) and a hard-boiled egg on top. I think the Primal freeze-dried actually firms up his stool a bit. I can’t afford to feed him freeze-dried exclusively.

The freeze-dried contains ground bone, and I am wondering if that is what helps. It’s a minor improvement, as I’m only topping his kibble with these nuggets, but there is a slight difference (mashed banana consistency). Any thoughts on giving him supplemental bone meal? There are human grade options on Amazon, and several reviewers mention it firming up their dog’s stool.

All ideas are welcomed. Below is a list of things we have tried, and that have failed.
– Limited ingredient diets – fish-based (Merrick, Natural Balance)
– Oat bran
– Canned pumpkin
– Diggin’ Your Dog (dried pumpkin fiber powder)
– Yogurt
– Probiotics
– Ground flaxseed (Missing Link supplement)
– Psyllium (aka: Metamucil)

[Allison A]

It is an exhaustive process, for sure. There was a moment that I thought it could be the fat content of the food, but he had diarrhea with Natural Balance LID Fish and that has 10% fat. Normal-ish stool on Hills Adult light, and that has 9% fat. Obviously that 1% isn’t making that huge of a difference, so it has to be the fiber content.

We slowly titrated up to 3 TABLESPOONS of psyllium a day, which would cause major changes for a 200-lb man, and there was no improvement. All it did was give him gummy stool that he strained to get out, and it was still so mushy that his anal glands started bugging him.

Here are the Hills ingredients:
Chicken Meal, Pea Bran Meal, Whole Grain Sorghum, Whole Grain Wheat, Corn Gluten Meal, Cracked Pearled Barley, Whole Grain Corn, Powdered Cellulose, Chicken Liver Flavor, Dried Beet Pulp, Soybean Oil, Lactic Acid, Flaxseed, Potassium Chloride, Iodized Salt, L-Lysine, Choline Chloride, vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Taurine, Oat Fiber, L-Carnitine, Mixed Tocopherols for freshness, Beta-Carotene, Phosphoric Acid, Natural Flavors, Dried Apples, Dried Broccoli, Dried Carrots, Dried Cranberries, Dried Peas.

I’m trying to figure out which of the fibers in there is the magic bullet. If it’s the corn and wheat that helps his stool but makes him itchy, then that stinks! Beet pulp absorbs a ton of fluid (have experience with that as a component of horse feed), but I haven’t been able to find a quantity of beet pulp for purchase that’s less than 50 lbs.

I have no issue cooking a completely home-prepared diet for him, but if he’s going to need something like kangaroo protein, then a commercially available food is going to be more economical.

I am not a fan of probiotics. A two-week trial gave him explosive diarrhea; same thing with three of my previous dogs. Personally, I have an extensive GI condition, and probiotics have been the worst thing for it. I know some people and animals have great results with them, but that hasn’t been the case in my household.

[Raquel A]

Hello everyone!

My name is Raquel Astacio and I run Doggy’s Digest along with my boyfriend, Alexis. We are a site dedicated to thoroughly covering the topic of probiotics for dogs. I originally reached out to Dog Food Advisor to see if we could contribute a post; unfortunately they do not accept any but did say we can post in the forums.

Many dog owners are not aware about canine probiotics and our mission at Doggy’s Digest is to help increase awareness. I am posting the original article that I was going to contribute to Dog Food Advisor. If this is an inconvenience or violates guidelines, please do let me know. If you find the content informative and have questions, please let me know and I will be more than happy to answer! Thank you.

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The Benefits of Canine Probiotics

For years now, we as humans have been learning the many health benefits of probiotics. Just like humans, dogs need healthy food, plenty of exercise, vitamins, and probiotics in order to be in optimum health. Probiotics are bacteria and live yeasts that improve overall health, especially in regards to our digestive systems. We usually think of all bacteria as being harmful and causing diseases. When we hear the word “bacteria” we think of antibacterial products and antibiotics that we use to destroy unhealthy bacteria.

