[Anonymous]

Some dogs shed a lot, you could try a daily fish oil supplement…in case the shedding is related to dry skin.

She may have environmental allergies, if so, and it is causing her discomfort for 4 seasons, I would consider getting her tested. http://www.allergydogcentral.com/2011/06/30/dog-allergy-testing-and-allergy-shots/#comment-1283

Have you considered a home made diet? You could still use kibble as a base
http://www.homeovet.net/dynamic/php/downloads/dog-c8470f2c75dbe4b683205c3919ee2310/dog_diet_complete.pdf

Is she getting enough exercise? A 20 minute brisk walk 2 or 3 times a day will aid with weight loss.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Dawn R- I am very sorry to hear about your struggles with Bella. My dogs had a similar start. First of all, I’m pretty sure you have done this, but I just have to ask. Has she been retested for Giardia? It is a difficult parasite to get rid of at times and I’m wondering if it is active again. Have you wormed her lately? If not, I’d try either Panacur or Drontal Plus in case she had some dormant giardia lurking.

My pups had a bad case and struggled with diarrhea off and on for a few years. I think the parasites and the over use of antibiotics caused them to have a leaky gut or some form of colitis. Check out this site for some great info: http://www.dogaware.com/health/digestive.html

My dogs are having issues right now because I think I got too confident in their tummies being better and they are not. I am feeding them the Merrick Classic Chicken formula and it is not going too well. However, when I fed them the Merrick grain free duck and turkey they did fine. My suspicion is maybe there are just too many ingredients in the classic formula. My dogs do fine with peas, sweet potatoes, and rice as a binder. I’m now suspicious of rye and barley as no no’s.

So far, my best kibbles for them have been Victor grain free and California Natural Pork and Peas. I try to add some fresh, frozen or canned to their kibble every meal. Your best is to try to keep their kibble as simple as possible. Shoot for just one protein and one carb with low fat and slightly higher fiber. I think the California Natural Pork formula might be a food one for you. I ordered it from Pet Flow when it was 30% off to give it a try!

The supplements that I have used with success are:
Seacure, Phytomucil, Vetri Pro BD, Gastriplex, Perfect Form and Pro Flora probiotic
chews. I still rotate them.

Oh, and also, plain canned pumpkin doesn’t work wonders for us either. But the Fruitables Pumpkin digestive canned supplement does. It has a few other goodies in it that seem helpful. Of course, it costs at least twice as much as the plain pumpkin.

Please write back if you have anymore questions!

[Dori]

Hi Akari. I just read your posts on the comments side and wanted to tell you that Denamarin IS a combination of Sam-e and Milk Thistle which is why the vet has Ginger on that particular medication. Hannah has been on it once a day since beginning of last Spring. She takes the chewable version. She thinks they’re a treat. She gets 225 mg daily as per her specialist. I also give her 1/4 teaspoon of canine immunity by Standard Process. All of this is for her liver which is now on the lower range of normal. I also give her daily a vitamin E capsule once a day. The vitamin e I poke a hole in the capsule with a pin and squirt it on her food. She’ll be on this routine for the rest of her life. The Denamarin I give her one and a half hours before her p.m. Meal. Easier for me and her than having to get up so early to give before breakfast. Of course she gets a ton of other supplements and essential oil and aromatherapy but those are for her cancers. She’s doing remarkably well on the cancer issues. She also only eats raw.

Anyway, I haven’t been on DFA in a while and probably won’t be again but I did see your discussion with crazy4dogs where she was telling you to add milk thistle and I wanted you to know that you already are. It’s one of the components in Denamarin. If I can help any more regarding Ginger either email me or go to my FB page. One more thing. Amazon has better prices on Denamarin than the vets do. That’s where I buy mine. It’s the same exact product. My vet is the one that told me to buy it on Amazon. Night!

[Stacy H]

I definitely agree with seeing a vet ASAP.

My dog Sisko has unfortunately has had grand mal seizures ever since I adopted him in November 2012. He would have them every several weeks.

Tried removing toxins, good diet, natural supplements, no more heartworm medicine… unfortunately he still ended up being put on phenobarbital.

I wish I had thought of it sooner, but we’ve actually had tremendous benefit with a hemp supplement. (The one I use is called Canna Companion.) On phenobarbital alone he was having seizures every 16-19 weeks. After adding the hemp supplement, we’re now over 30 weeks and counting seizure-free. His mood also has been improved greatly, more energy, playing with toys again. Just my own little story and something to think about.

Also, I have personally found this website to be quite valuable to me in dealing with seizures, even if it hasn’t been updated in quite a long time:
http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/site_map.htm

• This reply was modified 10 years, 8 months ago by Stacy H.

[Rachel M]

Hello! I am very new to the raw dog food world, and I’m finding it to be overwhelming! But… I want what’s best for my dog child, so I need some help please 🙂 I will fill you in on the details first, since I’m not sure what you all need to know. My canine child is a 1 year 3 month old Doberman Pinscher. His health is normal. He is currently on Fromm Gold Large breed dog food. He eats 5 cups a day, 2 1/2 in the morning, 2 1/2 at night. He was previously abused, so he has some problems with eating quickly *or at least I assume the abuse was a huge factor*. I have given him raw turkey neck before as a treat *AFTER I searched to make sure it was safe*, and he loved it. I started looking more into it, and that’s when I found all these things about raw feeding and how it’s great for them. I can’t afford to feed him entirely raw, so I’m looking to supplement. I was thinking of switching him to Taste of the Wild, but I am wondering if this would be a wise switch as well. We tried the puppy pacific stream formula when he was young, (3-5 months?), but that was right after we had picked him up from a situation where he wasn’t being fed. The food was too rich for him at the time, and he had mushy poo’s. We ended up trying a few different foods, but went with Fromm, as it seemingly fixed his poo problems. I’ve been reading that Taste of the Wild is a good food, but I wasn’t sure if I should try it again.
I am also always looking for long lasting chews for him. I made the terrible mistake of giving him a beef knuckle bone when he was young, and he ground his canine teeth down a little bit 🙁 I will feel terribly guilty for the rest of my life for that. Regular rawhide scares me, so right now he gets Digest-eeze and pork chomps. These are not enough. He FLIES through these.
SO BASICALLY, I am wondering
A. If I should supplement his kibble with raw? And if so, how should I do this? How much raw? How much of a kibble cut back? And how often should I feed raw? Is this something I should mix WITH his kibble every day? Or feed raw in the am, kibble p.m? I am so lost!
B. Is mixing a kibble while also feeding raw going to hurt him?
C. If I should switch his food to TOTW? Is this worth trying again?
D. ARE THERE ANY CHEWS OUT THERE THAT WILL LAST LONGER THAN 10 MINUTES FOR MY DOG THAT AREN’T GOING TO HURT HIM?!?!
Haha! Crazy dog mom essay over. Thank you in advance for your help, and I apologize for all of the questions! I am just totally overwhelmed!