So why would we want to willingly ingest or feed something to our dogs that has live bacteria in it? The answer is that digestive systems naturally consist of a correct balance of both “good” and “bad” bacteria. Illnesses, diet, medications, and our environment can upset this balance that is needed to stay healthy. The bacteria from probiotics is healthy bacteria. The microorganisms in probiotics are actually alive. They produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which inhibit the growth and activity of harmful bacteria. They can greatly improve a host’s gut and overall health when ingested in the proper amounts.
Probiotics are a relatively new, healthy trend in the dog and pet industry. People are realizing how essential it is to provide their pets with healthy supplements to their diet. Probiotics promote a healthy gastrointestinal system and intestinal balance in your dog. The healthy bacteria can also build up the immune system.

Veterinarians prescribe probiotics for many different conditions. They are recommended for dogs who suffer from SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), chronic diarrhea, auto-immune disorders, skin problems, irritable bowel, and intestinal infections like Giardia and Clostridia. They may even reduce allergic reactions and prevent urinary tract infections.

Once you have decided to provide your dog with probiotics, how do you choose which kind to use? It is first important to make sure that you are getting a quality product. New canine probiotics are being advertised all the time and dog food brands are adding probiotics to their foods. The challenge is that dog probiotics, like all probiotics, are live cultures that are unstable in their active states (yogurts or liquid-containing products). When exposed to extreme conditions, much of the bacteria can die off and lose their beneficial properties before reaching the intestine. This is the case for a lot of canine probiotics. This means that you need to choose a quality brand that has taken these things into account and are not just cheap probiotics added to a brand for marketing purposes.

It is first important to check the kinds and amounts of probiotic strains and amount of CFU in the probiotic. Look for 2-4 billion CFU and 8 or less strains of bacteria. Significantly less CFU may not provide any added benefits to your dog’s diet, and much higher CFU and a high number of strains may be indicators of possible harmful combinations.

Probiotics come in various forms: maintenance, intermediate, and concentrated. Maintenance probiotics are usually in powder or granule form and are used to combat everyday stress such as changes in environment or being left alone. Intermediate probiotics are usually powders and fed to your dog daily to deal with chronic stress and digestive issues. Finally, concentrated probiotics come in pastes or liquids and are temporarily used for the duration of a pet’s illness.

For everyday uses, probiotics in dry form are good options to consider. These provide a healthy and convenient option for dog owners. They contain stabilized strains of bacteria that will come back to life once they have reached the dog’s stomach. They then move to the intestines and multiply hundreds of times. Since they are not in an unstable, liquid form, they do not require refrigeration. It is simple to sprinkle these probiotics on your dog’s food.

Freeze-dried probiotics are another viable option. These probiotic microorganisms do not lose any of their potency or viability until they are mixed with water. This will happen naturally during digestion.

Whichever probiotic product you choose, you must be sure to store and use them properly. If you are using powder or granules, keep them closed and dry until feeding time. You may freeze dried forms once, but they may not be repeatedly frozen and thawed. If you choose a paste or liquid form, it must be refrigerated but cannot be frozen. Lastly, follow label instructions for proper dosage. Canine probiotics can be a wonderfully healthy addition to your dog’s diet and improve their vitality for years to come.

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Please let me know if you have any questions. I hope you enjoyed the post!

• This topic was modified 10 years, 3 months ago by Raquel A.
• This topic was modified 10 years, 3 months ago by Raquel A.
• This topic was modified 10 years, 3 months ago by Raquel A.

[Allison A]

Hi all, I need input. I adopted a 4-year-old, 65-lb English Pointer a few months ago. He is the second Pointer I have owned. He has always had very loose, unformed stools (like Motts applesauce or unset pudding), regardless of the food or supplements I have given him. He has a clean bill of health, and no medical reason for the loose stools that the vet has been able to find. He does have formed (still soft) stools on Hills Adult Light, which has about a 13% fiber content. The vet thinks he is fiber responsive since the high fiber food give his stool some consistency. I hate feeding him Hills; all my previous dogs have done great on 5-star foods. He is an “ears and rears” dog, and both seem to bug him when he eats the Hills. At the moment, he’s getting half Hills and half Orijen Regional Red with a couple Primal freeze-dried nuggets (lamb) and a hard-boiled egg on top. I think the Primal freeze-dried actually firms up his stool a bit. I can’t afford to feed him freeze-dried exclusively.

The freeze-dried contains ground bone, and I am wondering if that’s what is helping. It’s a very minor improvement, as I’m just topping his kibble with these nuggets, but there is a slight difference (mashed banana consistency). Any thoughts on giving him supplemental bone meal? There are human grade options on Amazon, and several reviewers mention it firming up their dog’s stool.

Any and all ideas are welcomed!! Below is a list of things we have tried, and that have failed miserably.
– Limited ingredient diets – fish-based (Merrick, Natural Balance)
– Oat bran
– Canned pumpkin
– Diggin’ Your Dog (dried pumpkin fiber powder)
– Yogurt
– Probiotics
– Ground flaxseed (Missing Link supplement)
– Psyllium (aka: Metamucil)

Thank you in advance!

[Adam W]

Here’s a cool blog post on probiotics:
http://www.bdwbio.com/Blog/Probiotics_And_What_They_Do_For_Animals

And another one on the mechanisms behind probiotics:
http://www.bdwbio.com/Blog/How_Do_Probiotics_Actually_Work

Some (many…most?) supplements are bogus, especially those for pets. There’s an increasing amount of evidence that probiotics don’t fall in this category. However, any probiotic product you buy needs to have enough colony forming units (CFU) to be helpful. There is some debate about whether multiple strains are helpful, but the reality is that most products which list multiple strains really don’t have enough CFU of most of them to matter at all anyway.

[Pitlove]

Ah ok, I misunderstood. Are you planning to take her off raw? If you do not want to switch from raw back to kibble, you can buy grinds of different proteins that don’t contain bone from companies like Hare Today and work with a nutritionist to balance the meals. Wysong also makes a supplement that is said to balance a raw fed diet.

http://www.wysong.net/products/cotw-dog-cat-supplement.php

[Jan M]

Hi, no …not bones….frozen raw chicken patties with ground bones as part of the ingredients. It called for 3 patties a day for her size but I only gave her 2 as a supplement cause they are expensive. I am just praying she will eat and poop it out but she still feels horrible tonight and won’t eat! Thanks.

Red….if you see this…how long before your dog cleaned out?

[cherryl]

Hi all,
I have an 11 year old Maltipoo (Friday) who’s been battling Yeast infection for 3 years. I got tired of going to the vet having the same treatment over and over (they just prescribe her some medicine,Royal Canin sensitivity and medicated soap and shampoo) without any good results, she’s still stinky, itchy and miserable. I started researching and found out that possible cause of yeast is diet (vet never mentioned that to me) and it’s when i decided to try raw. I followed the yeast starvation diet on homemadedogfood: lean ground beef, boiled egg with shell. I live in Asia so Dinovite is not available so I replace it with supplement, fish oil and megaderm (alternate). Friday loved it. Her yeast is now coming out as expected. However, i observed that her bowel changed dramatically. Her normal schedule on kibble is after meal but once she changed to raw, sometimes it would take more than 24 hrs for her to poop. Her poop is also inconsistent, one day it would be very soft and wet but can still be picked up, the next day then it will be well formed but with mucus, then it will be tarry.. oh and its really smelly too..these changes on her bowel keeps me awake at night as well. Then the other night, her poop was tarry with fresh blood and some mucus, this worried me a lot so i sent her to the vet the next day. She was examined thoroughly and found everything is normal. Also, no vomiting and coughing occurred her movement is also normal.

So i researched again and most of what I read is that I’m supposed to start with chicken, so last night i bought chicken wings and chicken breast fillet. I cut the fillet in small portion and gave Friday half of the chicken wings (this is after 24hr fasting) . She DOESN’T like it. I had to give her the chicken meat by hand and most of it she spit, she ate the chicken wing but with so much pleading. This morning when i tried to give her meal, she did not eat the wings at all. I tried cutting the bones to small pieces but to no avail. (oh this is plain chicken not the yeast starvation diet)

I have another dog Bailey, (Wire Dachshund, normal size) she started on raw the same time with Friday, she’s also having the same bowel problems like Friday (but without the bloody poop (yet)), so now she’s taking chicken wings and no problem eating it at all.

Both dogs started raw about 3 going on 4 weeks now and I dont know if there’s any alternative recipe/food that I can give her. Oh like i said I live in Asia so Turkey, lamb and other kind of meat isn’t readily available here. Basic is pork, chicken and beef.
Should I stick with the yeast starvation diet but with ground chicken? How important is the bones for the dog? And what can i do to make my dog eat chicken?