[LeAnn]

We have 3 pitbull rescue dogs–two of our own and one foster. We recently noticed an increase in their food allergies (and yes, they are allergies with hives, swelling, skin lesions, induced secondary infections, congestion, and more) from commercial dog foods. One dog is so severe he has had to be put on steroids and an elimination diet.

I found sources for what ingredients are safe for foods, and obviously this website has info on beneficial ingredients by extrapolation from the reviews.

But where can we get the nutritional values that are accessible to dogs from these ingredients? Are caloric, vitamin, mineral, fiber, and other nutritional content in foods equally accessible to dogs as they are humans?

What exactly are the nutritional requirements for dogs?

Where can we find that info?

Once we find out the allergies from the elimination process, we would like to either partially use limited ingredient commercial foods or supplements to make sure the dogs get what they needed. But without knowing the impact of the home prepped food we give them, we won’t know what they need.

Suggestions or reference resources?

Thanks!
Le’

[Justin F]

We recently took our 5 year old boxer/collie mix to the vet for a screening and they noticed his urine had a ph of 5.5 and that there was some crystals. The x-ray showed no sign of any stones and so we are just trying to prevent and manage his ph and gravity.

The vet wants us to use Prescription Diet U/D food which seems horrible its pretty much just brewers rice and other by-products.

Instead I’m hoping to find a food that doesn’t have Vitamin C and D supplements and also supplement with potassium citrate. Maybe add some wet food to for more moisture.

Has anybody else tried doing this before or any thoughts?

Google “Minnesota urolith center calcium oxalate” and they have some good info.

[Kathy J]

Thanks for the advice about THK. I continue having trouble with the digestibility aspect of THK or any other dehydrated foods (or raw for that matter). I would not cook it because it would probably dilute the supplements that are added in.
So, right now I will stick with Fromm – or Acana and maybe Nature’s Variety or Wellness and some canned and my added in home cooked things while I study cooking for him.
I need to figure out what supplements to add, etc. As I am “older”, I definitely did not want to do the cooking thing but after that horrible video “Pet Food – A Dog’s Breakfast” my solution may be to cook most of the meals and fill in with “quality kibble and canned”.

[Rebecca L]

This is not a food suggestion but a supplement that I give our 6 year old yorkie pooh who constantly gagged and threw up, snorted and all that allergy related stuff. I give Burkly 10 mg. of Loradatine every day and if he misses 2 days we definitely know it. It is a human allergy pill which is very mild – make sure it says Loradatine. Our Vet says that it is safe.

[Anonymous]

I told you, the ph levels will fluctuate. They may never be perfect.
I agree with what you said in previous posts, water, water, and more water. And, don’t forget the potassium citrate supplements I mentioned, I think they help, big time.
I don’t bother with testing, I have other things that need my attention more, right now.

It’s sometimes a genetic thing, the diet will only do so much.
Just my opinion….if your vet tells you something different, ignore me, lol

[Anonymous]

Nutrisca dry (salmon) is potato and grain free (ingredients copied from chewy.com)

Salmon, Menhaden Fish Meal, Peas, Chickpeas, Salmon Meal, Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Sunflower Oil, Pea Fiber, Flaxseed, Calcium Carbonate, Salmon Oil (a source of DHA), Dicalcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Dried Eggs, Natural Flavor, Tomato Pomace, Carrots, Cranberries, Apricots, Choline Chloride, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Iron Proteinate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Folic Acid, Calcium Iodate, Cobalt Proteinate, Biotin, Selenium Yeast, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Rosemary Extract.

[Nate D]

Here’s an update to my situation. After 2 and a half weeks of my dog being on Science Diet prescription I switched back to regular food, Fromm….only after working with their nutritionist I went with their Whitefish formula over weight management and I mixed in their Salmon/Chicken wet food and added the Solid Gold Berry Balance supplement.
I noticed her ph jumped extremely high after this, so I switched to straight wet food with the same results at 8.5, however I found out I was doing it all wrong. I should be testing first thing in the morning before eating not a couple hours after eating because that can easily spike the ph. I also wasn’t testing enough during the day so I’m going to test more throughout the day. I was testing today and all times so far are at 6.5…where I want to be.
She is having a new urinalysis done this weekend so we’ll see what the vet says then and what the results come back as. I’m trying to find a grain free, potato free, carrageean free, low calorie food, but it’s hard. What’s funny is some say lower protein diets are needed and others like Wyosong say higher protein. I did look into Wysong, but their protein amounts are very high from what I’m seeing and for a Dachshund that’s not always good. Gas, weight gain, overactive anal glands, etc.. I tried Orijen in the past and that didn’t work well at all.
I’m determined to find a good medium though. We’ll see what the vet says this weekend. Won’t be surprised if he says to keep her on SD long term.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 9 months ago by Nate D.

[Jennifer H]

Sooo…this is the menu I’ve drawn up for next month for Toby’s raw diet. Would anyone care to check it over and see if I’m good for calcium/phos, vits/mins? I try to stick to the meat being in the PMR range, but I add veggies and supplements as well to balance everything out.
Toby weighs 13lbs, although I think he should weigh a bit less. The morning mixes consist of ground whole prey (Hare Today), with added cooked/pureed veggies (varies according to season availability, but usually consists of a base of pumpkin, spinach, parsley, sweet potato, berries and I add an 8oz can of Oyster for manganese) and added egg. I mix up as much meat as I would need for all 4 weeks, then add half that amount in veggies, and then 2 eggs w/ shells from my backyard flock.
He also gets .5oz of veggies in the evening. (I make a big batch and then portion into ice cube trays.)