Really sorry for the long read and I really hope you guys can give me some advice on this.
Thanks so much!!!

[Pamela S]

my question is what ingredients in ANY dog food could help a dog born without hip sockets. Here are the ingredients from their web site:

Whole Grain Corn, Chicken By-Product Meal, Flaxseed, Soybean Mill Run, Brewers Rice, Soybean Meal, Pork Fat, Chicken Liver Flavor, Powdered Cellulose, Fish Oil, Lactic Acid, Potassium Chloride, L-Lysine, Calcium Carbonate, Choline Chloride, Iodized Salt, DL-Methionine, vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), L-Threonine, Taurine, Soy Lecithin, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), L-Tryptophan, L-Carnitine, Mixed Tocopherols for freshness, Chondroitin Sulfate, Phosphoric Acid, Beta-Carotene, Natural Flavors.

you could get the same outcome with vitamins. First ingredient is corn, how is that good for your dog. I think most vets are out to make money, they try to give unnecessary shots and scare you into buying science diet from them. Just my two sense.

[Susan]

Hi, could be IBD (Colitis) she may have a food intolerance/sensitivity, my boy was pooing blood & mucus, mucus & blood is from something irritating the bowel (Colitis). My boy cant eat boiled rice or boiled oats in cooked meals or wet tin foods, boiled rice & oats irritate his bowel causing blood, mucus poos…he also cant have any gluten & most vet diet have gluten, corn & boiled rice, so he cant eat most vet diets plus vet diets use chicken or hydrolyzed chicken….so if your dog has a sensitivity to chicken then vet diets won’t help…..

Have you tried to feed a cooked limited ingredient meals, just 1 protein & 1 carb, a protein she hasn’t eaten before, a protein low in fat is best & try adding some boiled potatoes, or sweet potatoes if you want more fiber… My boy does real well on beef, pork, lamb or fish, I have found….Elimination diets are best to feed when this is happening, then when she is stable (firm poos) then only add 1 new ingredient each week…… in the beginning less is best cause you will not know what is causing the diarrhea, if she is eating too many things or too many supplements are given… & keep a diary…I’ve been cooking this morning, to lightly boil some meat & boil some sweet potatoes doesn’t take long, I make 1/2 cup size meals. I put thru the blender it helps with digestion if you dogs gulps food, then I freeze small meals..
You may need a new vet, a vet that knows more about IBD…..

[C4D]

I have one dog that takes the 1200 mg double potency (720 omegas) human fish oil daily due to arthritis but I also have a foster that is allergic to fish and breaks out in a rash if she is given any fish in any form, not matter how little the portion. DogFoodie is right. It’s a great anti inflamatory, as long as the dog can take it. You also may need to supplement with an occaisonal dose of Vitamin E, if it’s not in the fish oil supplement you are using. There is a very delicate balance between fish oil and Vitamin E. Please research before giving.

[Anonymous]

Why not? I give my dogs 1 fish oil capsule a day, maybe it helps.

Latest Review Finds Fish Oils Don’t Help Dementia

Read the comments, you may find some helpful information.
PS: It is a food supplement, not a medication….not sure how accurate the dosages listed would be anyway.

[Luisa P]

I have done so much ready and I am exhausted!! Bottom line is, I wish I could just cook fresh food for my Dalmatian but realistically I know I can’t. All the information online is overwhelming because some sites do talk about fresh food, but then you need to add vitamins, etc. to make sure they are getting a balanced meal. My biggest challenge is that not only do I feed my Dalmatian, but I have 7 other dogs. So to make fresh food every day is not realistic for me. So I decided to meet in the middle. I am currently giving
one of the highly recommended grain free formulas from this website, but I give 1 cup less and then I supplement that with fresh homemade food. The biggest thing that I have learned from the Dalmatian diet is that you need to make sure you float their food with water. If your water source is high in minerals, then I would use distilled. I am attaching something important that I have found and do follow with my daly.