His organs consist of 2lb beef liver, 1lb chicken liver, 2lb beef kidney, and 1lb beef pancreas that were ground and mixed together and then portioned into ice cube trays for ease of use.

AM
Monday – 2.5 oz Tripe Mix
Tuesday – 2.5oz Llama Mix
Wednesday – 2.5oz Rabbit Mix
Thursday – 2.5oz Tripe Mix
Friday – 2.5oz Llama Mix
Saturday – 2.5oz Rabbit Mix
Sunday – 2.5oz Mutton Mix
PM
(Meals total roughly 3oz)
Monday – Skinless Chicken Neck, Chicken Gizzard, .5oz Organ
Tuesday – Chicken Foot, Beef Heart
Wednesday – Goat, Sardine, Beef Gullet
Thursday – Duck Neck, Turkey Gizzard, .5oz Organ
Friday – Chicken Back Piece, 1oz Organ
Saturday – Cornish Hen Wing, Goat, .5oz Organ
Sunday – Goat, Sardine, Beef Gullet

His supplements are as follows –

MORNING – 1/2 TSP Missing Link Skin and Coat – Daily
15 IU Vit E – Daily
Carlson Low A Cod Liver Oil – Daily
2tsp Kefir – Daily
Fish Oil – Mon, Wed, Fri
Coconut Oil – Tues, Thurs

EVENING – 1/2 TSP ONP Daily Greens – Daily
15 IU Vitamin E – Daily
2tsp Kefir – Daily

I’m also looking at adding k9 Natural Health Skin and Coat to his evening meal as well….but only at half dose or less (their doses seem extremely high).

Does this look okay? I’m learning all the time, and hoping to create a nice varied but balanced diet for Toby. He loves his raw, and he’s done so well on it.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 9 months ago by Jennifer H.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 9 months ago by Jennifer H.

[AJ A]

Thanks for all your opinions and experiences, I am glad I received replies.
I won’t ever go back to kibble EVER.
And I don’t run to the Vet all the time. I am organic myself since 15 yrs and haven’t seen a doctor since. Not even once!
I use common sense and needed to see if my case was only happening to my pup. As I can see it is definitely the water in the meat. Thats why they dont need to drink as much water as they do with kibble. Today I controlled a little the water intake and he pees less often, but still bigger spots than before and specially after feeding the chicken. He is doing just fine and has top energy, his coat started shining and it is growing faster than it was 1 month ago.
Before I switched to raw I did a deep education to be prepared, asking raw feeding breeders all over from Australia to Germany, checked everything online and started to understand that raw diet should not contain veggies neither grains like the BARF diet.. Wolves dont get a complete balanced diet everyday, neither do we and certainly they wont be searching for carrots, spinach and grains in their habitat. They receive the fermented enzymes from the digested food of their prey’s tripe, thats the good stuff, thats what they will eat first, thats where lots of balanced nutrients are.
When starting a raw diet with puppies (especially small breed) you best start with chicken, because low fat and easier digested than ground beef. Because I tried both, beef (grass fed 95%lean) and chicken. He regurgitated the whole ground beef everytime he ate it. He never did with the chicken. The wing helps cleaning his teeth and he gets supplements from the core of the bone and calcium.1 egg a week for breakfast. I give bone meal since he does not yet get enough bones in his food yet. Once he is used to the chicken and wings/necks I will start to join some liver and heart and green tripe little by little to not upset his digestion. Than we will do the same with duck, lamb and rabbit including organ and muscle meat as well. Of course a meaty bone everyday or 3 times a week.
Once established his likes than we can start feeding 1 day chicken, next duck and so on. I forgot the fish. Some fresh fish once a week is important as well.
I think probiotics , enzymes and clay are a must have in the kitchen. So is ionic silver and therapeutic grade essential oils like geranium, peppermint, frankincense and lemon. When they get lose stool some clay with enzymes/probiotics and diarrhea is cleared.
I use ionic silver to disinfect drinking water, once in a while internal against parasites and to clear my Shih Tzu’s eyes (14yrs). He suffers dry eyes and since he is on raw diet as well since 2 weeks his dry eye symptoms are already totally gone!! Yeahhhh! Now I hope to see changes in his coat like color and softness. His constant fear should disappear as well and his appetite should get better and better. I really hope to gain some more years of his company. I love him so much and hope we can gain back as much health as he has lost due to those bad kibble diet. He lost some of his hair on his back and I truly hope the high protein intake will fix most of his problems.
I stopped using vaccines on my Shih Tzu since 10yrs, neither I believe in spaying/neuter dogs. My pup received vaccines from her Vet, he won’t ever receive any other vaccines in his life. I dont believe it does any good, not for pets and neither for humans. Build up a healthy immune system and eat organic food and you will be fine!!! Same for dogs. THEY ARE DOGS NOT HUMANS!!! THEY DESERVE TO EAT HOW NATURE DESIGNED THEM TO.

[Anonymous]

I use k9Advantix II (topical monthly) on my dogs, but only during the summer. Heartworm pills every 6 weeks (not 4) during warm months, yearly testing, careful checking and avoidance of all tall grass, brush and woods.
I also use Brewers yeast/garlic supplements as they are supposed to deter bugs, plus natural spray repellents.
I would not use an oral agent, wish I didn’t have to use anything, but the ticks are bad in my area. They all are pesticides/poisons.

I have heard terrible things about this product http://vitalanimal.com/trifexis-hoax/

[DogFoodie]

Hi Melissa,

I would definitely consider a food change. Your dog may very well be having a reaction to an ingredient in his food. My Golden has numerous food intolerances and when his anal gland begin to smell strong, that’s usually my first sign that he’s eaten a problem ingredient. A quick switch to one of his safe foods, thereby eliminating the offending ingredient, has always solved the problem. He’s never had to have his anal gland expressed.

I would switch your pup to a limited ingredient food. Choose a simple recipe with a protein, and preferably a binder, that he hasn’t eaten before. Keep track of the ingredients you feed him and soon you’ll begin to see common ingredient and the specific reaction that results. My favorite limited ingredient diet is Nature’s Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient Diets.

It could also be a fiber issue. He may be needing more bulk in his diet. You could try adding some plain, canned pumpkin puree, Fruitables Digestive Supplement or some Firm Up dehydrated pumpkin.

To be safe, I’d switch foods and keep pumpkin on hand in case he develops loose stool.

[theBCnut]

Sardines have bones included, so for salmon, you have to add a calcium supplement.

[aquariangt]

I read the first one, and the 2nd one I couldn’t find any information on Diamond. The first one was posted a year after the most recent Diamond mega recall.

While I applaud them for attempting to get things turned around, I still am leary and won’t be feeding their foods anytime soon. In a few years, if they’ve cleaned up their act…maybe, but still unlikely. There are plenty of foods out there that I like more than the majority of Diamond products anyway. I like that they have some affordable lines of decent quality, but for me, it’s not really worth the risk-and like I said, they still have to be clean for a few more years before I could even in good conscience recommend them.

As far as the probiotics and glucosamine you are looking for-there are other foods out there that add that, or you can add them yourself (I use supplements all the time with the dogs)

[Brian S]

Hi there,
I have a 10 year old Staffordshire that was having recurring diarrhea. After her Xray showed up nothing and blood work showed calcium and protein deficiency plus raised white blood cells ,we knew there was a pretty major problem absorbing nutrients in her digestive tract,she had also lost a lot of weight.Without surgery and a biopsy ($1400 +) there was no way to know for certain but the vet thought it could be anything from pancreatitis to cancer.Ultimatelyshe was treated with anti-parasites and antibiotics to rule out those as a cause and then a course of steroids to reduce inflammation. The only food she could eat without getting diarrhea was Royal Canin gastro intestinal which of course is ridiculously expensive and here in Canada at least is only sold by vets. After much research I found that it wasnt because this was so low in fat that she could tolerate it but in fact because of the addition of a naturally occuring compound called Zeolite which Royal Canin add to the food. It is listed on their ingredients as Sodium aluminate silica. It works as a powerful anti-diarrheal and has also been tested with some success as an anti carcinogenic (http://www.researchgate.net/publication/11905741_Natural_zeolite_clinoptilolite_new_adjuvant_in_anticancer_therapy). The only other non-prescription dog foods that I can find that contain it are Royal Canin Sensitive digestion and Derma comfort which are available in pet stores.These are more affordable than the gastrointestinal one and do have higher fat and protein levels. You can also buy Zeolite as a food supplement online and that will be my next step.

[Kim M]

I have been going crazy researching foods that DO NOT have flaxseed or pea/pea meal in them. I have been told by many breeders that I need to get my bitch off the food I feed her (Annamaet Option) and on a food that has no flaxseed or pea/peal meal in it. Ha that has been a full time job. Along that same line I also need to get her off the Vet Formula MissingLink I give her for over all coat / joint supplement, it has Flaxseed in it.
I also have 2 dogs (uncle/niece) who have yeast issues. They are on a Probiotic and a rotation of Pollock and Salmon oil. So when addressing the above issue with my breeding bitch I also need a food that will not produce sugar that feeds the yeast.
Any help out there.

[puppypiles]

If you’re interested in making your own food or dehydrating it, I suggest looking at http://www.dogaware.com/articles/newsdiet.html#recipestudy. It’s an article about the research and nutrient deficiencies in homemade diets, and links to where you can get supplementation.

I also agree with Akari in that feeding a purely raw (especially PMR) is easy if your calculations are correct. The very basic rule of thumb with dogs is 80% muscle meat, 10% bone, and 10% organs, with 5% of that being liver, and the other 5% being another secreting organ, such as kidneys or pancreas.

[a c]

Hello,
I have been reading this forums for a while now. It really convinced me to start feeding my i dog raw and I thank all of you for that.
Right now Im trying to find a nice superfood mix. I came across this and was wondering what people think about it. I didn’t come across any ingredients which are harmful. It is called pHresh Greens Raw Alkalizing Superfood. http://shop.phreshproducts.com/phresh-greens-1-month-supply/
The diet I feed my dog looks like this. He is a male, 55lb 9 month old pit mix.
AM – 1lb chicken grind
PM – 1lb chicken grind
– 1/2lb of tripe and eggs every 2-3 days
– Carlson cod liver oil, 1 pill every 2 days
– Carlson salmon oil, 1 pill every day
– Coconut oil, 4-5 teaspoon every day
– apple cider vinegar, 1 garlic clove 2-3 times a week.
I am trying to find good superfood mix and also to supplement with some probiotics, either kefir or yoghurt. I can get them both from the farmers market. Would that be necessary or any store-bought will be just fine?
Thank you

[MaggiesDad]

Have a look at http://www.allprovide.com – although a commercial food, it is raw with all natural ingredients and supplements to give your dogs all they need. Its a good place to start whilst you get the hang of DIY 🙂

[Naturella]

For me too there is a distinction between big box stores like PetCo, PetSmart, PetSupermarket, and PetLand, and small, “boutique”-type stores. My expectations also differ between the 2 categories, similarly to aquariangt’s.

From big box stores I actually would like some knowledge on food rotation and not encouraging customers to stick with ONE food for the lifetime of their pet. Also, to piggy-back off of aquariangt, I feel like they have poor knowledge of different foods’ kibble sizes is because employees themselves stick with one food only so they don’t get to experience what other foods’ size or consistency is like. Knowledge on when their “natural” cow ears, etc. have been chemically treated (bleached) would also be helpful – Bruno got sick on a “natural, non-treated cow ear from PetCo that smelled so chemical and I should’ve trusted my gut than to give it to him… He had like 1/4-1/3 of the ear and vomited it up. Never again have I shopped for natural chews from big box stores. Antlers and healthier chews like bully sticks are severely overpriced also.

Boutique stores – I also hope for up-to-date, more detailed knowledge about manufacturers and ingredients/ingredient sourcing would be much appreciated (I have gotten conflicting info from 2 separate stores on where NVI sources their rabbit from), as well as good knowledge on adequate healthy supplements for whatever issue the client comes in with. Not vet-level knowledge, obviously, but good product knowledge on whatever the store carries, and what it can be used for.