Traffic light system:
Green Light Purines – These foods are virtually Purine free they can be fed as often as you like and to stone forming dogs. Food stuffs
Whole grain yeast free bread
Whole grain yeast free cereals
Most vegetables (see high purine exceptions below) Not onions or Garlic.
Fruits (some fruits are toxic to dogs see list below)
Nuts (except Macadamia nuts)
Peanut Butter
Pasta
Eggs
Cheese
Yellow light Purines – The following foods are considered to contain a moderate level of purines and are acceptable in diets for stone-forming dog breeds. Most or even all of your Dalmatian’s protein sources should come from this list as opposed to the “Red Light” purines listed in the next section Most Poultry including Chicken and Turkey
Fish and Shellfish (see exceptions below)
Lamb
Pork
Beef
Oats and Oatmeal

Red light Purines – The following foods contain the highest levels of purines and should be avoided as much as possible to help prevent stone formation: Kidneys
Hearts
Brains
Liver
Sweetbreads
Venison
Duck
Goose
Sardines
Mackerel
Muscles
Scallops
Cauliflower
Spinach
Peas
Mushrooms
Legumes (kidney beans, lentils)
Yeast (including brewers yeast)
Gravy

If you have a FB account, you could join a private group called Dalmatian Addiction, there are a lot of great people there who share great info and pictures of their dogs.

[Anonymous]

“So what I’m wondering is what can I do to improve all my puppies health? Should I start making homemade puppy food? What supplements and flea medicines should I be giving them? They have to be on a leash outside so do you have any fun exercises I can do with them? Any other advice you want to give me, especially towards the new puppy”?

I think you should ask your vet these questions when you see him. He looks like he may be a small breed mix, dachshund? There is a dog dna test you could try when things get settled, if you must know.
Puppies do well with 3 or 4 small meals a day, soft and dry mixed with water. They sleep, play and eat…..see if he will play fetch? Carry him to the area you would like him to use as the bathroom every 2 hours so he will get the idea.

[Cody G]

So, about a week ago we found this adorable puppy that our neighbors abandoned and left our on doorstep when they moved.

He was so little and cute! His eyes still weren’t even open 🙁 The worst part was he had these bumps all over his body which I assumed were either chigger bites, or *gasp* Mange.

Of course, when the vet opened my wife and I carried him to get checked out. Sadly, Rambo did have Mange and worms (goes back next week to get vaccinated, he was just treated for Mange and to remove the worms this time). Luckily we kep’t him isolated from our other dogs (both lab mixes, one is husky the other is border colly).

Looking at this puppy (picture included) and seeing how he looked made me really want to step-up on keeping all my dogs healthier. The puppy is *I think* just a few weeks old maybe a month, my Husky is 1 year, and my Border Colly is 2 years.

So what I’m wondering is what can I do to improve all my puppies health? Should I start making homemade puppy food? What supplements and flea medicines should I be giving them? They have to be on a leash outside so do you have any fun exercises I can do with them? Any other advice you want to give me, especially towards the new puppy?

Btw I think the vet said hes mixed with Pomeranian but hes too young to really tell what else he is mixed with maybe you can help decide, I honestly can’t tell what kind he is at all 🙂

[Ryan K]

My dog has a pretty strong intolerance to Brewer’s Yeast. She gets really rough yeast infections in her ears even after a couple days of ingesting something with this ingredient in it. Does anyone know a good, reliable, ADVANCED quality Glucosamine-Chondroitin supplement that would work well for my 14 year old Old English Sheepdog that does NOT have Brewer’s Yeast in it? I can’t seem to find a decent one without it in it and my dog reallllllllllly needs this in her system. Her arthritis is so bad now. Any advice would help! 🙂

[Tammy A]

I’ve read all the comments and am amazed at how judgemental some of the comments are when expressing dissatisfaction for Dinovite. I wasn’t going to leave a comment, but decided I would because there may be someone who has experienced the same issues I had with Dinovite. I have two Cairn Terriers and there’s nothing I would not do for my babies.

After much research, my husband and I decided to start feeding our dogs the cooked homemade dog food recipe on the Dinovite website. Things were going great for three weeks, then the intestinal problems started. Both dogs had stools covered with mucus and then diarrhea. Since the only changes were in the diet, we started backtracking. We stopped putting Dinovite in the food, and their stools started to get back to normal. We knew we shouldn’t continue to feed the homemade food without supplements, do we started researching dog foods.

After a 24 hour fast, we started feeding our dogs Wellness Core. They love it, and everything is back to normal. Thank goodness!