I think that’s about it. Overall, I am pretty happy with the knowledge level of the boutique associates that I have encountered.

[Peter L]

The actual analysis panel for NL products is in fact product specific. There seems to be a lot of urban legend in this thread and very few facts. GA’s are never 100% accurate because there are small variations between lots not because they test on recipe and then attribute results to all recipes. If you follow the recommended feeding instructions, there is zero chance of over supplementing your animal. If your dogs need more calories because of weather or work load, use a denser, high quality food. It makes no sense to feed a bargain brand to save money and then douse it with an expensive supplement. You end up with garbage covered in hollandaise sauce. Its still garbage.

[crazy4cats]

Puppypiles-
Thanks for the info on slippery elm. I rotate supplements, but I think they all contain SE. Your reasoning sounds correct so I think I need to give my pups a break from it. They have struggled with loose stools for some time now and slippery elm seems to help. But, getting all of their nutrition is a little important too. Lol!

[puppypiles]

I would check with your vet and maybe also THK. They say you can mix premade raw with their base mixes, and I don’t think that would be much different than the supplemental cans like Wellness 95%.

[Gloria K]

My Mickey thinks the Kong is the best invention ever and he may very well be right. I give him his homemade dog food in his dish in the morning and supplement it with kibble in his Kong. It takes him about 10 minutes to empty his Kong. He loves it.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 9 months ago by Gloria K.

[Judy P]

What about The Honest Kitchen dehydrated food? There are numerous choices including at least 3 grain free and including numerous minerals and supplements. Also, for kibble, what about Great Life and Pioneer Natural (made by Great Life)? I prefer to feed raw and dehydrated but the ingredients in these two grain free kibbles certainly seem far above the norm.

[Bobby dog]

Hi Linda:
I am always on the lookout for average to low fat commercial raw foods. I find most recipes too high in fat. Good or bad fat it’s in there and I want the majority of my dog’s calories to be from protein not fat. Here’s an article on fat in commercial raw foods:
/choosing-dog-food/raw-dog-food-fat/

From my list I only have one food that may fit your needs Primal Frozen Venison. On a dry matter basis using the numbers from their site it is about 16% fat. Their Frozen Rabbit recipe is also low fat (17% DMB), but you mentioned rabbit might not agree with your dog.

You might consider making your own raw if you are unable to find a suitable commercial diet. Here is a list of books for making raw and home cooked diets:
http://www.dogaware.com/diet/bookreviews.html

Since your dog is not too thrilled eating TOTW kibble maybe try another brand or have you ever thought about supplementing with canned instead? Here are some low-fat canned foods I feed Wellness Core Weight Management, Innova Large Breed Sr., and Weruva’s Marbella Paella, Paw Lickin’ Chicken, and Bed and Breakfast recipes. On Weruva’s site they list their nutrition information in dry matter basis. Other low-fat canned foods I want to try are Fromm’s Four Star Shredded Chic or Beef and Petsmart’s Simply Nourish bisque or stew foods.

Feeding a balanced diet is important, however if my dog had a health issue it would definitely be priority for me. Regarding Sojos foods and mixes there have been comments posted on DFA about the vegetables coming out of their dog as they went in and lack of info on their labels. Some posters suggested grinding the mix before feeding it. You can do a search for comments on Sojos here’s one thread:
/forums/topic/sojo-premix/

Concerns have also been posted about The Honest Kitchen foods and mixes. Posters have commented on digestibility issues, label accuracy, feeding recommendations, and questionable information provided by customer service and the owner of the company. Check out the comment sections on the review side for more info:
/dog-food-reviews/honest-kitchen-grain-free/
/dog-food-reviews/honest-kitchen-dog-food/

Good luck!

[Taek K]

My beagle became allergic to everything a little after the age of 1. I knew of the consequences of feeding him cheap kibbles and bits so I started him off with Orijen then blue buffalo, etc…basically, anything that’s grain free, high in protein, etc…but at the end, it didn’t matter. It couldn’t have been couple of months after the age of 1 when constant itching, scratching, ear infection, eye infection, skin infection, etc started to plague my poor baby. Like most, I took him to vets after vets. Went to an allergist/dermatologist and paid over $700 for testing and allergy shots. I even got him testing for food allergies!!! Thank God I got him pet insurance, otherwise, I probably would have had to fork over over 10k out of pocket within the first year.

I’m just going to assume your dogs problem is associated with food and nothing more. My dog not only suffers from environmental allergies but also yeast infection. But I’ll just give you the run down for food. Otherwise, this post would be too long.

The best thing you can do for your dog is feed him REAL food. I don’t care how great a bagged dog food is made. At the end of the day, it’s all processed. Think of it this way. When Purnia, Pedigree, Blue buffalo, etc type of food companies didn’t exist, what did we feed our dogs? Exactly. We fed them real food. Long story short, I’ve done years of feeding my dog this and that type of real food and I FINALLY narrowed it down to what WORKS FOR MY DOG. And now, no ear or eye infection. He does get skin infection during the super hot months but it’s more like an instance vs a prolong battle. I think last infection lasted like couple days and it went away on it’s own. When infections creeps in, I suggest giving him a bath with antifungal shampoo like 2-3 times a week. But I digress.

Cut out everything that is starchy and sweet. That in turn will starve the yeast. The problem with bag dog food is there will always be starchy fillers. This is so the food company can keep the cost down. Ziwipeak is a brand that doesn’t contain starchy veggies or fruits. But its very expensive. Whether it’s sweet potato, peas, fruits, etc..bottom line, its starchy and will feed the yeast. STARVE THE YEAST!!!

This is what I give my 45lb mixed beagle.

-Salmon/Tuna (This is his staple protein source. This never changes)
-boiled beef/organ meat (I switch this up. One week, I give him beef. The following week, I give him organ meat. All boiled.)
-non starchy vegetables (green beans, romaine lettuce, cabbage, etc)
-plain greek yogurt (read the label; less the ingredient the better)
-berries (only during colder months; I wouldn’t even give him any the first 2 years to wipe out the yeast)
-Dinovite (its a supplement, google it)
-if my dog wasn’t allergic to anything chicken, I would give him a crushed boiled egg with the shell.

Anything that’s not protein based are fillers. Protein should be the base of his food so provide enough of it. There’s going to be a lot trials to see what works best for your dog. But this will work. It just takes time. Integrate REAL food with his food slowly. Once you completely change over to real food, you’ll see huge improvements. FYI…when you start changing his food, he’ll have couple instances of infections. This is expected. Its like the yeast trying to fight back. Keep hold and I promise, it’ll get better.

The only treat your dog should eat are no filler jerky. Read the ingredients. Again, say no to starch/sweet/carb!!! I give my dog BIXBI beef liver jerky.

If anyone needs more info or have any questions, please ask. From one owner who suffered, I wish nothing but the best and will help anyway I can.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Joanne B-
Have you looked at the website: http://www.dogaware.com? It has a section on home cooked recipes and a section with recommended books with home cooked recipes.
The closest that I have gotten to home made is using the See Spot Live Longer Dinner Mix added to either ground beef or turkey. My dogs really love it. I try to give them one kibble free meal per week. The creator of this mix is Steve Brown and he also has a few books out with information on home made meals. In addition, he has a down load that explains how to supplement meals with fresh foods to enhance your dog’s meals. He is selling the down load on a new site lately. Hopefully someone can pop in with that info if you are interested.

I’m hoping for a couple of years too! Good luck.

[David P]

TOTW is the cheapest of the somewhat-acceptable foods out there. It’s good you have enough love for your dog to purchase that. TOTW is what I started my three dogs (6 lbs, 24 lbs, & 68 lbs) on.

I’ve had to economize in OTHER AREAS OF MY LIFE in order to feed these 3 hounds properly.

TOTW is BARELY acceptable. On this site, you’ll see the owner/moderator mention Steve Brown of “The Canine Ancestral Diet”; Steve Brown was an MIT graduate who started studying this as a sideline and eventually veered off into the topic of “pet nutrition” full-time.

Holistic Veterinarian, Dr. Karen Becker had two YouTube interviews with Steve Brown… I am somewhat RETICENT about asking you to ACTUALLY SPEND MORE MONEY but you quite obviously have already MADE THE COMMITMENT to ensuring that your puppy gets “quality nutrition”.

So…..

You need to add one of the pre-mixes to supplement TOTW (I use Sojos Green… 8lb bag is $62)… the 6 lb Chihuahua gets one tsp. per meal. the 24 lb spaniel bred to look like a mini-Rottweiler gets 1 1/2 tblsp per meal, the 68 lb American Bulldog gets 3 tblsp. per meal. Dr. Becker provided the rationale that the diet of canids (dogs, wolves, etc.) in the wild is 70% moisture and greens from the stomachs of their vegetarian prey (rabbits, squirrels, chicken, etc.) The best that even the higher-quality grain-free dry dog foods can do is 12% moisture.

Do not OVERFEED your puppy; this resulted in a “mini-rebellion” bordering on “insurrection” by the 3 dogs in my household teaming up on me to complain when I instituted “measuring cup” proportional feedings. You’ll find that WITHOUT the “fillers/excipients” in the grocery-store brands, the recommended TOTW and Champion Dog Food (Orijen and Acana) Guidelines seem rather “stingy.” I compromise since a part of the rebellion staged by these 3 was to begin eating cheetohs and french fries that the truckers drop where I walk my dogs by the Walmart.

I measure each dogs recommended portion per day and SPACE OUT the meals to four servings which sates their initial hunger pangs; the COMPROMISE is that I don’t count the calories from the pre-mixes towards their daily caloric intake; the rationale being that these are HIGH-ROUGHAGE FOODS and since dogs have very short intestinal tracts, I’m getting the INTERNAL CLEANSING of the INTESTINAL WALLS that I desire; there is ALSO water-soluble fiber from the apples, etc CLEANSING THEIR BLOODSTREAM and keeping their RENAL SYSTEM (Kidneys) healthy.

This “may” or “may not” another TOUGH PILL for some to swallow; Steve Brown pointed out in the Karen Becker YouTube interview that THE FATS in even the best of the dry foods are intact in the air-sealed environment before the bag is opened but that these same fats degrade once opened. You need to go to a dollar store and buy $1 tupperware storage containers and refrigerate/freeze the balance of the bag once opened. Humans, dogs and all mammals need a variety of high-quality fats (which are EVERY BIT AS IMPORTANT as proteins).

Going to what I call “minimally-appropriate quality” dog foods does involve some “financial sticker shock”; you came here because you got a great puppy dog, Zane H and you were clever enough to sniff out the necessity of going “grain free”; Blue Buffalo is to be credited with instituting a national advertising campaign and there has been an understandable backlash against Purina and other brand providers to where they sheepishly and quietly have begun acknowledging that “corn,” “soy” and “wheat” are poisoning your pets.

You came here because you love your dog, Zane H and you were faced with some tough choices; I too don’t make a lot of money at my job as a CNC Lathe Operator.

You’ve got a puppy so you have a chance to have a healthy dog.. I’d recommend going to YouTube and search for Dr. Karen Becker and Mercola Healthy pets. Here is the link to her two-part series on Best-to-worst dog foods.

This the dry I feed my dogs; Orijen is 75%/80% whole prey protein to 20%/25% fruit and vegetables (found in the stomachs of the prey that dogs/wolves eat in the wild). Princess is 68 lbs and closer to “wolf size” than either Shadow (24 lbs) or Mary (6 lbs) so she gets the higher-protein + 3 tblsps. of the sojos green per meal.

I like the LESS EXPENSIVE Acana for Shadow and Mary since it is what is contained in the other 50% that I like (The DHA and EPA). I’m thinking of switching Princess over to Acana as she ages into her 13th year of life. She and Shadow are the same age and they have been active, healthy dogs who have the puppy chihuahua to entertain them.

Dogs REALLY NEED “fresh water” every day EITHER filtered through your tap with Britta or purchased in gallon bottles (“drinking” or “spring” only not “distilled”) from Walmart.

I also use the Honest Kitchen “Preference” pre-mix and sparingly add in the Grandma Lucy’s PureFormance pre-mix to get in some of those low-glycemic chickpeas.