So, Dinovite may work for many of you, but it did not work for me.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 4 months ago by Tammy A.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 4 months ago by Tammy A.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 4 months ago by Tammy A.

[Anonymous]

NuVet Supplement=Same Old Snake Oil

below is an excerpt, click on link for full article and 111 comments, as of today.

Bottom Line
This product is a hodgepodge of nutrients, herbal ingredients, and nutraceuticals thrown together with no clear logic or rationale. The claims that many pet diseases are due to toxins or other deficiencies in commercial diets and to oxidative damage are unsupported by any real evidence. Only a few of the specific claims for the ingredients in the mixture are backed by research evidence, and the quality of this is generally poor and only available for humans. The advertising of the product contains many of the hallmarks of snake oil marketing, but it does not contain any research evidence at all concerning the safety or effectiveness of the product, because none appears to exist.While I have no reason to doubt the sincerity of the manufacturer of this product, I believe it is unethical to sell a product with no research establishing the safety or efficacy of the product for any disease and with little to no research even into the safety and efficacy of its constituents. Promoting the product with unproven or outright false claims about pet nutrition and disease designed to instill fear in pet owners and with wild and ridiculous claims about the effectiveness of the product for numerous unrelated diseases is wrong regardless of how sincerely the manufacturer believes in their own pseudoscientific theories. Any responsible manufacturer of a medical therapy should be expected to demonstrate their claims through rigorous science before profiting from the desperate need of people with sick pets.

[Sheryl P]

Has anyone used the NuVet vitamins and/or joint health supplements? I have been giving them to my almost 15 year old Aussie and my 5 year old Golden Retriever for about 3 weeks now. The Aussie’s joints seem to be not quite so stiff now. He had actually stopped swimming with my Golden about 6 months ago and has just in the last week started getting back in the water. My Golden is prone to hot spots because he practically lives in the water year round (we live on a farm surrounded by ponds and creeks) so his fur stays damp pretty much all day until I dry him off to come in at night! I can honestly say he has not had a outbreak since he started on these supplements. Just wondering if anyone else had used them and what kind of results they were having. I also have a 16 week old Aussie pup and was wondering at what point I should start joint supplements on him. He is on a premium puppy food (4.5 rated at DFA) so I’m not sure if he needs any supplements yet.

[InkedMarie]

Hi Chuck,
I have a brittany who is 5! I buy grinds from Hare Today, Reel Raw Dog and a new england meet up. I feed ones with bone & organ, tripe too for most. They’re complete. I add minimal supplements: salmon oil 3x weekly, eggs 3x weekly, Bug off Garlic & joint supps for my older dog. All you do is put the bowl on a scale, tare it, scoop it then feed. I do use some beef rib bones & necks as well for dental care.

[Pitlove]

Pamela gave you great info. I’ll add to it by saying that rotational diet means different things to different people. Some people rotate proteins within the same brand (like you were talking about), others switch not only the protein, but the brand like myself and Pamela do.

Switching within the same line, you don’t need to blend food. The only reason they SHOULD get GI upset is if they were intolerant to an ingredient in the food. Other than that they should be fine.

How I started my pitbull on a rotational diet was, I added Kefir (very popular milk type drink in the Jewish community that contains strains of healthy bacteria which allows dogs to digest different foods) to his food for the 7-10 day window where you would be tranistioning foods. I also added a digestive supplement from The Honest Kitchen called Perfect Form. I did this for a few switches, however now, I no longer have to do that. I can switch every meal to a new food (I don’t except for some samples of different foods here and there) without GI upset. Veterinary Nutritionists like Dr. Susan Wrynn are even recommending rotational feeding to make sure your dog is not nutritionally defeciant in anything on just one food.

My experience with rotational feeding has been fun and it’s made my dog interested in food again. I used to feed lots of different brands, however now, because of skin conditions he has I need to feed 1-2 foods to see if the food is making a difference or not. Thats just my situtation though. If your dog is completely healthy I think rotational feeding is excellent.

[theBCnut]

I get grinds from Hare Today. If I’m feeling lazy, I feed just the grind. If I’m doing my usual routine, I add fish oil, coconut oil, a supergreen supplement, and a little of a blanched fruit/vegetable puree that I make from colorful fruits and veggies.