Acana and Orijen have won numeorus awards for their low-glycemic qualities which keeps your pets healthy in the first place so that they don’t get system failures from having bodies with their pH-levels out of whack.

You need to change your dogs water daily and also add in a Tropicana breath freshener liquid to keep their teeth clean.

It is somewhat DEFLATING to come here and discover that it don’t get any cheaper than what you’re already doing…

…but you are here and you obviously love your dog.

[Cecile R]

Hi Doglovers and forum members,

I live in Sri Lanka and feel that it is very difficult here to get quality advise on dog nutrition (or on dogs in general). I have a 4 months old Ridgeback/Great Dane mix (Tequila) and have done some research on the internet about how I should feed her and feel like the info is very different to what the vet here has recommended me to feed my puppy, so I was hoping that somebody could give me some feeding advise? It is fairly difficult to get proper pet food here, basically the only thing that is available is Pedigree and Eukanuba dry food and this is also really expensive.
We have 4 more dogs who are all strays in different ages which I have picked up from the street and adopted and they are happy to eat almost anything and don’t like the dry food much also, so I would cook for them brown rice with pumpkin or carrott and in the mornings chicken liver and in the afternoon the same with fish filet, sprats, or meat off-cuts form the butcher.
For Tequila I’m a bit more concerned as in no case I want her to get any hip problems later (especially as I feel the vets are differently qualified to Western ones)
Our vet has given me 3 different vitamin supplements with high Calcium content, but from what I have learned can a diet with high Calcium be harmful for large breeds – alright, I just stopped giving her those.
Up to now I have been feeding her the Pedigree Puppy dry food (Calcium approx. 1.1%) but will change this now to the Eukanuba Puppy for large breeds (Calcium approx. 0.96%). So far I have been feeding her 2 smaller servings of this in the morning and always mixed this with milk powder as advised by the vet and chicken liver. In the afternoon she’s getting the same food as the adult dogs as described above. Any opinions if this makes sense?
Tequila was fairly small and skinny when we got her (32cm and 6kg at 8 weeks), but looks healthy now to my opinion. She’s approx. 55cm high now and weighs about 16kg (she’s a bit more on the Ridgeback side, so I think this is okay for her age?)
Since she’s my first large breed I’m very concerned of doing anything wrong as I just want her to grow up healthily and would appreciate any comments and advise of people who are more experienced!
Thanks a lot in advance

[theBCnut]

If they live down here permanently then you need to go to their house at the height of bug season and leave their door open several times, maybe they will get the hint.

Do you mean the Alnutrin or the whole carcass grinds? Alnutrin is a supplement, but it is all that needs to be added to cat food grinds, so in that way, it’s a premix. If you are feeding whole carcass, you don’t need anything added at all, and like I said, mine wouldn’t eat the Alnutrin.

[Anonymous]

Any medications and supplements tend to make the kidneys and liver work harder, therefore the lfts and bun/creatinine may become even more elevated and also increase the risk of nausea and vomiting. The antibiotics are just for pre-op preparation.

Once she’s stable and the infection is cleared up (dental surgery), she may benefit from diet changes and supplements as aids.

My dog with kidney damage (complication of Lyme) had higher values than that.

The potential for complications from the dental infection, sepsis are greater than the risk of going under anesthesia, imo. They do these procedures quickly now, the meds are less harsh.
I hope the vet can explain things in more detail and put your mind at ease. Good luck with your decision.
My last post on this subject as I am repeating myself.

[Anonymous]

What does the vet that has examined the dog recommend? That is who I would listen to.
Did he say he wouldn’t do the dental surgery? Did he advise you of the risks? Do you need another opinion? They have specialists for dental procedures and geriatric care.

There is no over the counter med that will reverse kidney disease

The anesthesia drugs they use nowadays are not as harsh as back when….but then again, there are no guarantees with anything in life.

BTW: You might make things worse by adding supplements, run it by the vet first.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 9 months ago by Anonymous.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 9 months ago by Anonymous.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 9 months ago by Anonymous.

[Derek L]

Just an update. Sorry @ashley_a that you are going through this 🙁

I took my dog to a different vet and boy was I much more happy with their service, knowledge, and ease to work with. They did an overall exam and noted he looked healthy. I informed them and provided all of the paperwork of what the previous vet prescribed for antibiotics. The ran a urinalysis and a urine culture. The urinalysis returned with no signs of blood and only a slightly high pH. The vet called back a few days later with the culture results which were negative.

At this point the vet advised as long as my dog is not acting differently, there are no signs of blood, that he looks to be fine. They did mention very few or any traces at all of struvite but said we could look into an xray if we wanted to. He advised it is not absolutely necessary given his results.

The things I did differently. After the rounds of antibiotics, I supplemented with a cranberry + vit c supplement. I provided and suggested more and more water intake. Meals were prepared with half a cup of kibble mixed with wet food and added additional water. Water was the key thing I ensured to increase overall. I’m not positive what the perfect combination is, but regardless I am going to continue to monitor him and get a few pH strips just to see how he’s doing.

His demeanor never changed so pay more attention than you need to. The only way I found out about this was I noticed his urine had a little red tint. He acted normal this entire time, so just be conscious.

[Anonymous]

Also, I would refrain from using supplements without your vets approval while your dog is receiving treatment with antibiotics, prescription medication. Some supplements can interfere or have interactions with the current regimen.

[Mike Sagman]

Bioavailability is a term more commonly used in the science of pharmacology (drugs).

However, when used to discuss dietary supplements and nutrients, as long as the chemical structure and digestive environment of a particular nutrient is chemically identical to that of another, it would make no difference whether that nutrient is sourced from a plant or an animal.

The bioavailability of any mineral (like magnesium or selenium) would be expected to be nutritionally identical to any other pure form of the same mineral — whether or not it had been derived from a soybean or a chicken. It makes absolutely no difference from where it is sourced.

However, when that same mineral has been chelated — combined with an amino acid, for example — it would become more bio-available for the animal.

So, in our ratings, we do tend to slightly favor recipes that contain chelated minerals over their standard inorganic counterparts.

In the case of whole foods like eggs or corn — not individual nutrients — the biological value (or nutritional completeness) of a food can vary significantly for any particular species.

For clarification, it may help to read this article about biological value published elsewhere on our website.

Or the Wikipedia articles about biological value and bioavailability, too.

Hope this helps.

[Bobby dog]

Here’s a site with info on supplements for digestive upsets and other dog stuff:
http://www.dogaware.com/health/digestive.html#diarrhea

[Anonymous]

I have been using GNC dog multivitamins and a glucosamine supplement for my pets, so far so good.
I use some of their supplements (human) for myself.
Sometimes I buy drugstore stuff because it is cheaper, such as fish oil….but who knows? They are all considered food supplements and don’t have to be checked by the FDA.
I like Endurance products too and they have a dog multivitamin I have used and may go back to.

[Gordon R]

Hi Liz,

We have a Golden six month old puppy with ear yeast and bacteria infections. Allergy testing showed he was allergic to chicken, turkey, tuna, peanuts, corn, rice, and wheat. Chicken was mentioned to us as a common cause of ear problems among dogs with that allergy.

The recommendation was to try Nutri Source Large Breed Lamb Meal Grain Free Formula, which I supplement with lamb based grain free canned food of various brands. That formula is rated at 4.5 stars, but it is an adult formulation, so I am still not sure it is the most perfect solution for our pup. We’re only into this one week, still in the transition period, so I can’t give you any results yet.

[Chris S]

I have been using GNC vitamins & supplements for my 7 yr. old Cavalier. I wanted to find out if anyone knew if this was a reliable & consistent brand, or if there were any other brands that would be better, especially as far as vitamins are concerned.

I have, in the past, used 21st Century & something called VitaPet (I think that’s correct).

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

A lot of small breeds have a heart murmur, as long as it is asymptomatic I wouldn’t worry too much. There are a lot of high quality dog foods out there, try them out. Some of my favorites are Wysong, Nutrisca, Wellness…..and I recently discovered Evangers.
Fish oil is a good supplement for any dog, imo. I use a drugstore brand for humans, one capsule a day, check with your vet.

[Nate D]

Thought I’d give an update on my dogs.

I’ve had the one with crystals on Science Diet per the vet for 1 week now. ph is down from 8.0 to 6.5 and holding. I am testing daily. I won’t know if crystals still exist or not until I have her retested next week.
I do not have her just on the Science Diet though. I am mixing in a small amount of the dry with it along with water.
I have been giving the Solid Gold Berry Balance supplement that I bought to my other dog with his food and have been adding water to the dry food. His ph is dropping so it is working. I plan to have both dogs on it once my female is off of the Science Diet.
I’ve been mixing a 50/50 of distilled water and filtered water I get which already has a neutral ph of 6.0.

I contacted a nutritionist with Fromm who said their food’s ph is 5.6-5.8, which is lower then most high quality dry foods, but the actual output will vary. A lower protein, lower carb diet is good. As I had mine on their weight management food I was suggested to try their 4 star whitefish and potato food as it has lower protein and the carbs are within the same range as the weight management. The food also has a different protein source.
I mentioned trying the new gold coast weight management food as it is grain free and was told I could try it, but was suggested the whitefish food due to the lower protein. 23% vs. 25%.
I was told a cranberry supplement like I am now using is a good thing.
In reality the food should be grain free with no starch/potatoes, but just eliminating it doesn’t mean it will help. I will give the whitefish food a shot and see what results I get from it.

Water consumption is the main key and if using dry food add water.
I was told even using wet food once a day can help a lot.

Unfortunately what will work for 1 dog may not work for the other so it’s a matter of finding what will. If one thing doesn’t work, try something else, but the best thing one can do for any pet is water, water, water. If one uses tap water which may have tons of minerals in it, testing it is a good idea. Water is very good, but it can also cause issues if the ph levels aren’t where they should be.

Ph test strips and testing regularly is a must.

[Chris S]

Oh yes, the Cavalier is about top of the list of breeds that get this heart problem. My dog, Archie, has held off any problems for about 7 years. So I am thankful for that.

I have read that both fish oil & Coq10 were both good for this, but can’t seem to find out dosages. And what brands of supplements are reliable & consistent.

I am looking for what foods would be helpful as well.

One question I have had for a long time is…why don’t the manufacturers make their food taste good to the dog. I have tried numerous 5 star dog foods & none seem to make an impression on Archie. This is just a short rant. Sorry.

Thanks for your response. It verifies what I have been reading.

[Anonymous]

http://www.homeovet.net/dynamic/php/downloads/dog-c8470f2c75dbe4b683205c3919ee2310/dog_diet_complete.pdf

I use this as a guide, for supplements I add a dog multi vitamin, fish oil supplement, and other things depending on the dogs individual needs
I also use a quality dry food as a base, tried to get away from it, but they seem to like a little kibble here and there.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 9 months ago by Anonymous.

[Melissaandcrew]

Any breed can have a heart murmur. What grade is the murmur, and did the vet say it was indicative of a specific disease? Fish oil is one of the best supplements you can use. Coq10 is said to be effective for certain types of heart disease as well.

[John P]

Hi, Dori.

I must have misinterpreted something to begin with, but I also must have worded something incorrectly. What I meant is that if I can only find three distinct proteins, a way to incorporate variety and possibly avoid sensitivity issues would be to find a food with the same protein but different supplementary ingredients. I never thought that you intended me to use one protein. In fact, I think you’re the one who convinced me to rotate in the first place!

I’ll take your freeze dried advice into consideration and do some research. I really don’t know anything about freeze dried foods and treats (pricing, availability, health benefits, etc). I was looking for a pork-based treat to feed along with the Acana Pork and Butternut Squash kibble, and I found the Orijen Wild Boar freeze dried treats. Do you think those would be suitable as a close relation and have the health benefits you mentioned? I liked them because they were produced by the same parent company as well as the fact that wild boar is in theory wild pork. Orijen also offers freeze dried lamb treats I believe. I don’t use a lot of treats, but they’re helpful when grooming. And grooming is a daily chore with wheatens!

You have been incredibly understanding as I’ve worked through this. As Tony the Tiger would say, You’re Greaaa-aaattt!